What to do after you buy your practice
Change is hard. And as creatures of habit, we like to avoid it at all costs simply because it’s easier to ignore change than it is to embrace it. However, when it comes to change and transition within a dental practice, avoidance can often be futile for practice retention rates and patient trust.
With nearly 75% of adults experiencing some form of anxiety when going to the dentist, there is an undeniable assurance and repertoire you build with your patients and the last thing you want to do is break that while bringing a new doctor into your practice.
So, what is the best way to approach transition within your practice? Be honest and transparent with your patients. Nobody likes feeling like they’re out of the loop, especially when it comes to their health.
Over the last 8 years, our team at Digital Resource has helped many practices with new doctor transitions and we’ve found honesty to truly be the best policy. While there is a laundry list of things you can do to transition a new doctor to your practice, here are the 5 things we recommend that our clients do:
- Update Your Listings Online
Start your transition off on the right foot by updating all of your listings to match up with whatever changes have occurred within your office.
An online listing is a third-party website your company may have profiles on that people tend to forget to update, just like their website. This could include review websites like Google and Yelp, social media pages like Facebook and Instagram, and other sites such as Healthgrades, YouTube and so much more.
By ensuring all your listings are accurate, you minimize the opportunity for patients to be confused about the transition. The goal is to make this process as seamless and easy as possible for your patients to maintain their trust and loyalty to your practice.
- Make the Introduction for Your Patients
Just like you’d introduce mutual friends, ensure you introduce a new doctor or team member to your practice!
Create a message from your current doctor to introduce the new doctor to your patients to share via email and social media. This message doesn’t need to be particularly lengthy or overzealous, but rather serves as an opportunity to inform your patients about seeing a new face around the office and allowing for some immediate trust to be gained knowing they have your seal of approval.
By actively introducing your patients to the new doctor, it makes them feel as though they’re a part of the process rather than being surprised by it.
- Create Videos for Your Current Patients
Once your patients know there’s going to be a new face around the office – show them what the practice dynamic will feel like with video content of your new doctor. 96% of patients report watching videos to learn more about services and updates, with 88% of them being swayed to act because of the video.
Allow your patients to have a personal and meaningful way to get to know what their new doctor is like and have a taste of what their experience in the office will be like. If adding video content feels overwhelming – check out a blog post we wrote to help you create a video strategy before hitting record.
- Send Out a Meet the Doctor Email
Once your patients have been introduced to your new doctor and have seen them around the office, dig a little deeper and let them get to know more about your new doctor outside of the white coat with our “Meet the Doctor” email. The email allows you to showcase your doctor’s personality and values outside of the office to allow patients to make a personal connection with them.
With over 65% of people reporting to feel emotional connections to businesses they support, extending the opportunity to create a personal connection with your patients can ultimately allow for their trust and retention within your practice. Not to mention, this is a great email to send out to your patients even if you’re not transitioning a new doctor into your practice.
- Generate Google Reviews with the New Doctor
Much like the way you check a restaurant’s reviews before deciding to eat there, prospective patients are likely to look at your practice’s reviews before deciding to become your patient. 88% of consumers trust online testimonials and reviews just as much as recommendations from friends or family.
From day one, ensure your new doctor is gaining credibility online by encouraging patients to leave Google reviews while they’re in the office or using a review generation service to remind them after hours. By establishing this habit early on, you’ll help shape your new doctor’s reputation both inside and outside of your practice’s walls.
While bringing a new doctor into your practice can be tough, there is no reason why the transition shouldn’t be seamless for your patients. When you make a point of prioritizing your patients and keeping them in the loop, you allow them to feel valued as an important part of the transition. Simply put, honesty truly is the best policy.
Grow Your Practice with Digital Resource!
Our dedicated team here at DR has worked with dentists across the United States, helping them attract new patients through a range of digital marketing strategies that work best for the dental industry.
If you’re interested to learn more about what we do and how we can take your practice to the next level, feel free to contact us anytime! We look forward to hearing from you.
