Recently, media outlets and health administrators have been dropping glimmers of hope, hinting that the path to the new normal should be ramping up shortly. Although handshakes may be a thing of the past, it’s overwhelmingly pleasing to hear signs of hope from the Dr. Fauci’s of the world. Just a few weeks ago, your business and personal life were hit hard by COVID-19, and several unfortunate actions had to be taken and taken quickly. It won’t be long until you put it in reverse, and welcome back your staff, as well as new and existing patients. This will all happen quickly too. Think of it as a “Grand Re-Opening”.

Have you been preparing for your post-COVID dental practice grand re-opening?

We are faced with more of the unknown than the contrary, which leaves us playing a guessing game as to what changes are coming. But one thing is for certain; your patient journey is guaranteed to change.

A patient journey, in short, goes something like this:

• Potential patients find you online after a search or referral (once reviews are read)
• They call, email or schedule an appointment online
• They arrive and experience the service you want them to
• They become a lifelong patient and ambassador for your practice

That was pre-COVID-19.

Whether new or existing patients, they will now be very sensitive to how you have taken extra precautions to follow guidelines and create a clean and sterile environment. From a new patient search perspective, there is already data being recorded showing search terms based around sterilization and infection control. Health and safety will be top of mind for new and existing patients and their families, just like it is for you and yours.

Preparing to adhere to the new patient journey with your practice should start now, both internally and externally with your marketing partner. There will be standard changes to implement regarding your online footprint, such as basic website changes, social media posts with empathetic messaging, specific “cleanliness” themed review requests, new and consistent content built around your sterile environment, and so on. Frequent and purposeful communication with your marketing partner should be in place already, but now more than ever. Your marketing

partner needs to understand what to market for you and what to distribute creatively across digital and traditional channels. 

For example, do you now have an “Infection Control Coordinator”? Most likely you are working on that, but your patients and prospects will want to know, and they will be making decisions based on their peace of mind. You can’t make a first impression twice. Let’s think about what a new journey for a patient could look like:

• They find you online after a COVID-19-style search, i.e. “social distancing dentist near me”
• They read and review your guidelines and internal policies regarding infection control, i.e. a message from your ICC (Infection Control Coordinator)
• They call, email or schedule an appointment online
• They arrive and experience the peace of mind you want them to, i.e. as they approach the door they are greeted with a branded disinfectant wipes stand for the door handle, as well as a branded mask when they walk in. With this idea, you are providing instantaneous peace of mind.
• The patient sees a newly organized, social distancing friendly waiting room with anti-bacterial in reach and a staff that has embraced their new journey
• They become or remain a lifelong patient and ambassador for your practice.

This is an example of the post-COVID-19 patient journey.

Have you been preparing for your post-COVID Dental Practice”Grand Re-Opening”? We can help.  Feel free to contact us at any time to help develop your post-COVID marketing and communications strategy.