Patients are looking for more convenient ways to connect with their healthcare providers, and dentistry is no exception.
From simple questions to comprehensive case presentations, much of the traditional patient-provider interaction can be done using teledentistry.
For new patients looking to establish a relationship with a dentist, the benefits of telecommunications become even more apparent. Face-to-face video conversations give patients and providers the ability to establish relationships before they even come into the office – creating a more efficient new-patient acquisition process.
For many dental organizations looking to implement teledentistry, getting the word out may seem like a daunting task.
The question we get most often, “How do I let my current and future patients know I’m offering teledentistry?”
We’ve put together 5 simple ways for you to promote your teledentistry offerings to the world.
1. Update your website to allow for direct teledentistry appointment bookings
Your website should be your central hub for where your current and future patients can find everything about your practice. Once you begin offering teledentistry, make sure to update your home page or landing pages to clearly communicate your new and exciting dental offering.
When you reduce the friction for patients to book a virtual appointment with your offices, they can quickly convert and get on your appointment book without ever needing to speak to anyone at the office.
Onsite Dental is a great example. With over 40 treatment sites servicing some of the biggest companies in the world, including Boeing, Facebook, and Uber, Onsite Dental implemented Teledentix to offer patients more convenient ways to connect with their dentist. Here's the messaging and creative they added to their home page:
In the Onsite Dental example, notice the use of a clear call-to-action (CTA) to “Find Your Location” prompting the patient to select their treatment site before they book their teledentistry appointment.
We’ve also created an example demonstrating how you can promote teledentistry on your website home page and in your header.
In this dental website example, notice the menu item on the top right that reads “Book A Virtual Appointment.” By adding the word “New” to the menu item, the button stands out to online visitors and patients.
The home page in this example also uses the phrase “Your next appointment could be from your couch” to entice the visitor into clicking the “Learn More” button. The verbiage and imagery demonstrate the convenience and ease of scheduling a virtual dental visit.
Once you have decided on what you want your messaging and CTAs to say, send and example like this to your web developer to get it implemented on your website.
Teledentix gives you the ability to generate unique links for your teledentistry campaigns that you can embed in your CTAs – allowing new and existing patients to book a virtual appointment in seconds!
2. Email your current and prospective patients with instructions on how to book a teledentistry appointment
Emails can be one of the most efficient ways for marketing teledentistry to your entire patient base at once. The best part – the email can link directly to the teledentistry booking page so you can get patients on your schedule without doing much follow-up.
Use a catchy subject line:
“Your Next Dental Visit Could be from Your Couch”
“Book Your Virtual Appointment Today”
Keep your email short and sweet
Include a clear CTA:
“Book Your Virtual Appointment”
“Learn More about Virtual Visits”
“Visit Our Website to Book”
The links in your emails can go to an appointment booking page, your website, or an informational flyer. Teledentistry software like Teledentix provides online appointment booking pages specifically for these types of promotional efforts. By reducing the barriers to book, your patients can quickly re-engage with your staff, virtually.
3. Use flyers to promote your teledentistry offering
Traditional flyers can be a relatively inexpensive way to spread the word about your new virtual visits. Whether you are handing them out as patients come to the office, or leaving them around your local areas, sometimes an eye-catching message is all you need to spark some interest.
Flyers can also be helpful to answer common questions about teledentistry and virtual visits. In this example, the flyer covers 5 important aspects of what teledentistry can do:
Consultations
“Schedule a secure consultation from any device”
Send Video Messages
“Record and receive video and image messages securely between you and your provider”
Schedule Appointments
“Schedule, cancel, or edit your upcoming appointments”
Manage Records
“Access to your dental records and patient history”
Fill Out Forms
“Fill out and manage your patient forms quickly and easily”
When creating using flyers, make sure to understand exactly what your teledentistry solution is capable of. Teledentix is the only fully comprehensive teledentistry software that gives patients access to all of the features mentioned on this example flyer.
DOWNLOAD THE TELEDENTISTRY PROMOTIONAL FLYER
4. Create posters that clearly state you offer teledentistry
Like the flyer, posters can also serve as a traditional method of spreading the word about your teledentistry offering. Here is another example of what a poster/flyer can look like:
Teledentistry is a new concept to many patients and the benefits may still seem unclear. A poster in your office, on your website, or in a community setting can help educate patients on why teledentistry can help reduce in-office visits and get them access to care quicker.
DOWNLOAD THE TELEDENTISTRY PROMOTIONAL POSTER
5. Use social media to spread the word about your teledentistry offerings
Dental professionals are already using social media in their marketing and promotional effort. Social media channels can be effective ways to communicate with a large audience outside of your patient base.
A post like this example can be used to spread the word about your virtual visits on social media:
