You have decided to take the next step in improving the services you offer your patients – offering Dental Sleep Medicine. That is great news! With the important decision out of the way, now you must market your dental sleep medicine practice. Marketing is the key to success in dentistry because it not only allows you to reach your patients but also other doctors. Let us take a look at ways you can market your dental sleep medicine practice.
Generate newsletters and educational materials
An important marketing tool for your practice is education. Whether you are educating the patient or a local physician, educating them on your services will make all the difference and set you apart from the rest. You want to educate both the patient and physicians on dental sleep medicine and how oral appliance therapy can help those non-compliant CPAP users.
To get the word out, try creating a newsletter. Create a newsletter for patients and for physicians. For the patient, the newsletter can include:
| • | What is sleep apnea? | ||||
| • | What treatment options are available? | ||||
| • | What happens if I do not get treatment? | ||||
For local physicians, create a newsletter that is engaging and opens up the door to a working relationship with your office. Let them know who you are, what you offer, and how you can work together to help your patients find relief from their sleep apnea. The more the medical professionals in your area know, the better they can care for and refer patients with sleep apnea. Provide abstracts of journal articles on oral appliance therapy keeping them up to date. Generate and mail newsletters to physicians in your area, but also call on behalf of your office to introduce yourself and your services.
Reach out
How will the physicians know your office if you do not reach out? Take the time out of your day to visit medical professionals in your community. Whether you stop by, call, or set up a luncheon with their practice, it is important to meet them – face to face. Allow them to get to know you and the services you provide. By visiting their office, you can also meet their staff, who will often be the ones you interact with more often.
Join social networks
Yes, that is right. Part of your marketing plan must include being active on social media channels. While Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ all help you maintain your personal relationships; they can also help you reach your patients better. Actively post on each social media channel; that does not mean non-stop all day posting. Share blogs, educational articles, infographics, important office information, and other information that is important for your patients to know. Being active on social media will show your patients you care and are a trustworthy source for important information.
Blogging and content creation
Blog, blog, blog! In order to market your practice and establish yourself as a trustworthy source for dental sleep medicine, you must blog. Whether it is once a week or once a month, it is important to be active in your blogging efforts. Provide educational and fun information for your patients so they will want to continue to learn more. When choosing a topic, think of what your patients want to know. What are some common questions they ask while in your office? Use those questions to write different blogs to further educate your patients on important topics.
As an active dentist, you may not have enough free time to write these blog posts, which is why I utilize a freelance writer. I personally use Sara Berg (http://saraanneberg.wix.com/dentalwriting) for the creative writing portion of my marketing plan. With the availability of a freelance writer, you can have blogs written continuously in order to keep your patients up-to-date with important information.
For further help and guidance with sleep apnea and your patients, check out “Freedom from CPAP: Sleep Apnea Hurts, the Treatment Doesn't Have To.” This book, available on Amazon, was a collaborative effort between Dr. Dillard and me in hopes of furthering not only the development of dental practices but also to continue to educate patients on this silent killer.
Take charge of marketing your dental sleep medicine practice, and gain new patients through education, reaching out to medical professionals, and creating an active social network and blog. You can help patients get a better night's sleep through the development of a proper marketing plan.