9 ways to grow your orthodontic practice

In the dynamic field of orthodontics, building and expanding a successful practice requires a strategic combination of clinical expertise and patient-centered focus. With advances in technology and evolving industry standards, orthodontists today face both challenges and opportunities in growing their practices.

How to grow orthodontic practice?

The ultimate goal of orthodontic treatment provided by dental professionals is the perfect smile. That means that the end result should provide your patient not only with a beautiful smile but also with an occlusion, which will serve the patient well in the long term.

If that approach is the cornerstone of our treatment and work approach as dentists, we will be able to serve our community in the best possible manner. Both children and adults can benefit from a referral to specialist orthodontic assessment. Established specialist orthodontists offer treatment the full range of orthodontic treatment options. 

However, around 75% of all cases can be treated with success and predictable end result  by  general dentists if proper case selection is implemented. You can increase the revenue of your dental clinic, serve your community and the surrounding area even better when you provide high quality orthodontic care.  

During the initial oral health consultation, we should explain the benefits of different teeth-strengthening solutions, straighter smile and their advantages and disadvantages in addition to addressing general oral health.

That gives valuable information to the patient and understanding of the different treatment modalities. For example, many people do not know if they need braces or veneers.

Showcase your expertise.

I show before and after photos of actual patients during the meeting with a prospective patient. I can get my message across by showing similar cases that I have treated, and I rely on the fact that a photo is worth more than a thousand words. I think people like to see the end treatment result of dental issues similar to their own.I believe that a beautiful smile matters.

Utilize your reviews

We live in an era where social media and different platforms determine most of the business’s success. Positive reviews and feedback from the people you work with are extremely important.

Although we cannot really make everyone happy, positive reviews can be integrated into your marketing with a positive effect. Some businessmen and entrepreneurs are masters of promoting themselves on social media. For the rest of us, it is a learning curve.

Do you have to offer tele-orthodontics?

I think that conference calls with patients were very useful during the initial stages of the pandemic when there was a strict social distancing policy. A reassuring call and conversations have helped many orthodontic patients during that time. 

For example, metal braces or wires could irritate the cheeks, or some people could experience more pain than usual after initiating orthodontic treatments.

In those cases, a couple of minutes of talking to the patient online could reduce their anxiety and make them feel better. If similar circumstances reoccur, you can decide if you or your treatment coordinator would take that approach.

Collaborate with dental professionals

I work in a team of surgeons and restorative dentists. I refer the patient to a specialist if endodontics or periodontal assessment and treatment are needed. We, as dentists, adhere to close personal and business relations with the people we work with. Building a good team can be challenging nowadays, but there is always a way. 

Keep up with your continuing education

In some countries, attending continuous professional development courses (CPDs), lectures and seminars are mandatory. In others, it is highly recommended. We have access to a lot of online courses and live events that could bring value to our everyday clinical care. I believe that providing an adequate level of patient care necessitates continuous education and further training.

Customize orthodontic treatment plans

If I have to present possible treatment options to a patient, I always give the ideal one and a couple of other applicable treatment approaches.

For example, suppose I believe a Class II case would benefit from orthognathic surgery. In that case, I explain the advantages and disadvantages to the patient and recommend a conversation with the surgeon. That gives a chance for the person to gather all of the necessary information to make an informed decision.

However, if the person does not want the surgical option, we will discuss the available camouflage options. Ultimately, I consider the patient’s demands, and we decide which way to go.

Invest in advanced technologies

The new technologies in dentistry are breathtaking and very often extremely expensive, which adds a financial burden to the patient. It is sometimes difficult to decide between equipment that you really need and equipment that you might need. My approach is to use high-quality equipment, materials and instruments to get the job done, and then I make a smart decision when buying the fancy stuff.

Boost staff expertise

When I worked in clinics in Ireland, I realized how important a motivated and trained workforce is. A trained dental assistant, receptionist or treatment coordinator brings a lot of value to the clinical setting and significantly reduces the amount of stress.

Trained, experienced and motivated people are huge assets to every business; unfortunately, most managers and CEOs fail to appreciate that.

Enhance your patient experience

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Beautiful smile contributes to an increase of self-esteem for most people. But it is also essential to create a positive customer experience right from the moment of booking the first appointment.

Having a better experience in a specific clinical environment requires a combination of factors – the staff’s mood, working hours, the environment, etc. Finding the right balance in those situations is a challenge, but it is by no means impossible.

Stay up to date on orthodontic technology and treatments

We all try to implement aesthetic or invisible braces or teeth straightening solutions more and more. Being familiar with the new treatment approaches is not a substitute for the necessity of a solid and basic understanding of orthodontics.

Many dentists think that new and fancy technology will straighten the teeth and do the job instead of them. However, they usually find themselves having difficult conversations with their unsatisfied patients when they find out it is not a magical solution.

Why is growth important in orthodontic treatment?

Understanding the general growth and development of the facial skeleton is essential because most of our patients are actively growing. We can try to modify the growth in certain Class II cases and hopefully avoid the necessity of jaw surgery after 18 years of age.

Unfavorable growth could worsen the alignment of teeth after braces are removed. We cannot predict the growth of the jaws, but an experienced clinician can inform their patients about the potential unwanted effects and thus avoid the necessity of apologizing if something unpredictable happens.