7
WAYS TO COMPETE WITH DENTAL
SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS
By Los Angeles Dental Society Support
There has been a lot of concern among practice owners about how Dental Service Organizations (DSO) are affecting dentistry as a
whole. Indeed, we are already seeing some of its effects in patient behavior. Rather than fighting the existence of DSOs however,
there are things you can do to make your practice the right choice for patients.
1.
Live your brand. Know what you
stand for, and make that your
primary message in all your
marketing. Get clear about your
message and your design in order to
stay consistent across all
communications. This makes your
practice easy to remember and simple to
refer. Dental Service Organizations
(DSOs) invest heavily in brand
recognition so that they are top of mind
when a dental need arises. In order to
thrive in today’s competitive world, you
need to do the same.
2.
Offer top-notch service. In
dentistry, great service starts
with giving your patients your
time, attention, and care. DSOs
are built to see droves of patients and
offer special deals to get them in and
out as quickly as possible. For better or
for worse, dentistry cannot be done
online or from a distance. It has to be
experienced. What your patients
experience when they visit you is one of
the cornerstones of whether your
practice will struggle or succeed.
3.
Build a great team. A great
team promotes your practice,
sells your dental care, and
creates long-lasting relationships
with your patients – relationships that
they can't find at another practice. By
investing in your staff, providing a great
Los Angeles Dental Society Explorer
work environment, offering competitive
wages and advanced training, you can
create a great team. Here, you are at an
advantage. DSOs are always hiring
because staff members often don't stay
for very long. Your practice stands out
because your team is loyal. (Head over
to the April 16 Practice Management
Bootcamp for tips on developing a
proactive team.)
Create systems and
structures. Gone are the
days of winging it when it
comes to the business side of
dentistry. DSOs have patient intake
systems, revenue cycle management
systems, structures for human resources,
and more. The more you can automate
the business side of your practice, the
better equipped you will be to evolve as
the landscape continues to change. And,
most importantly, the better focused
you can be on the clinical side of your
practice.
4.
5.
Market your practice. DSOs
are everywhere: on the radio,
television, billboards and
internet. Similarly, the only
way to sustain you practice in this day
and age is to regularly promote it across
the medium or media that most
captures its target and ideal audience.
Do your research to find out who your
ideal patients are and what the most
effective media is to reach them, and
deploy a plan to promote your practice
to the public.
Reap group benefits. DSOs
aren’t the only ones that are
getting group benefits
anymore. The Dentists Service
Company (TDSC) Marketplace is an
online store where CDA members can
purchase dental supplies for an average
of 20% savings compared to supplies
purchased elsewhere. That’s a potential
savings of nearly $17,000 a year. Visit
www.tdsc/marketplace to start saving.
6.
7.
People before profit. While
DSOs will never outrightly say
this, by nature of their
structure, they put profits
before people. When people come first,
good things always come of it. Put your
team before your patients, and you can
trust that your patients will get the best
patient care possible. Put your patients
before yourself, and your reputation and
practice will naturally thrive. But, of
course, we don’t need to tell you this! 䡲