Doctors and hygienists should mention cosmetic services to patients, using brochures and visual aids to create interest. Internal marketing activities -- special promotions, updates on services, signs and displays around the office, social media posts -- will keep patients thinking about why they should consider aesthetic treatment.
Look beyond immediate patient needs. Many of your patients would expect you to alert them to dental problems they may have in the future. Rather than focusing only on more urgent, need-based, single-tooth treatment, educate patients about multitooth, cosmetic, and other elective services so they can decide what they'd like you to do for them.
Don't perform "wallet biopsies." Some practices wrongly assume that only a small portion of patients can afford elective treatment and, therefore, present cosmetic dentistry only to these select few. Many people are willing to pay for elective treatment if they are aware of all the available financial options.
Roger P. Levin, DDS, is the founder and CEO of Levin Group, the leading dental practice consulting firm in North America. For the complete list of dates and locations where you can attend his latest seminar, visit www.levingroup.com/gpseminars.
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