by Great Expressions Dental Centers’ marketing plan is designed to benefit both patients and clinicians
When Ryan Torresan came on board three years ago at Great Expressions Dental Centers as VP of Marketing & Public Relations, he and his team were charged with the task of rebranding. Not an uncommon goal of any new marketing team. But here is where it got tricky. The rebranding and marketing efforts would need to be coordinated to two very unique audiences – internal clinicians, and outside customers.
It’s a challenge for dental service organizations that want to grow both their practices and provider affiliations along with a patient base in new markets.
“Marketing can execute and get our ‘customer’ what they need, whether that customer be a patient or internal customer like doctors, dental office team members, HR, affiliations, etc.,” says Torresan. “Many marketers make the mistake of trying to hit the home run or have the ‘next great idea.’ We would rather execute and drive results for the patient and prove that we can impact patient volume and retention.”
Identifying patients’ likes and dislikes
GEDC partnered with Proctor & Gamble to assess patients’ likes and dislikes. After analyzing more than 700 surveys, a marketing plan with return on investment accountability was created to enhance the patients’ dental experience, whether from an acquisitions or loyalty standpoint, says Torresan.
To attract new patients, GEDC uses traditional approaches, digital, social media and community outreach. “GEDC does television advertising in our larger markets,” says Torresan. “But our strategy changes a little bit in areas where GEDC has fewer offices. There, we have a higher concentration of community outreach and leverage the strength of online marketing, like pay-per-click, social media, and email and mobile marketing – which we do in every region, because that’s how people interact with businesses today.”
In smaller markets, GEDC also does more grassroots community relations as part of their marketing. Office staff might order GEDC branded events kits and materials from the GEDC Store to work with the local fire department on their big charity fundraisers, health fairs or volunteer at a food bank to increase visibility.
GEDC encourages its offices to cultivate vibrant community service. Several regions have launched Free Dental Care Days in their communities. Employees visit schools to talk about the importance of oral health. Every office participates in “Feeding the Children Everywhere,” making meals for underprivileged families. By 2015, they had made 200,000 meals, and counting, according to the company. They also work with women’s shelters, homeless shelters, orphanages, and large community events, distributing dental products, answering questions, and booking patient appointments. Staff can also join mission trips.
Patients are welcome
Torresan says GEDC makes things as convenient as possible for existing patients by communicating via email, sending text reminders, etc. GEDC sends out an electronic newsletter informing patients what’s going on in the community, dental education and news about GEDC. For instance, February was National Children’s Dental Health Month – so patients were reminded to brush and floss, and offered a chance to win movie passes for their family through GEDC’s Grin & Win Facebook promotion.
GEDC practice layout and decor are also designed to deliver a message: It’s welcoming – from the smiling logo design, to window clings depicting happy patients, to the positive mood set by the front desk/waiting area, patient bathroom art with core messaging, community giving art in hallways and clutter-free operatories.
Direct-but-subtle messaging is provided in the hallways and waiting area, where patients are educated via GEDC’s Expressions TV. The TV plays GEDC-filmed educational content GEDC, which loops along with news, weather, and other features. Dental partners, P&G, Under Armour, and CareCredit also run video messages. If patients see a story on implants, they’re more willing to broach the subject with the clinician, says Torresan. Or a story on periodontal disease may help raise awareness.
“The office marketing is very strategic, patient research shows people do not want to see medical images as art, it can be intimidating and uncomfortable to the patient. We reinforce the patients’ ideal lifestyle with people celebrating everyday moments to bring an uplifting tone to the office,” says Torresan. “It enables us to be transparent and to highlight charity work and services we provide while communicating with the patient the way they want to be communicated to,” Torresan says. “We want to help that conversation happen. In the end, the whole experience is designed to put the patient at ease and educate the patient so when they are in the chair they will be comfortable talking about their dental needs.”
Part of that ease comes in accessibility, not just in terms of location, but of cost too. GEDC’s 250 offices accept most insurance. For those without insurance, GEDC created the Smile Protection Plan, which has more than 15,000 members. For an annual fee, patients get free cleanings, exams, and discounts on additional dental care, as well as vision, Lasik, prescriptions, and hearing exams. Each office also has a Smile Solution Center, offering oral products at prices below retail.
“The GEDC program allows you to network your overall health,” says Don Klacking, CFO.
For doctors
GEDC’s growth has created regional networks of GPs and specialists. New dentists are teamed up with a mentor, and all team members are encouraged to confer with each other for clinical and professional advice. GEDC’s chief clinical officer and National Doctor Panel meet quarterly to discuss clinical protocols, treatments, and share the information with their teams.
“We have a really strong network within the Great Expressions community when it comes to mentorship or referring patients,” says Rich Beckman, CEO.
To keep clinicians current, GEDC pays their memberships to the ADA and AAO, and created the GEDC University, which provides web-based CE content and training programs. Each region has a study group and a career growth and training program for all clinical and administrative staff members. GEDC also supports dental education by making annual donations to dental schools for scholarships and buying equipment.
GEDC recently launched a program called the “Power of One.” The internal rewards website and newsletter run stories about staff who have made a difference in a patient’s or coworker’s life. In addition, the kind deeds of fellow employees can be acknowledged in a reward center on the internal website.
Staying top-of-mind
The overall intent of GEDC’s marketing campaigns is to maintain top-of-mind awareness with the consumer, offer great in-office education marketing, and make the brand more accessible, Torresan says. “GEDC and its partners together are reaching the audiences they need to, while building the power of their brands,” he says. “The return on investment is steady patient and employee acquisition, retention, and loyalty. This multilayered approach to external and internal marketing more than pays for itself when operatory chairs are full, clinicians and office staff feel good about the care they provide, love what they do, and appreciate the way they are rewarded in return.”
