The coronavirus pandemic represents an unprecedented challenge for our society. You’ve taken steps at your own dental practice to support public health and “flatten the curve.” Meanwhile, our online world is experiencing rapid growth, which presents endless opportunities for your practice. Bryant Consultants wants to make sure you’re up to speed on the best ways to maximize technology during the COVID-19 crisis.
Some Numbers to Know
Just look at how online behaviors have changed since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic on March 11:
- There has been a 31 percent boost in overall net online traffic in the past month
- Use of telemedicine services has increased tenfold
- There has been a 40 percent increase in social media aggregate daily unique visits
We expect to see these trends as social distancing continues
Limited access to critical dental services: The American Dental Association continues to advise members only to provide emergent care at this time, resulting in many practices limiting their hours of operation.
Rapid growth in telemedicine and teledentistry: One saving grace during COVID-19 is that technology has advanced to the point that many consultations and evaluations can be done virtually, either through a video conference or with the patient taking pictures of the dental problem they are experiencing and sending them to you for review. Make sure you’re up to speed on this technology by checking out our blog that highlights tips on using teledentistry.
Remote Provider Collaboration – This technology also makes it possible for different dentists to connect and share ideas and concepts so that they can provide the highest level of care to their patients.
Our Recommendations
- Continue to focus on emergent care. It likely will be May, or later, before COVID-19 cases peak and normal routines resume. Until then, keep emphasizing urgent procedures—defined as any that cannot be postponed for a month or longer. Emergent care usually relates to services to relieve pain, treat an infection, restore oral function, or repair damage from dental trauma.
- Make virtual access easier. This probably will entail updating your website to make it possible for patients to schedule video consultations by booking an appointment online. You also should consider installing a live chat feature on your practice web site. Live support will help you collect lead information on prospective patients who have questions, triage patients, or schedule them for a virtual consultation.
- Engage your patients. Now is the time to double down on your online presence and make a greater effort to connect with clients by creating quality content and sharing it on your social media platforms. Consider posting video tutorials to answer frequently asked questions about your practice, oral care, or your most in-demand procedures. Social media also can be a great resource to update patients on schedule changes, new policies, and what precautions you and your staff are taking to protect against coronavirus.
Not sure how to incorporate some of these strategies? Look for a future blog on how to strengthen your practice’s online presence during COVID-19.
In the meantime, download our COVID-19 dental practice plan. Our experts also remain available for consultations over the phone or via online chat. Schedule your appointment today by calling (877) 768-4799. We provide consultation, training, and coaching and will continue to post relevant updates regarding the coronavirus pandemic. To ensure that you receive the latest updates, please follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
