Guest Blog | Dental Practice Solutions

Patient Reviews: How to Gain 6,000 New Patients with Reputation Management

By: Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS

January 21, 2025

Guest Blog Author: Lamar Hull CEO: Med Rank Interactive

Your practice is up and running, and patients are coming in and can’t stop talking about how much they enjoy your practice. But how do you get these reviews online for all to see? This is all too common with new or even established practices. Nearly 90% of consumers trust online reviews, and 70% of consumers admit to being influenced by reviews before making a decision.

The result of positive reviews on Google has been shown to increase lead conversions by up to 270%. However, the reality is that most patients won’t leave a review unless the process is simple and they are asked to do so. But who has the time to constantly follow up with patients asking for reviews?

In this example, one of our marketing partners, Med Rank Interactive, will be talking about how to boost positive patient reviews for your practice with the aid of SMS and AI automation. Med Rank Interactive is also offering our subscribers an exclusive AI Review Software plan with a free 7-day trial here:

Still reading? Here are a few of the benefits of an automated reviewing system:

Collect Reviews Quickly and Effortlessly

Skyrocket Your Business Growth on Google

Beat the Competition with AI-Drafted Reviews
Close the Customer Feedback Loop

In the long run, automation saves your practice money by allowing you to focus on your patients while the software handles the monotonous follow-ups. At the same time, boosting your reputation by bringing in more leads, as reviews carry roughly 16% of the weight for local Google rankings. Additionally, trying to handle this process manually could require a dedicated team, costing tens of thousands. Med Rank’s review software manages all of this for just a flat monthly rate. Plus, you can try it out for free to see it in action.

Below, we discuss what resources you need and what platform you should target for your practice. Remember, the goal here is to increase your practice’s profitability by bringing in new clients. Reviews are the first step to making this a reality.

The Cost of Doing Nothing

One of the most important factors that reviews contribute to is your company’s reputation. In the image below, you can see that a good reputation from reviews requires a lot more than just the total number of reviews. It’s important to consider all of these factors and trends when considering a reputation management system.

One of the hardest hurdles with reputation management is getting consumers to leave reviews. Three out of four reviews don’t get left because of the following:

You might be thinking that there is no downside to doing nothing and letting reviews fall to the wayside. But the truth is that there is a cost to doing nothing. In the image below, you can see a common overview we use to explain the potential monetary loss of not developing a strong marketing campaign.

The example below uses a single search term, “dentist concord nc,” and examines the number of new patients that could be reached by ranking high on searches for this keyword. By not optimizing for keywords like this and utilizing reviews to rank higher, you could be missing out on a total of $100,800 in revenue from thousands of new patients per year. All from just one keyword and a few missed reviews.

It’s important to understand that reviews makeup roughly 16% of the ranking factor, contributing greatly to how a business is shown on Google.

The Importance of High-Quality Dental Reviews

Patients do their own research before deciding on a practice, and often, they stay with that practice for years. The first thing potential patients look at is reviews, and 73% of business reviews are on Google. Google reviews give you an edge over the competition, giving you a higher level of credibility and a valuable promotional tool. So whenever your business is searched on Google, it’s important to have reviews available to tell readers exactly how strong your reputation is compared to the competition.

The above review is exactly the type of content to encourage reviewers. Many people will provide feedback just like this with a little help. There are three elements to keep in mind for the most effective review:

1. Real

Reviews must be from real patients who have had treatments and can discuss their personal experiences with your practice. This is the best way to make new patients feel comfortable with the information in a review.

More than 60% of consumers say they will not buy from brands that use fake reviews.

2. Recency

Reviews must be up to date. While older reviews can still be helpful in showing your practice’s track record in the past, it’s best to have recent patient reviews for all the newest treatments available.

Nearly 85% of people find reviews older than 3 months no longer relevant. Reviews within the last week or month are considered the most relevant.

3. Relevance

For a review to be relevant, it must talk about a specific experience at your practice. Details matter; a review that discusses their experience with staff during treatment may answer questions for prospective patients.

Many businesses have seen incorrect information in online reviews, and the majority of reviewers won’t trust a business with incorrect review information. The addition of an AI assistant in the reviewing process can ensure accuracy at the drafting stage.

Comparing Your Options

Always consider your options carefully. There are a lot of different software out there. Be sure to do your own research to find what works best for you. Below, we have outlined a few of the top companies alongside our partners at Med Rank.

Birdeye

Pros:

30-Day Free Trial
SMS Automation with some AI automation.
Monitors statistics and conversions.

Cons:

- Birdeye costs from $299 to $399 per month with tiered pricing.

Pushes Reviewers to a dedicated landing page instead of Google, making it impossible to transfer reviews to Google.

No drafting assistance for reviewers.

Weave

Pros:

All-in-one communications for any device.
SMS Automation.
Provides support for Newsletters
Free Demo available.

Cons:

- Starts at $399/month with additional setup fees.

Pushes Reviewers to a dedicated landing page instead of Google, making it impossible to transfer reviews to Google.

No AI automation.

Med Rank Interactive

Pros:

Med Rank Interactive only costs a flat $150/month, with an additional $50/month for additional locations.
Directs reviewers to a Google My Business Profile through SMS only.
Contact us for a 7-day Free Trial here: free 7-day trial here:
SMS and AI Automation.
A dedicated support team to help every step of the way.

Cons:

Only pushes to Google (not Yelp or Facebook) because Google has 73% of reviews worldwide.

The Best Resources for Gathering Reviews

So we know reviews are important. But how do we close that feedback loop?

The first step is to have an easy way for patients to submit reviews; with Med Rank’s automated SMS text messaging system, customers can simply click, rate your service, and share their experience in under 30 seconds.

Other review automation providers focus on directing traffic to a landing page and ask reviewers to draft a review without any prompts. Med Rank Interactive’s AI Review Software offers SMS automation while pushing reviewers to your Google My Business profile, where reviews will be saved directly on Google.

Additionally, Med Rank provides an AI assistant that allows reviewers to easily draft reviews.

Check out the video below to see how it all works.

Conclusion

So, in conclusion, Google is king when it comes to reviews, with over 70% of total reviews. This is where consumers and patients go to learn about a business’s reputation. So, Google is where reviewers should be pushed to through SMS automation. If SMS pushes reviewers to a landing page and they leave the review there, it cannot be transferred to Google.

Google uses reviews, among other factors, to determine the credibility of a business and where to place that business in local search rankings. Each of these different factors contributes a different amount towards the total ranking based on Google’s algorithm. Marketing analysts have determined that positive reviews (4 and 5-star reviews) contribute about 16% towards the total ranking factor for local searches. This means that if a business has over 20 positive reviews, it is more likely to rank higher on Google searches in its local areas. This still has to be combined with other factors to rank #1, but reviews are one of the highest contributing factors.

We’ve also seen that 22% of reviewers struggle with what to write, while 32% simply don’t have the time. With the help of an AI assistant, a review can be made in under 30 seconds. This makes the process clear and easy for anybody to use.

It’s also important to remember the goal. Ultimately, reviews are to help your practice grow and reach more and more patients. We know this is the number one factor people consider when researching a new business. So, it’s important to optimize and grow this process alongside every other marketing strategy to continue effortlessly collecting 5-star reviews.

Med Rank Interactive offers all subscribers an exclusive plan, including a 7-free trial, so get started with your very own review automation today.

Sincerely,

Med Rank Interactive

Schedule Consultation: https://go.oncehub.com/MedRankInteractive

Website: https://medrankinteractive.com/

5 Strategies for Managing A Dental Practice

By: Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS

March 16, 2022

Guest Blog Post.

Image Source

For most dental professionals, it is challenging to see the dental offices as a business entity or a vocation, when in fact it is actually both. Although the entire practice is centered around ensuring optimal patients oral (dental) and total health, a dental practice will not be able to sustain your quality services if you’re not product, if revenue is not where it needs to be or if your equipment is not maintained well.

To make sure you can continue giving quality care, without sacrificing any other professional goal you might have, here are a few strategies for managing your own dental practice.

1. Reassess your working hours

Most dental offices still operate with a conventional schedule that usually starts at 8 AM in the morning and closes at or 5 PM. You might want to realign your clinic hours to better serve your patients, as well as open up your schedule for other opportunities. For example, some dentists who run a group dental practice, often have an alternating schedule. Some employees arrive early in the morning and leave early afternoon, while the employees arrive later in the day and leave later in the evening hours.

Many dental offices also intentionally work different hours, such as starting after lunch and schedule patients into the evening hours. This kind of setup allows patients to work half-day or get their dental work scheduled after their day of work.

2. Invest in your people

Of course, this is particularly important for all dental offices. Investing in your team in your dental practice is “investing in the business”. For starters, the dental office admin team members perform a wide range of activities from scheduling patient appointments, keeping records and the dental assistants complete various tasks that include x-rays, dental technologies like taking x-ray (images)and administer patient care.

By equipping employees with the right certifications and training, they can perform some of the tasks that would otherwise fall on to the dentist themself. This saves up time and allows you to focus on more complex work, or attend to the business side of things.

Maintenance of dental equipment. — autoclave sterilizing maintenance.

3. Include regular maintenance on your equipment

Like any other machinery, the pieces of dental equipment you have in your dental office also require a periodic maintenance to ensure it doesn’t break down or malfunction right when you need it. A regular maintenance schedule might sound like an added expense for the business but it pays for itself in the long run, saving you from the hassle of having to stop or reschedule an appointment because something in the clinic doesn’t work as it should.

Of course, it involves x-ray machines, washer-disinfectors, hydraulic patient seats, lights, and more. You’ll also need to regularly check your handpieces to make sure you do your work with no worries.

4. Start automating processes

Rapid advancements in technology have made most of them less expensive and therefore more accessible for everyone. Some clerical tasks in your dental office can use this technology, saving you time and effort, all while minimizing the risks that come with manually performing them. The most common example is appointment setting and scheduling, automated solutions available today let you customize the platform and let the patients handle the rest. They can set their own schedules and the system will notify your team for confirmation.

One example of automation that saves the employees time and keeps patients returning to your office is NexHealth.

You can even automate your HR platform for your team, making sure that everyone’s salary and benefits are automatically taken care of. It can even help you see your upcoming schedule or if someone is planning to take a paid time-off, even when you’re not in the office. Some of these automated platforms are available in web browsers or even in mobile apps, improving mobility and accessibility for you and your patients.

5. Monitor your inventory

Sometimes, it’s the small things that derail the entire operation. To make sure you never run out of the important things you need, make sure to always keep a good handle on your inventory. You must frequently review the pace at which you consume certain materials such as cotton balls, Q-tips, patient toothbrushes, gloves, etc. Keeping yourself updated on the inventory status makes sure that you don’t overstock and more importantly, you don’t run out of the things you need in doing your day-to-day business.

For small dental offices, having tight control over the inventory means you only buy what you need, when you need it. This practice frees up a portion of your finances for other purposes, such as training staff or setting maintenance schedules. Also, you can start setting up an inventory management system and train the rest of the team for increased efficiency.

Conclusion

Effectively managing your dental practice often starts with the small, often-overlooked parts of the job. By making sure you pay enough attention and allot enough resources, you can continuously improve the place you work in and the processes with which you do business. Not only do they create better employee and customer experiences, but they also take off things from your mind–letting you focus on providing the best oral and dental health services.

Thank you to our guest author: Kat Sarmiento

Revolution in Dental Technologies: Everything You Need To Know And Will Love

By: Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS

February 16, 2022

Ancient Dentistry — Old dentist equipment.

Did you know that dentistry is one of the oldest medical professions? It actually dates back to ancient Egypt, 7500 BC. The ancient Egyptians were actually the first to have their teeth treated and replaced. Since then, dentistry has evolved considerably and its techniques and treatments have gone from primitive and rudimentary to very advanced, encompassing preventive oral healthcare, advanced diagnostic techniques, and modern painless administration of treatment. Moreover, technology has immensely impacted dental treatments, allowing smoother and more enjoyable dental visits whether it’s for emergency treatments to comfort patients in pain, or the most transformative aesthetic treatments.

Continue as this weeks guest author will detail some of the newest dental technologies that can help in transforming smiles.

1. Robotic Dental Technologies – Robo-dentistry

Artificial intelligence has succeeded in asserting itself not only in the field of research and in general medicine in the last few years but also in the practice of dental medicine. For example, artificial intelligence can allow more accurate detection of dental decay and periodontal disease on radiographs. Also, the very first robot for dental surgeries has been approved earlier this year by the FDA, and this is nothing but a glimpse of what robotics could bring to the dental field. It is in fact a possibility that minimally invasive or routine procedures such as cleaning and basic fillings could be performed one day by a robot-dentist!

Dental hygienist using a dental laser for gum treatment (periodontal disease or gingivitis).

2. Laser dentistry

Laser in dentistry has so many different uses that it feels almost a necessity to incorporate it into all future dental practices and treatments. In fact, the dental laser improves efficiency and eliminates discomfort in a number of dental procedures, allowing to perform many interventions whether it is teeth whitening, excision of caries, reshaping gums, and removal of bacteria during root canal treatments. With this wide spectrum of applications, dental lasers not only make the task easier for dentists but also provide patients with a smoother experience and shorter healing periods. That being said, laser technology is also an indispensable tool in emergency tooth extractions, allowing to avoid bloody, painful, and swelling recoveries.

3. Computer-aided imaging, design, and manufacturing

Computed aided imaging, design, and manufacturing have revolutionized dental treatment in so many ways. Whether it is through intra-oral scanners which make it possible to bypass conventional impressions that can be unpleasant for the patient, the computer-aided design of dental restorations, surgical guides and others, or the milling of the latter mechanically by milling machines, this technology only makes things easier for dentists and dental labs, while keeping patients satisfied.

4. Single-visit crowns

Let’s admit it. Dentist visits are not on your favorite-things-to-do list. This suggests that having to go there several times for a single treatment, getting a crown done for example, definitely does not make please you. Well, advancements in dental technology have taken care of this: today, with the necessary equipment, it is possible to have a crown fabricated and cemented in one sitting! Computer-assisted scanning, design, fabrication, and voila!

5. 3D printing

We hardly need to introduce 3D printing considering all the buzz its generating worldwide and in all fields. In dentistry in particular, this technology now allows rapid, simple, controlled, and reliable production of multiple dental restorations, the whole procedure being able to be hosted in a facility located directly in the dental office. No more tedious comings and goings with the dental lab, and happier dentists and patients of course.

6. Invisible aligners

Despite the fact that invisible aligners are not that new, they have gained popularity in the last few years, especially with the surge of 3D printing. This technology has made it possible to thwart the most dreaded aspect of simple dental alignment and repositioning treatments: the unsightliness of metal brackets. These clear, practically invisible braces combine discretion and the effectiveness of orthodontic treatment, allowing you to get the smile you are looking for in the most subtle and discreet way possible.

Manual Toothbrushes are antiquated vs. Power Toothbrushes.

7. Smart toothbrushes

We are all addicted to smartphones, why not to smart toothbrushes too! These innovative devices will allow you to preserve your beautiful smile for a long time, ensuring that you brush your teeth as you should, keeping them healthy and your smile radiant for as long as possible. The smart toothbrushes come with a companion app that warns you while you’re brushing if you are applying too much pressure and coaches you as to how to brush properly. It’s literally like having a personal brushing coach!

8. Regenerative dentistry

Regenerative dentistry is said to be one of the most revolutionary and promising advancements in dentistry today. It takes minimally invasive dentistry that has been endorsed by the general public and dental health professionals for a long time now even further. The concept of regenerative dentistry consists in the development of materials allowing to stimulate stem cells to promote the growth of dentin, the main constituent of our teeth. Thus, the loss of dental substance due to the installation of caries, for example, could be counteracted and this would then eliminate the need for root canal treatments and for relatively invasive restorations. Isn’t it amazing to think that you might not need to replace your teeth as you get older but might grow new ones?

To sum up, there is clear evidence that the technological advancements of our era have affected the field of dentistry on many levels, enabling dentists to provide you with or help you maintain the smile of your dreams while avoiding unpleasant sensations and numerous visits. Considering the speed with which everything is changing these days, we can expect even more revolutionary improvements in the upcoming years.

About our Guest Author

Suzanna Maria Sayegh graduated from the Saint-Joseph University of Beirut, majoring in Oral Pathology. She also holds a Master’s in Research and a Doctorate in Dental Surgery. She is currently pursuing another Master’s degree, in Aesthetic and Prosthetic Dentistry. Her top priority is to provide minimally invasive, high-quality dental care to each of her patients, respecting their individual goals and needs.

Why Hiring Flexible Employees is the Way Forward and How to Get Started

By: GuestWriter

May 28, 2021

Portrait of two office employees in medical masks concentrating on work with papers and laptop. Necessary precautions during coronavirus pandemic

Your team is one of the most important parts of running a dental practice. The way you choose to hire employees in your dental practice greatly influences the type of office you run and the quality of care you can provide your patients. One industry secret that dental practices are greatly benefiting from is introducing flexible employees to their current team..

Dental temping is nothing new — dental assistants and hygienists have been working temporary jobs practices around the United States for many years. The ability to have a healthy work-life balance, prioritize what matters the most and make changes according to current circumstances, are just a few ways temporary work is beneficial for all dental professionals.

Today, dental practice owners are also beginning to understand how valuable the gig economy is for their business. Think contracted work and temp agencies during this unprecedented time in our world.

149139847 – the new normal, wordings, concept for preventing and protecting germs or coronavirus or covid-19

Flexible Employees and COVID-19

The first time some dental practice owners hired flexible employees was in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic was surging across the US. After being closed for several weeks, some practices were overwhelmed with appointment requests from patients who had been unable to attend prior appointments and were in desperate need of elective treatment.

To ensure all patients could receive the treatment they needed, while at the same time boosting profits after being closed for so long, dental practice owners reinforced their team of permanent employees with some additional flexible workers. Having extra dental assistants and dental hygienists available meant practices could treat more patients without having to rush appointments or provide lower quality care.

Most dentals practice owners expected to stop working with their newly-hired flexible employees after the temporary increase in demand for appointments subsided. But in most cases this didn’t happen.

Owners had discovered that the advantages flexible employees brought to the table were so diverse and useful that they’d continue to provide value far into the future.

How a Flexible Staff will Improve Your Practice

Flexible dental employees can do much more than help you treat more patients. Here are ten ways leveraging temporary dental professionals will boost your dental practice:

Offer more complex procedures: Hire a temporary specialist dentist for complex procedures you’re unable to provide yourself to retain and attract more patients.
Provide complete care: Instead of referring your patients to other dental practices for specialist procedures, you can keep all treatment in-house and avoid the risk of losing them to another dentist.
Accept last-minute appointments: Accept patients in need of immediate dental hygiene appointments by hiring a temp RDH who is available for work at the last minute.
Cater for custom appointment times: By having access to dental employees who are available around-the-clock, you can cater to patients who are only available for treatment when you’re normally closed.
Have effective employee trials: Hiring temporary dental employees gives you the chance to get to know them and see how they work before committing. If they become a valuable asset for your business, you can offer them permanent work.
Produce more creative ideas and solutions: Introducing new people with fresh ways of thinking is a great way to come up with innovative ideas and effective solutions for problems you may not been able to see with your own eyes.
Learn more about dentistry: Working alongside people who are familiar with using different techniques and tools from what you’re used to is helpful for discovering new advances to improve your practice.
Increase team satisfaction and productivity: By hiring flexible employees you’re reducing the workload of your permanent employees, helping them feel less stressed and being more productive as a result.
Expand your business: If you want to open up a larger dental practice or a second office, flexible team members can help you do just that. They can help treat the additional patients without creating financial risk should the venture not succeed.
Improve your reputation: All the above will help you provide your patients with better care and therefore improve your reputation, helping you gain even more patients and retain your current ones.

How to Get Started

Here are our tips to help you get started with flexible staffing and set out on the road to a bigger, better and more profitable dental practice.

Inform your permanent employees first: Your permanent team members might worry about losing their jobs when you introduce flexible employees. Reassure them before you hire that you’re growing and adding to your team — not replacing current employees.
Start small: Begin by hiring just one temporary dental hygienist to support your team. This will give you the chance to see if flexible employees suit your office culture, while also providing patients with an increase in dental hygiene services.
Choose a reputable source: Find a highly regarded source of dental professionals with great reviews you can trust. Consider asking other practice owners in your area which employment agency they use.
Treat all team members equally: Make your temporary employees feel part of the team by treating everyone equally; allow them the same breaks, check in with them and provide them with helpful feedback, etc.
Make smart decisions: If you weren’t happy with the temporary employee, don’t hire them for additional work in your dental office. However, if they went above your expectations, provide them with positive feedback and offer them more hours in the future.

Start Today

If you’re ready to take your dental practice to the next level, but you’re unsure how to achieve your audacious goals, start by adding flexible employees to your current team. Introducing highly skilled, experienced and hardworking dental professionals to your current team will improve your business in almost every way possible. In twelve months from now, when your dental practice is more successful than ever, you’ll be glad you did.

The decisions you make today either make or break your future success.

Amazing young fitness sports women friends running outdoors by steps

What’s Next

Today’s dental practice can be the most productive and you can have your best year ever!

Your dental hygiene department must operate at 30% of your total production or you are not running at peak performance.

Systems and processes with a team approach create success.

Your next step to optimize and BOOST your hygiene department productivity is participation in our Hygiene Department Challenge. Click to see an overview here of the 21 Day Challenge.

Call us (888-816-1511) or schedule a short coffee chat to learn more about the challenge for your dental hygiene department.

A Guide For Dentists: What To Ask Every Online Dental Marketing Agency You Talk To

By: admin

August 6, 2019

Are you thinking of investing resources in an online dental marketing agency to help with your SEO efforts? Make sure to ask them these questions first.

This information is a guide for dentists. Once you read this you will understand what to ask every online dental marketing agency you talk to.

Will you explain dental SEO?

No matter which agency you partner with, your relationship must be built on trust. Specifically, you need to trust they’ll:

Have your best interests and practice goals in mind

Provide a return on your investment

Apply digital marketing strategies that are proven to be successful

A good agency won’t be deceptive or add unnecessary stress and confusion to your life. If an agency you’re interested in can’t clearly and simply explain dental SEO — and the strategies they plan to use — how can you expect to trust them over the course of your relationship?

Will my practice own the work you do?

No matter what type of work an agency does for your practice, you should retain ownership of it. Make sure you always have control over the following even if your relationship with the agency is severed:

Dental Websites

Blog posts or other written resources

Google Ads and other paid advertising campaigns/accounts, including historical data

Your website’s domain name and hosting

All web properties and social media accounts

Do you work with many other dentists?

An agency experienced in working with other dentists will have the skills, knowledge, and resources to help your practice achieve your goals. They’ll also be able to provide references and reviews from other dental practices who have experienced success with the agency.

Do you work with other dentists in my city?

You should never have to worry if your online dental marketing company has your best interests in mind.

Only work with an agency that’s committed to you. Only one practice can rank #1 in Google in a given area. Don’t you want your agency committed to getting you there? If they’re working with a competing dental office, will they always have your best interests in mind?

What is your plan to help my practice attract new patients?

While every strategy will be different, most will include some combination of…

Content marketing

Online advertising, including Google, Facebook, and Bing

Technical changes to your website’s structure to improve Google search rankings

Online reputation management — maximizing 5-star reviews

Your strategy should be specific and unique to you and based on a combination of your current online presence, goals, and local competition.

Do you have any questions for me?

Just as important as what you ask them is what they ask you. Make sure they’re asking you thoughtful questions like…

Who is your perfect patient?

What goals do you have for your practice over the next 1/5/10 years?

Who are you competing with — and what sets your practice apart?

Have you ever worked with an agency before? How was that experience?

Do you hire contractors and freelancers?

Never work with any agency with more salespeople than actual digital marketing experts. These types of agencies likely rely on outside contractors who may not bring the same quality and expertise you were promised.

The best agencies have an in-house team of experts working together under one roof. Make sure any agency you work with has experts focused on…

Content strategy and creation

Web design

Paid advertising

How will I know if what you’re doing is gaining traction?

When you partner with an agency, you should never be left in the dark on how you’re being presented online. Make sure whichever agency you choose updates you regularly with…

Summaries of their work and success

Statistics and data detailing progress

Strategy and plans for the future

How involved will I be in the online marketing process?

Any great agency will want your involvement in their process. While the agency will be doing the physical work, you’ll need to be available to give feedback, provide information about your practice and services, and approve work such as content, ad campaigns, and other important work.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dan DelMain

As a small business owner himself, Dan DelMain knows firsthand many of the struggles dentists face when it comes to online marketing. Since 2009, Dan and his team at Delmain have helped dentists around the country increase website traffic, attract new patients, and achieve real results through their online marketing efforts.