4 Things Patients Look for in an Orthodontist
Nov 04, 2015When it comes to finding an orthodontist, prospective patients look for more than close office proximity and a few good reviews online. While this isn’t everything people look for, here are four things prospective patients consider when choosing an orthodontist that you might not have considered before.
1. Do you have a social media presence?
By 2017, 2.55 billion people will use at least one form of social media — so love it or hate it, social media has a serious impact and is here to stay. From Facebook and Twitter to Pinterest and LinkedIn, when scouting a new orthodontist, prospective patients will likely look at your social media accounts before your actual website. When you have a social media presence, your prospective clients can simply visit your Facebook page, for example, and easily see where you’re located, what your office looks like, what services you offer and even read about past experiences patients have had. While you don’t need to be on every social media website out there, creating and regularly updating a Facebook page can go a long way in terms of closing the deal with prospective patients or clients.
2. Can they schedule an appointment online?
The internet has streamlined numerous processes and scheduling appointments is no different. Now, people can book flights, dinner reservations and even appointments with their orthodontist all from their smartphone. While a phone call may still be a quick form of communication between orthodontist and patient, online communication is the new normal, and patients typically appreciate and want the option to conveniently schedule an appointment online. When given the option to schedule online, patients don’t have to step outside the office on a busy day to place a call to your practice. Instead, with internet access and a couple clicks, patients can fit in their appointment easily around their schedule.
3. Are you available Saturdays and Sundays?
With the majority of adults working Monday through Friday from 9 to 5, the weekend becomes the time to play catch up. Grocery shopping, cleaning and scheduling trips to the orthodontist can be difficult to squeeze in during the 40-hour work week, so prospective patients may take whether or not your practice is open on the weekends into consideration.
4. Do you offer digital dentistry services?
In today’s day and age, we’re more technology-obsessed than ever—so when it comes to dental care, many prospective patients want services that are on the cutting edge. Considering 95 percent of orthodontists still use traditional dentistry methods, when your practice implements digital dentistry, you’ll stand out during your prospective clients’ search.
Moreover, with digital dentistry, you will experience countless advantages like improved workflow between your practice and the lab, more accurate fits for dental restorations and happier patients (just to name a few). That’s why Sun Dental makes transitioning from traditional orthodontics practices to digital easy. If you haven’t made the switch, contact us to learn more or request a demo online.