Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Spring 2018 - 54

Presentation Summary

Administrative Staff

Reignite Dental Referrals
Dr. Morvarid Emamy
A.T. Still University of Health
Sciences, Arizona School of
Dentistry & Oral Health

Ms. Nancy Hyman
Hyman Orthodontics

Presented by Ms. Nancy Hyman at the PCSO
Annual Session, Oct. 13, 2017
Dental referrals are on the decline, but you
can instill new initiatives to keep this referral
segment thriving. Future patients locate you
through dental offices, patient-to-patient referrals, community referrals, internet-based referrals, etc. Dental referrals should be a healthy
contributor to the success of your practice. Know
what percentage of your practice is based on
dental referrals, have a detailed plan of consistent touch points, incorporate scripting, and build
relationships! Considering the many available
options for mining patient referral sources, a professional relations program may lose its priority
status in your practice. A three-tiered plan
emphasizing a planned message, educational
promotions providing value to your GP base, and
building camaraderie will enhance your current
marketing plan.
Before jumping into a marketing plan, be very
clear about your current referral statistics. The
front office team should ask each new caller how
he/she heard about you and note the specific
source. Just as orthodontics is a science, so is
marketing. A simple, "How did you hear about
us?" will elicit the source of that referral, whether
a current patient, website, print ad, etc. Team
members can then provide a monthly summary
to enable sound business and marketing decisions moving forward.
In the planning stage, select a Practice Representative (PR) to develop a flourishing relationship
with your dental targets. Start with one team
member; schedule time in the field for PR visits.
Select a specific day and time each week in order
to establish consistency. If you do not have a
specific team member in mind for this project,
search out an enthusiastic parent in the practice.
Many talented women have left the work force
and welcome a minimum commitment within
school hours. Add a second PR if needed, i.e., if
you have a large territory to cover, own multiple

offices, or have a high number of offices on your
target list. I do not recommend straying too far
from your practice unless you are in a rural area
where patient choices are limited.
Another PR option is a team approach: your
whole team participates once per month. As an
example: four teams of two people each see 10
offices on one designated day per month. Forty
offices multiplied by 12 months equals 480 office
visits per year. Presuming a target list of 80
offices, your full target list may be seen six times
per year.
Bring treats and you will be welcomed warmly!
Stock up on non-perishables or beauty items,
or order food prior to your visit day. Alternate
food and gift items, e.g., nail polish, scented
anti-bacterial product, lip balm, etc.
Plan to visit 10 to 15 offices per morning, depending on the density of your area. Design a route
that accommodates dental office hours. Rank the
dental offices A through D, based on referral volume, and add extra amenities for A- and B-level
offices.
Lunches are a great opportunity to meet people
and build relationships. To help with planning,
investigate GP lunch hours. There are several
ways to offer lunch to A- through D-level offices:

 Lunch drawing for one winning office per
month. (Include a team appreciation drawing
in the envelope for one gift card winner, randomly selected.)
 Lunches may be held with PR and the full or
limited GP team.
 In a team-to-team setup, promote communication between your team and the referring
office team.
 The PR may also be spontaneous and ask
a manager out to lunch, depending on availability.
 Doctor-to-doctor lunches are also well
received, and may include a patient consult
as well.

PCSO Bulletin  Spring 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Spring 2018