Maximizing practice revenue: Know your market!

The baby-boom shift is occurring, and it is making a huge impact. Scientific research has shown that the number of edentulous patients is disproportionately higher in patients above the age of 65,¹ and many patients above 65 are highly motivated to improve their health and quality of life.

Implant overdentures are a proven treatment to improve quality of life for edentulous patients, and clinical evidence has shown that even when cost was a factor, patients still would resoundingly recommend the treatment again.² It is simple to see the writing on the wall for your clinical practice; implant overdentures are a way to increase revenue and improve patient’s lives!

Does your market know about you?
Ask yourself, “When is the last time I bought something on Amazon or went to a new restaurant without looking at an online review?” Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Yelp, Angie’s List, and Healthgrades^® — just to name a few — are online sites for reviews, but there are many others. Do you capitalize on them by having 5-star and glowing reviews? If the answer is anything other than YES!, you should be revising your marketing efforts; and considering online reviews cost very little in comparison to other marketing dollars, it’s important to consider this marketing strategy.

The baby-boom generation has substantial buying power and frequently tells others about both in-person and online experiences. They are avid word-of-mouth advertisers and are willing to tell the world about how you’ve improved their lives! Start smart, and solicit your best patients, your raving fans, for positive 5-star reviews on Google and Yelp.

Make sure you have a compelling website full of patient testimonials to back up your growing reputation. Most importantly, offer excellent service and treatment that is compelling to the baby-boomer population.

Narrow diameter overdenture implants: my secret to revenue growth
I used to turn away patients on a regular basis, but I didn’t know I was doing it. I thought I was offering them what they wanted. You know what I mean — “the best.” Then I recognized that “the best” wasn’t always a fixed bridge or eight implants and porcelain. I realized that I had options that nobody else could offer, and I keep those treatment options at a fee that many people could afford.

I love doing full arch implant dentistry — from implant overdentures to All-on-4 to 6-8 implants and screw-retained metal ceramic restorations. What I found was that I used to turn away patients who either couldn’t come up with $25,000-$50,000 for dental treatment or those who had adequate financial resources but didn’t want to go through extensive bone augmentation procedures. While we are implantologists and a group of clinicians who enjoy complex surgical procedures, many of our patients want a solution that is simple, less invasive, and can be performed immediately.

Narrow diameter implants, such as the Zest Anchors’ LOCATOR^® Overdenture Implant (LODI) and the SATURNO^® Narrow Diameter Implant System (SNDI) are long-term, permanent implant options that I provide for my patients who want a solution that’s simple and just plain works. I have been using narrow diameter implants from Zest for over 2 years with an implant success rate of close to 98%. I have found tremendous growth of implant overdenture therapy in my practice; in fact, it has resulted in a year-over-year increase in revenue of over 30%!

Because of the fantastic results with narrow diameter implants, my patients tell others about what great treatment we provide, both in-person and online. As a result, I give narrow diameter implants a 5-star review!