The current global pandemic has discouraged many patients from keeping up with their bi-annual check-ups. However, even before COVID-19, a global survey* of people found 25 percent hadn’t been to the dentist in two or more years! Needless to say, with the existing stereotypes that surround trip to the dentist’s office, people don’t need a health crisis as an excuse to stay away.
But how do we change that? Anyone in the field is keenly aware of the importance of good oral health, and more and more studies show the mouth’s important role in overall general health and wellness. Yet patients still don’t prioritize their oral health. Doctors and teams can take action to entice patients into the office: Education
Fortunately, the aforementioned survey found that of the 25% of people who hadn’t been to the dentist in two or more years, two out of five of those people said they’d motivated to go if they just had more education about the technology used by their doctor. Too many patients picture the dentist’s office of 15-20 years ago and don’t realize the great leaps in digital dental technology that makes their visit faster, more comfortable and safer.
Doctors and team members are patients’ number one source for information about oral health,* so their role in educating patients can’t be understated. Let them know how digital dental technology saves time and gets them on their way faster. Share how intraoral scanners have eliminated traditional impressions. Impress them with stunning 3D X-rays as you walk through treatment plans, making it easier for them to visualize—maybe even accept—treatment.
Start the conversation today. Afterall, two out of three patients would consider switching doctors to one who used more advanced technology. Make sure your patients know you’re practicing at the cutting edge. Carestream Dental has made it easy for practices to educate patients with free downloadable materials that are easy for patients to understand:
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Educational flyers about the technology used in your practice. Share these with patients either in the waiting room or send them home in their “goody bag.”
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A video to play on your waiting room or on your website, giving patients an idea of how far digital dental technology has come
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A digital badge to include on your website or social media to let patients know you’re “Proud to offer digital dentistry”
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Infographics (both static and animated) for your practice’s social media pages, including the one featured in this blog
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A social media kit with pre-drafted posts, statistics and quizzes to help you spread the word about the advanced digital dental technology you offer
These resources are provided as part of the Digital Dentistry Difference campaign, that’s goal is to give doctors the tools they need to educate patients and raise the overall perception of the entire oral healthcare industry among people.
Download the free white paper for more eye-opening results from the global survey that asked people about their feelings towards the oral healthcare industry and the technology used.
*Digital Dentistry Difference: 2019 Global Consumer Survey. The online study was conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of Carestream Dental between November 12 and November 24, 2019, among surveyed 7,000 nationally representative adults across seven global markets: Canada, China, France, Germany, India, the UK and the U.S.
