Increasing brand loyalty is always important for any marketer.
Even for dentists.
What is the secret to dentists increasing brand loyalty? Dental savings plans.
According to the :DP SmileIndex(TM), an annual national survey from :DentalPlans, 52% of dental savings plan members are loyal to their dentists; whereas only 37% of the general population said the same.
“Dental practices work hard to build patient loyalty by delivering quality services and engaging with their patients,” said Bill Chase, vice president of marketing for :DentalPlans. “Our survey indicates that patients see dental savings plans as a great way for dentists to do both of these things: Increase customer satisfaction and connect effectively with patients’ needs.”
Here are some interesting takeaways from the 2015 :DP SmileIndex survey pertaining to members of dental savings plans:
They are more likely to have visited a dentist within the past six months (85% dental savings plan members vs. 55% of the general population.
They are more likely to have regular preventative care, especially X-rays (80% dental savings plan members vs. 63% of national sample.
They are more likely to know that seeing a dentist regularly is important (78% of dental savings plan members said that seeing a dentist twice a year is important, compared to 57% of the general population.
They make oral health care a priority within their families (55% of dental savings plan members started brushing their child’s teeth before the child was a year old, compared to only 41% of national respondents.
Dental savings plan members and the general population overwhelmingly agreed on one key point: Dental care is too expensive.
“Cost is the biggest reason people delay getting the dental care they need,” said Dr. Howard Cunningham, owner of Oakland Park Dental in Fort Lauderdale. “Our office accepts dental savings plans because it saves our patients money on dental care services, helps them maintain good oral health through preventative care, and get treatment right away for dental emergencies. Using a dental saving plan also simplifies the whole process. There are no worries about delayed payments to the office, and the patient can make choices about their treatment without any third party involvement. Dental plans provide a fair process for everyone involved.”