There is really no other way to say it; our economy is in bad shape. Many of our patients or their spouses have lost their jobs along with their dental insurance in these turbulent economic times. Those that are lucky enough to still be employed are concerned that may not be in the near future. Most people feel the need to spend less and save more to allow them to prepare better for an unforeseeable future. Most businesses including dentistry have felt the far reaching effects of the times.
What can a business do? Now more then ever businesses must give patients and consumers exceptional value. Our goal at Big Smile Dental has always been to exceed our patients’ expectations. One of the ways we do this is by offer new patients a
complete exam and a full set of x-rays for only one dollar. This allows new patients to find out if they need dental work and if they do how much it will cost before treatment begins. It gives us the chance to show them how much we care about them and their oral health. At that first meeting we show by example that we are a dental office that will go the extra mile for them.
Another way we try to set ourselves apart is by being aware of our patients’ wants and fears. I’m a patient too and I don’t like shots or being worked on either. It’s not just massage chairs and TVs in every room; we’ve had those for years. It’s about taking the time to give a painless shot, (really it’s possible about 90% of the time and if not painless at least not painful), its about really listening to what are patients saying. Do we please everyone all the time? I wish I could say we always do. But we do try. Every morning my staff and I talk about ways to make our patients experience more enjoyable: from payment plans, to their comfort in the chair, to giving them the best dental care on the planet.
Many patients have elected to postpone needed dentistry because nothing hurts. That can be a prescription for disaster. Minor procedures can turn into major ones. Small cavities left untreated might lead to expensive root canals and crowns. My best advise is to get yourself to a dentist you can trust and find out if you even need dental care. You can then decide what you need to have done and how fast you want to proceed. Everyone’s time and money are different and you the patient must ultimately decide what is best for you. Armed with knowledge you can stay healthy and save money.
Dr. Theodore Siegel
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