Before you get to work, think about why you’re starting your own dental practice or why you started in dentistry in the first place. Write out your mission statement and your vision. This sets you up with a firm foundation, with these statements in mind you can build off of them and advocate for yourself and your patients.

Unfortunately, many new dentists and current dentists come up with their own way of doing things based on what others are doing in the dental industry. Most of the time these workflows are outdated and unable to meet patient expectations.

Define your own ideal patient experience then research the right tools and technology to accomplish it. Below are a few helpful tips to set you off on the right foot.

Hire employees who understand your mission

A person who loves what they do has the necessary qualifications that you’re looking for and backs your mission is the right candidate for your dental practice. However, in the dental industry, it’s important that you also have an employee that will fit the culture and values of your practice. Your ideal candidate needs the basic skills to get along with your patients and coworkers while doing their job admirably.

Stay up to date on the latest techniques and equipment

Avoid falling behind others in the dental industry, instead, do what you can to stay ahead of the competition. On top of increased efficiency, one of the most important advantages of keeping up with new information is improving patient results, whether it’s preventative dental care or treatment of current conditions. The more patients that are satisfied with your dental services, will result in a higher retention rate and draw more people to your dental office.

Promote your dental practice and build your brand/reputation

Branding is important. Not only will it help your product or service stand out, but it will also generate a greater percentage of patient attraction and retention. How you choose to brand your business allows you to create a “distinct feeling associated with the product that causes different buying behavior”, therefore, depending on how you brand your business, it can result in generating more cash flow for your services.

The results of your branding efforts will go hand-in-hand with your reputation. For example, your practice can have a great social media presence in the dental community. Still, a phone call to a rude staff member or any other sort of unprofessional etiquette can cause severe damage to your brand.

Bond with your patient

Connecting with your patients will benefit both of you. When patients trust you, they’re more likely to connect with you emotionally and take charge of their dental health. As a result of nurturing that trust, your patient will be more inclined to return to you.

Take the time, listen, and show empathy and you will build a strong bond with your patient.

Keep accurate records

As your practice grows you’re going to have to keep track of many comprehensive patient histories in addition to your financial statements. Due to these highly detailed reports, there is a lot of room for error in these records and mistakes can happen.

According to the NIH (National Library of Medicine), be sure to follow these recordkeeping best practices:

• Monitor the security of all patient records.
• Never release records unless under lawful pretenses.
• Remember that detail is vital, be sure to accurately report information.
• When updating records don’t attempt to hide or falsify information.

Use a dental accounts receivable software 

Having an automated accounts receivable is a huge help. By using a single vendor for invoicing and payment processing, you get rid of unwanted friction and while increasing your cash flows and getting your customer to pay by the due date. Certain platforms, such as Abella, automates tedious tasks for your team members and generates a greater response rate by switching to methods like text and email.

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Author’s note: Want to learn more about what Abella AR’s software can do for your practice? Abella makes patient payments faster and easier. Schedule your demo today to speak with an expert and learn how we can help your practice grow! https://abellaar.com/request-a-demo/