Nearly all (if not all) dental practices have an ongoing goal to grow their practice through acquiring new patients. But not all practices have a solid plan in place for how to turn those new patients into loyal members of their dental practice family. If your...

In the dental industry networking with dental professionals outside out of the practice you work in is invaluable to your career. Whether that means finding a mentor who can help open  the door to new opportunities or a mutually beneficial relationship with...

At the end of 2016 nearly 25% of Americans didn’t have dental insurance. That’s 74.3 million people who have no assistance in paying for dental care—or who may simply avoid going to the dentist at all for fear they wouldn’t be able to afford their treatment. That’s a...

Running a dental practice can get expensive—especially when small expenses go unnoticed with the staff’s attention focused on providing exceptional dental care. But over time even the smallest expenses can add up and increase overhead costs to make your practice less...

Have you joined the podcast craze yet? Instead of tuning to your favorite station or streaming music through their phone, many people are turning to Podcasts on their morning commutes or as a way to wind down after a stressful day. And with thousands to choose from on...

No matter the role you play on your dental team when you’re with a patient they trust you to take care of their dental needs without hesitation. That could be something as simple as helping them fill out a new patient form in the reception area to walking them through...

We’re pretty sure there are few things in life less enjoyable than dealing with the mysterious world that is insurance companies. With regulations and red tape galore, even submitting the simplest claim for your patients can lead to headaches and—even worse—denied...

As anyone who’s spent any time in the dental field knows, dentistry isn’t all pearly white smiles. Helping patients maintain a healthy mouth and teeth means performing procedures that can result in a variety of biohazard s like blood, tissue, sharps and more. It’s all...

Anyone who’s worked in the dental or medical industry knows the importance of protecting private patient information. After all, the heart of a dental practice is patient care. But with the seemingly endless regulations that can be vague, confusing or a combination of...

Earlier this year Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook’s algorithm (the way Facebook determines what users see in their News Feeds) will begin to prioritize “meaningful interactions” between users—particularly family and friends—which means companies...

Does that seem like a strange question? Do you think that busy generally equates to productive at your practice? If you do it may be time to rethink that. Busyness can equate to productivity, yes, but it can also be deceptive. For example, someone can busy themselves...

A dental practice level of productivity can often by measured solely as the number of patients on the schedule. That means it’s only natural that some days will be more productive than others in terms of patient care load. On those days especially full days you work...

Does your office have certain phone protocols anyone at the front desk is supposed to follow? If not, you should really consider putting some in place. The initial phone call with a potential patient is key to new patient conversion. One of the most important aspects...

Do you have a well-designed and intuitive website that you know would entice patients once they landed on it? Do you also feel like you put a lot of time, thought and effort into a site that just isn’t getting enough traffic? Then a Google My Business listing can...

Based on our own experience of maintaining a blog we know that finding topics to write about that actually resonate with your target audience (provide education, entertainment, timely information, etc.) isn’t always easy. You can spend hours scouring the interwebs...

Last week we discussed how not all new patients are the right new patients. To truly grow your practice and achieve goals you need to acquire patients that add value to your practice by showing up for appointments (on time), being receptive to your treatment...

When it comes to growing your dental practice, it can be easy to slip into the mindset of attracting new patients at all costs, and to believe that any new patient on the schedule is the patient you’ve been waiting for to help you hit your goals. But we’re willing to...

  Yes, we’re aware that by now you know the importance of having a strong web presence—from your practice website to social media and more. However, it’s never a bad time to re-evaluate your site to see where its strengths and weaknesses lie. After all, wouldn’t...

  At Dental City we strongly believe anyone can be a leader because leadership isn't just designated to individuals in certain roles. From the top dog in a business (or a dentist in a dental office) to the newest employee on a team, being a leader comes not from...

  Happy 2018, everyone! As our Dental City team is ready to tackle another year in the dental industry we make sure to review the past year and what we learned from it—where were our successes and where could we have done better. Are you doing the same? Are you...

Did you know? Customers put on hold with background music thought a 30-second hold was only 15 seconds. The average on hold time across all industries is 38 seconds. Callers stay on the phone 25% longer when there is a hold message versus just music or silence. Most...

Are there ever days that you feel just won’t end? Or weeks where by Thursday you find yourself thinking more about your weekend plans than the work you have waiting for you at your desk or in your exam room? If you don’t answer yes to that question congratulations!...

This is an updated version of an article we published in March of 2016 on how to effectively manage dental supply inventory. We added some extra information to give you the best tips for successful inventory management for your practice! As a dental supply...

It seems in the last few years the dental industry as a whole has tended toward the belief that scheduling patient appointments far in advance are best practice. After all, what better way to get a patient’s undivided attention and get something on the books than when...

As the temperatures start to drop, the leaves start to change and the thrill of the holiday season is just on the horizon there’s no better season than fall to incorporate into your dental marketing strategy. Hopefully by now the back to school rush has slowed and...

When it comes to smart dental practice marketing you can check all the boxes and feel like you’re doing everything right and still see lackluster results. That could be due to a lack of easily identifiable presence in your community. That’s why having a stand-out...

Let’s be real. 99% (give or take a bit—I’m using a bit of dramatic flair) of people working in a dental office went to school for one thing: dentistry. But not only is a dental office a dental office, it’s also a legit business with processes, regulations, and...

As most of you are likely aware, the EPA ruling requiring amalgam separators be installed in all dental office has been put into effect after a six-month postponement. As you’re readying your office to comply with this regulation it's a great time to ensure your...

This trend isn’t exactly new but the number of uninsured or under insured patients seeking dental treatment continues to grow, particularly in the older demographic. According to the American Dental Association, 11% of children 2-18 don’t have benefits, 35% of adults...

When it comes to protecting patient information I think we can all agree that it’s best to err on the side of caution. After all, patients are the heart of dental practices and giving them the best—and most confidential—care possible is essential to long term success...

Currently the largest generational population, millenials are poised to be a significant part of the future of your dental practice. That means hiring, retaining and motivating them is essential to having continued success because recognizing their talents and...

The Cloud. What was once no more than a mass of water vapor floating in the sky is now something that plays a vital role in our technological landscape. But does it have any business being in your dental practice? You can choose from a variety of cloud-based dental...

Hiring is much more than simply collecting resumes and asking clever interview questions. It starts with a recruiting plan, a commitment to invest in the future of your practice by hiring the right people, and on-boarding those people properly. If you don’t have a...

When it comes to the happiness of your team and patients you can’t just hope for the best. Instead, you must deliberately shape a practice culture that places an emphasis on employee satisfaction and an exceptional patient experience. This will allow you to maximize...

Show of hands. How many of you know your patients would be happier with less tooth sensitivity and a slowing of tooth decay? How many of you also know that patients frequently have a hard time acting on the desire for less sensitivity and decay—instead choosing to...

In an ideal world every patient would go right from checking in at the front desk to walking back to their exam room. Your reception area would stand deserted—almost unnecessary due to your practice’s exceptional timeliness and efficiency. But we live in the real...

With more social media platforms created every day, it can take some time to narrow down which ones are worth using to promote your dental practice. Some are easy to eliminate based on low user counts or too narrow audiences. However, at 500 million users and growing,...

These tips can help dental hygienists learn how to prevent pain and health issues from long hours of dental work and ensure they don’t need to reduce their hours or retire early due to health complications. Even though ergonomics has become a respected aspect of the...

I’m sure you’ve heard it a million times by now: the chorus of voices echoing that the future of marketing is digital. Or you’ve read over and over again that an online presence is essential to growing your practice and remaining relevant in today’s dental industry....

Let’s face it, most people don’t place going to the dentist too high on their “favorite things to do” list. And, unfortunately, this can lead to some difficult situations with patients, especially those who come in with a bad attitude about dental treatment or who are...

Is this your first time reading our Turnover Trouble series? Don’t miss parts one and two—they’re full of helpful tips to avoid turnover by hiring employees who will fit in seamlessly with the rest of your team and giving them the resources they need to successfully...

Make sure you don’t miss the first part of our Turnover Trouble series Start Hiring Smarter. Congratulations! You’ve just hired someone you believe is an excellent fit for your practice and will provide you with years of good dentistry. Now’s the time to give yourself...

Has your practice ever lost a top employee? Or found trouble getting new hires to stick around longer than a year or two? If so, you know the toll turnover can take on the overall performance and morale of the office. It can lead to a feeling of indifference towards...

In a recent press release the Environmental Protection Agency revealed their final ruling on the disposal of amalgam in the dental office. Due to the potentially harmful effects of releasing mercury-containing amalgam into the environment through traditional disposal...

The holidays are the perfect time of year to show your patients how much they mean to your practice. You most likely end every appointment by sending patients home with a goodie bag full of home care essentials, so this is a perfect time to give a little more...

Whether you’re the doctor, hygienist or assistant, you’ve probably experienced this before. A patient comes into the office with the same issues over and over; their gums bleed from lack of proper brushing or flossing, or they can’t seem to make it through a year...

Today we’ve given a face lift to one of our most popular articles. So, no, it’s not déjà vu—you might have seen this information before. But with us getting new readers every day we thought it was high time we dusted it  off, added some additional relevant...

Even the most dedicated organizers can become overwhelmed deep in the trenches of your dental supply cabinet. The number of products needed for day to day dental work, plus any products required for less frequent but essential procedures, can easily climb into the...

So, you received a negative review. It happens. Any practice can make a mistake or have a misunderstanding with a patient. But the best practices know how to take those poor reviews and respond in a way both professional and worth of re-earning customer trust. The key...

So far in our discussion about the 3 Pillars of Attracting Patients Online we have talked about the importance of a professional dental website and the need for a strong online reputation. Today we will look at the third piece of the puzzle that will set your practice...

Show of hands for anyone who likes paying bills? No one? Yeah, I knew that was a long shot. It’s pretty common knowledge people don’t like paying bills. Whatever service being paid for is usually already done and over with, so when the bill comes it feels like you’re...

We’ve all been there. We see a crazy deal on the latest and greatest something (purse, watch, laptop—you name it) and are tempted. Tempted to roll the dice and buy even though something just doesn’t seem right. But, fortunately, most of us resist that temptation. We...

Let’s just hit the ground running, shall we? Because, really, anyone reading this article already has at least a subconscious understanding of the benefits of blogging. It’s literally free interaction of potential (and current) patients with your practice. Right now...

Let’s face it; differentiating your practice from the competition can be tricky. After all, especially if you’re a general dentist, you offer the same services as the other dozen dentists in your community. X-rays? Check. Fillings? Check. Prophy? Check. So how can you...

A few weeks ago we published 4 Key Behaviors of Amazing Dental Leaders. In that article we covered the first of the 4 keys to excellent leadership: knowing and promoting your “why.” In this article we’ll dive into the second key trait—giving and receiving feedback....

In my first article about the 3 Pillars of Attracting New Patients Online we discussed the need for a professional website. Today we are covering the second piece of the puzzle, your online reputation. We can all probably agree that we prefer to do business with...

We are excited to introduce you to a new voice on the Dental City Blog—Jenna—one of our awesome account managers who came to us after she decided she wanted a new perspective of the dental industry. Before that, though, she worked as a talented dental assistant and is...

Whether you’ve worked in dentistry for a few months, years or decades, the supply of “things to know” will probably never shrink. And while the field of dentistry ever-evolves, some pieces of advice will always stand the test of time. Take care of your bodyLeaning...

Make sure your office is meeting the standards for biological monitoring of your sterilizers with this easy walk-through of recommendations from the ADA and CDC. Three types of monitoring (these should all be done routinely) Mechanical Chemical Biological Mechanical –...

Understanding HIPAA regulations can feel like an impossible task, so it may seem easier to be overly cautious with social media marketing to avoid dealing with a possible violation. But that’s a short sighted solution. Use of social media as a marketing tool is only...

Creating a strong bond with your community is an invaluable way to strengthen relationships with current patients and invite new patients to make your office their home for dental care. So here are seven ways to make sure you contribute to your community and are seen...

A few weeks ago Dental City co-hosted a CE event called Creating Exceptional Patient Experiences. From the masters of customer service at the Ritz Carlton Leadership Center, participants in the event learned how incorporating superior patient service into their...

Maybe you’ve tried them and ditched them. Or have them just to have them but think they’re just kind of “meh.” Either way it’s not hard to fall into a morning huddle rut. But you shouldn’t give them up. Starting each day with a team meeting allows things to run more...

With everyone glued to their mobile devices it only makes sense that they’d search for a dentist online. So if you want to keep up with other practices a website is crucial to being found and then chosen by potential patients. But simply having a website isn’t enough....

Managing all the products that a dental office uses isn’t an easy task. There needs to be a certain “happy medium” between not having product when it’s needed and having a surplus of supplies that potentially ends up going to waste. To make sure your office finds that...

It’s no secret corporate dental chains have the resources to aggressively market their services and that their size allows them to offer convenient hours and discount prices. But at the end of the day that’s all that sets them apart. These chain locations all need to...

Essentially, those stats just wrote this article for me. If you’re not communicating with your patients via text, email, or both you are missing out on essential communication touch points. Think about it like this: You have a patient call in to make an appointment....

The follow-up call is an often forgotten touchpoint in the total patient experience, yet it’s a vital step in delivering exceptional, personalized dental care. Providing timely follow-up to patients shows your sensitivity to their needs and gives you the opportunity...

What’s one thing that can send once happy patients running to the hills? Staff turnover. Perhaps your patients adored your hygienist, Lucy. She was kind, supportive, and caring. But she was also fed up. Fed up with feeling underappreciated. With office gossip. With...

Internal marketing has proven to be the most cost-effective and successful way to acquire new patients and grow your practice. And you should have a referral program at the heart of your internal marketing efforts, because your current patients’ recommendations to...

  Dental City and Dental Practice Advisors have teamed up to help you achieve increased success in 2016 with our upcoming event with the Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center "Creating Exceptional Patient Experiences.” To kick it off we're sharing a series of articles...

Let’s face it. We all wish that effective marketing was as easy as posting to Facebook or sending out a postcard. That just by making some effort patients and profit would come flooding in. But it’s not. So where should you start to maximize the effectiveness of your...

Hi, everyone. A Dental City millennial here. I thought I’d shed some light on this subject based on personal experience. (And, no, it has nothing to do with postcards or TV commercials.) There are two keys to marketing to millenials. Key 1: Keep it real on social...

  Dental City and Dental Practice Advisors have teamed up to help you achieve increased success in 2016 with our upcoming event with the Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center "Creating Exceptional Patient Experiences.” To kick it off we're sharing a series of articles...

  Dental City and Dental Practice Advisors have teamed up to help you achieve increased success in 2016 with our upcoming event with the Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center "Creating Exceptional Patient Experiences.” To kick it off we're sharing a series of articles...

Even for those of us lucky enough to love our jobs, we all know those days. Those days when getting out of bed seems impossible. When tackling your morning commute is the last thing you want to do. When the first thing you do when you get to work is calculate the...

  Dental City and Dental Practice Advisors have teamed up to help you achieve increased success in 2016 our upcoming event with the Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center "Creating Exceptional Patient Experiences.” To kick it off we’re sharing a series of articles with tops...

What better way to kick off the New Year than with a freshened up waiting room sure to delight patients both new and old. Switch up the color If you’ve been rocking the same color for some time, this is the easiest way to breathe new life into the reception area. If...

Happy New Year! Resolve to do these 5 things in 2016 and watch your practice thrive. Empower and appreciate the team around you. Team members who feel appreciated and like they have the ability to direct the course of their work with methods and techniques that best...

Last we checked all dental professionals are human. And humans make mistakes. It’s a fact of life. But what should you do when that mistake you make is during one of your appointments? Never try to hide the mistake. Even if you think your patient won’t notice the...

No-shows. Schedule skippers. Patients missing in action. No practice likes them, but all practices have them. One solution? Charging a missed appointment fee. But there are some pros and cons to weigh before implementing one. And a strategy behind it. PRO It offers a...

Hello, there. If you’re reading this article good for you! That means you’re aware of and recognize the value of social media marketing for your practice. After all, you’re not just selling a product that can fly off the shelves with a good discount. You’re selling a...

How often do you give or receive a “thank you” while at work? Do you feel appreciated enough for the work you do? Hopefully you answered “yes” to those questions, because it turns out gratitude in the workplace can go a long way towards boosting the morale of everyone...

Pssst. Here’s a secret for you: just because someone calls your practice to make an appointment doesn’t mean you’ll have a new patient when you hang up. How you handle that first phone call matters! Here are five tips to help you hit it out of the park: Have a phone...

Today, we’re doing something a little different on the Dental City blog. We have the privilege of sharing an article written by Dr. Lisa Knowles, DDS, founder of Intentional Dental Consulting and writer at the dental blog Beyond 32 Teeth. Dr. Knowles spent 15 years in...

Whether retirement is in the not too distant future or you’re looking for a change in location there may come a time when you need to sell your practice. Here are five things you should know before taking that plunge. You need to understand the marketDon’t decide to...