Dental Marketing During COVID-19: 7 Tips to Get Patients Back to the Office

As if it wasn’t hard enough to remove people’s, one may argue, irrational fear of visiting the dentist, but add Covid-19 to the picture and now some people feel they really have a valid reason to put off their dental visit.

We all know that in the long run, this will be detrimental to their health. We must get patients back in the dentist’s chair, and the best way to do so is by increasing their confidence in the experience. If we put ourselves in their shoes, the idea of being unmasked can be intimidating, so it’s our duty to make them feel as comfortable as possible.

Here are 7 steps to increase patient visits to your practice despite the Covid-19 pandemic worries:

1. WEBSITE DESIGN: Create a Covid-19 page on your website.

Develop a dedicated page on your website that outlines all the practice’s safety protocols relating to Covid-19 and provide step-by-step instructions on what their experience will be like when visiting your dental practice. It’s important for patients to have all the information, so they feel confident attending their appointment. It’s also recommended to add a Covid-19 banner on your homepage to promote this informative page. We recommend having updated photography with the team in full PPE gear and images of other safety gear/procedures, as well as video content outlining the new steps you are taking to ensure patient safety.

2. UPDATE YOUR BUSINESS LISTINGS: Ensure your business listings have updated Covid-19 information.

It’s important that people searching for your business know you are open and if you have any specific changes to opening hours and instructions on visiting your practice due to the pandemic. This might sound cumbersome, but it’s very easy to update all your business listings in one go by using our platform.

3. UPDATE YOUR ADVERTISING: Add Covid-19 safety protocols to your advertising campaigns.

When publishing an ad or sending out an offer by mail, it’s important these days to mention Covid-19 as it’s on everyone’s mind when considering a dental visit. This will make you stand out from the competition. Patients will feel a level of trust that your practice is safe for their dental needs.

4. CLEARLY COMMUNICATE: Place a banner outside your storefront showing you are open.

Get people’s attention by adding signage outside your building showing you are open. Some people may assume that dentists are closed due to the pandemic, so it’s important to let them know that you’re open for business.

5. REPUTATION MATTERS: Highlight Covid-19 testimonials from your patients.

Encourage patients who visit during the pandemic to leave a review which mentions your Covid-19 safety measures and highlight these testimonials on your review platforms and add them directly to your website. Knowing from other patients that their experience was positive will provide a level of comfort to people who are on the fence about visiting.

6. BUILD TRUST: Create social media and blog posts highlighting safety protocols.

Use your social media and blog to speak to your followers and let them know it’s safe and important to visit, even for routine appointments. You can use these channels to educate on the long term effects of not visiting the dentist, as well as provide tips to look after their teeth at home.

7. PATIENT COMMUNICATION: Update all patient communications with Covid-19 information.

Whether it’s in your scheduled appointment notices or confirmation emails, it’s important to update your regular content to include your Covid-19 safety protocols and hold your patients’ hand during the entire process to ensure they make that appointment and keep it.

Communication and information is key to supporting your patient’s needs during these challenging times, so use all your channels to your advantage to tell your story of how you are protecting your patients and team while maintaining your usual wonderful level of service.

Denteo Marketing Group is able to provide you with support on all these steps, from developing the messaging, to creating website and marketing content to promote your business. Send us an email if you have any questions, or would like to discuss how we can help your business thrive, even during a pandemic.