To Groupon or not to Groupon: That is THE question

Editor's note: Dr. Doniger's column, Dental Diaries, appears regularly on the DrBicuspid.com advice and opinion page, Second Opinion.

As the old saying goes, "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is." Hence my conundrum with the concept of Groupon.

On the one hand, I look at the local dentists who are offering "deeply discounted" initial oral exams, plus radiographs and a prophylaxis, for the mere cost of $49 to $79. I see the numbers ratcheting up on the number of folks who "bought the deal." One dentist claimed 1,000 people bought her Groupon for either a new patient visit or a teeth-whitening visit.

Thinking about this rationally, preventive maintenance is truly one of our least costly of procedures. Yes, there are the disposables, in addition to the educated cost of our hygienist. One could justify the cost of four diagnostic radiographs. And there is always the promise of the patient returning for any restorative or periodontal needs one finds on the oral examination.

Speaking about that oral exam, therein lies the issue. We have been highly trained to detect and diagnose dental issues. We are also trained to interpret dental radiographs. No small feat. Our training does come at a cost. One could say it is our team that is taking the radiographs, we are only diagnosing off of them. But there should not be an "only" in that statement. Four years of study to achieve a dental degree, licensure exams, and dental school costs are all reasons why the word "only" is a sticking point.

Once these patients come to the office, do they only receive the specifically purchased services, or do they convert to actual patients in the practice? There are obviously some risks with any marketing program. Our best patients usually come from patient referrals. Although these days, many a new patient will come from an online review recommendation or search, with no ties to current patients.

Some schools of practice management abhor "giving away" services. "If it's free, than it has no value. If it's discounted, it has less value." And what about our existing patients? Do they feel they have been overcharged if they see the promotion? After all, it does say "new patients only" in the promotions. Does our initial oral examination become devalued when we use a service such as Groupon or Living Social? Or will it generate so many new patients that it will be worth the discounting of our fee?

Interestingly, geographically there are wide variations in prices for similar services. In Chicago, the going rate is $59, whereas San Francisco it is $159. Do West Coast dentists perform a better service? Or do we in the Midwest believe the "super discount" is worth our while for the initial oral examination, radiographs, and a nonperiodontal prophylaxis?

External marketing comes in all forms. In the current "information now" world, marketing does need to be online and immediate. Patients are searching for dentists in different ways. The days of full-color ads in the Yellow Pages are almost as outdated as the black and white TV set.

So where does this put us in relation to Groupon? The jury is still out. I am willing to look into the new wave of marketing. Maybe patients will see the name, miss the discounted services all together, and merely call us up after seeing our website. I am currently on Twitter and Facebook, as many of you are. Although I may tweet about health, nutrition, and dental issues constantly, I do not take advantage of my Facebook page. I am working on that as we speak. Has all of this generated any new patients yet? I don't think so, but I still enjoying putting healthy information out there for all to read.

With regard to Groupon, as I said, my jury is still out. Our team has been discussing it. It would be an interesting lesson in marketing. I would like to hear if any of you have had success with Groupon and Living Social. It may make my decision easier.

Sheri Doniger, DDS, practices clinical dentistry in Lincolnwood, IL. She has served as an educator in several dental and dental hygiene programs, has been a consultant for a major dental benefits company, and has written for several dental publications. Most recently, she was the editor of Woman Dentist Journal and Woman Dentist eJournal. You can reach her at [email protected].

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