The rising popularity of integrating orthodontic treatment into dental practices has significantly increased over the past decade. Studies show that more than 74% of general dentists in the U.S. now offer some form of orthodontic treatment in their practices. There is a growing demand for comprehensive dental care.
This trend is fueled by how easy it is to add simplified orthodontic treatments to your practice – such as clear aligners, which require less specialized training.
Why Add Orthodontics to Your Practice?
By strategically integrating orthodontic services, dental practices can capitalize on revenue-generating opportunities in several ways while also enhancing patient satisfaction and retention.
Increased Revenue Stream
Studies report that practices adding orthodontics saw an average revenue increase of 25-30% within the first few years.
According to the Dental Economics Report, practices offering orthodontics can see a 40% increase in overall revenue due to the higher value of orthodontic cases compared to other dental services.
Ortho treatments typically demand higher fees than general dental services. Braces and aligner treatments often range from $3,000 to $8,000 per case, compared to lower fees associated with routine procedures like cleanings ($100 to $200) or fillings ($150-$300).
Expanded Patient Base
Offering ortho allows your practice to attract new patients who specifically seek ortho care. Patients who might otherwise go to a specialist can now be treated within your practice – leading to more referrals and word-of-mouth promotion.
Increase Patient Retention
Adding ortho treatments allows your practice to provide a comprehensive range of services. Patients prefer the convenience of a one-stop-shop to get all of their dental care in one location. This helps increase patient loyalty and lifetime value.
Cross-Selling Opportunities
If a patient is undergoing ortho treatment, they might be more inclined to pursue complementary cosmetic procedures like teeth whitening.
Longer Treatment Plans
Ortho treatments often involve long-term care plans – sometimes spanning between 12 and 24 months. This can help your practice create a steady revenue stream over an extended period, ensuring consistent cash flow and financial stability.
Increased Case Acceptance
The perceived value of ortho treatment, especially when bundled with other cosmetic or restorative services, can increase overall case acceptance rates. Offering flexible payment plans or in-house financing options for orthodontics can make the treatments more accessible, encouraging more patients to commit to treatment plans. Discuss how ortho can significantly boost the practice’s income. Some studies have even shown that retention can increase by as much as 50% compared to practices that do not offer these services.
Overcoming the Hurdles: How Easy It Is to Add Orthodontics
Integrating orthodontics into a general dental practice is not only highly advantageous but also easy. With the availability of streamlined systems, comprehensive training options, and supportive technologies like Practice-Web, general dentists can easily add ortho to their practice.
Start Small
Adding clear aligner systems like Invisalign is user-friendly and designed with general dentists in mind. They provide comprehensive treatment planning services, making it easy to get started with minimal additional training. Dentists can take a few online or in-person certification courses offered by aligner companies, allowing you to start offering these services quickly.
Access to Continuing Education
There are numerous continuing education (CE) courses specifically designed for general dentists who want to add orthodontics to their practice. The courses often include both theoretical knowledge and hands-on workshops, enabling dentists to acquire the necessary skills quickly and effectively. Some dental schools and private institutions offer certification programs that provide comprehensive training in orthodontics, often including mentorship and support for the initial cases.
Integrating Ortho into Your Workflow with Practice-Web
Ortho-planning software simplifies the treatment process by providing automated case analysis and treatment plans. Practice-Web handles this seamlessly without a steep learning curve and makes your practice more efficient by saving your team time. Check out this blog to see a step-by-step guide on how to incorporate ortho services into daily operations with Practice-Web.
Investing in the Right Tools and Technology
Incorporating ortho not only boosts revenue by 25-30%, but the use of advanced orthodontic technologies, such as clear aligners, digital scanners, and 3D printing can also significantly improve case acceptance rates. Practices that invest in the essential tools that support ortho often report a 30-40% increase in case acceptance. The time to recoup the investment is extremely short, depending on the volume of cases – ranging from 6-18 months.
Support from Orthodontic Specialists
If you’re not ready to perform ortho treatments yourself, consider collaborating with orthodontic specialists. This ensures that patients receive comprehensive care without requiring general dentists to manage challenging cases beyond their expertise. Many orthodontists offer mentorship programs – providing guidance and support as they begin offering ortho services.
Tips for Practices Already Offering Orthodontics
Refining Your Orthodontic Skills
Attending workshops and hands-on seminars led by experienced orthodontists can provide practical skills, while online courses and webinars offer flexibility and updated knowledge. Collaborating with or shadowing an orthodontist can offer real-world insights and mentorship. The key to high success rates is ongoing training, practice, and access to up-to-date orthodontic technologies, like Practice-Web.
Expanding Your Ortho Services
Explore adding new types of orthodontic treatments, such as clear aligners, early interceptive treatments, or adult orthodontics. The clear aligner market is expected to grow at around 20% over the next few years. Interceptive treatments are estimated to grow around 10-15%.
Optimizing Patient Management
With Practice-Web, you can use patient data to personalize communications such as follow-up messages or treatment reminders based on individual patient needs and treatment stages. You can also implement automated follow-up systems for aftercare instructions, appointment reminders, and progress updates to keep patients informed and engaged. Additionally, you can use Practice-Web’s online scheduling tools and schedule block-out features to better manage appointment times and reduce wait times.
Providing patients with educational materials about their treatment, including video tutorials, brochures, or interactive tools that explain procedures and expected outcomes can improve patient involvement and increase treatment acceptance.
Offering a range of payment options, including installment plans or financing, to accommodate different financial situations makes orthodontic care more accessible and builds loyalty with your patients.
Strategies to Attract More Orthodontic Patients
Marketing Your Orthodontic Services
Once you’ve decided which ortho treatments your practice will offer, you can use Practice-Web’s smart tools to create targeted marketing campaigns and attract new patients!
Studies show that targeted digital marketing strategies, such as Google Ads and social media campaigns, can boost patient acquisition by 20-30%. Campaigns using targeted email marketing or personalized offers can see conversion rates increase by 25%.
Targeted social media ads and content can improve engagement rates by 40-50%, leading to more appointment bookings and increased patient inquiries.
Orthodontic practices that use targeted marketing strategies often report a return on investment of 20-300%, compared to traditional marketing methods. Targeted marketing helps in maintaining patient relationships and retention. Personalized follow-up emails and reminders can increase patient retention rates by up to 15%.
Use Practice-Web’s smart tools such as Automated Text Reminders, pwConnect for email marketing, online scheduling, and online patient reviews to help you reach the right audience more effectively, increase patient numbers, and enhance overall practice growth.
Leveraging Patient Testimonials and Referrals
Be sure to take before-and-after photos of your patients. Combine these with patient testimonials and success stories in your marketing materials (emails, websites, brochures, etc.) to increase the number of new patients you receive from referrals. Referrals are a major source of new patients for ortho practices with studies indicating that around 30-50% of new patients come through referrals. Testimonials and online reviews greatly influence patient decision-making. Research shows that about 70-90% of potential patients read online reviews and testimonials before choosing a provider. Positive testimonials can increase trust and credibility, leading to a higher likelihood of new patient acquisition. Practices with high ratings and positive feedback can experience a 20-30% increase in patient inquiries and bookings.
Community Engagement and Education
Another way to drive new ortho patients is by hosting educational seminars or webinars for the local community on the benefits of orthodontics. This helps you build trust and credibility with the patients in your community. Patients begin to trust you and see you as a thought leader in their community.
Whether you’re considering adding orthodontics to your practice or looking to enhance existing services, now is the time to act. Embrace the opportunity to provide comprehensive care, improve patient outcomes, and drive your practice’s success.
Take the next step – book a free demo or contact our support team today to see how Practice-Web can help you increase patient satisfaction, expand service offerings, and increase revenue.