The Dental Practice Sales Funnel

By Sarah Woods, Dental Marketing Consultant

The sales funnel is alive and well within every dental practice. The success of marketing efforts is directly related to the sales effectiveness of the dental team within the dental practice. Each team member has a role to play in the success of the patient experience and how well it translates into increased treatment acceptance. The problem with this reality is that many dental practices fail to accept and understand the uniquely important role each person plays in the patient experience. The specific sales role of each team member is necessary and cannot be eliminated from the process due to cutting corners by under-staffing.

Based on the size of the practice, there should be at least one person in the following positions:

Marketing Coordinator/New Patient Concierge: handles internal and external marketing, takes photos for social media and digital platforms, acts as brand ambassador within the community, coordinates special events/seminars, implements and manages promotions and specials within the office.

Front Desk/Concierge: answers incoming calls with an upbeat attitude, schedules appointments, greets patients with a cheerful disposition and a warm smile.

Insurance Coordinator: handles all insurance companies, generates all insurance claims, coordinates payments, updates patient accounts.

Dental Assistant: assists dentist in providing treatment to patients, develops trusting relationship with each patient and follows up with the patient after treatment performed.

Hygienist: provides excellent dental cleanings, performs periodontal treatments, develops and nurtures relationships with the patient, and schedules future hygiene appointments for patients.

Treatment Coordinator: presents treatment plans to patients in an educated and confident way, and schedules necessary appointments.

Check Out: checks out patients and schedules all future appointments.

The key responsibility of each of these roles is to interact with the patient in a positive, thoughtful way while maintaining confidence. If just one of these roles isn’t filled, treatment acceptance and patient retention will suffer, affecting the bottom line of the practice.

Sarah is a dental marketing consultant with extensive experience working with dental practices to maximize their patient potential. With in-depth experience in various levels of a dental practice, she has a unique perspective that allows her to be effective at implementing strategies throughout the office that can be executed easily.

Please connect with Sarah on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/sarahcwoods or email her at Scwoods79@gmail.com