Go Go Gadgets!

Plugging in a games console with some age-appropriate games and headphones (so as not to disturb other patients) can help to relax and occupy children and teenagers busy waiting for an appointment.

Some patients will prefer to play games or scroll social media on their mobiles. To accommodate this, it’s important to have a Wi-Fi network setup for patients separate from your practice’s own network. Encourage phones to be switched to silent so as not to disturb other patients.

Smart TVs have become a common feature in waiting rooms. Choose family-friendly programming, such as a travel documentary series, to keep everybody happy. You can also use the screen as an opportunity to market some of your own services such as teeth whitening or other cosmetic treatments.

A simple idea that can make a real difference to patient comfort is to introduce some wireless speakers. A wireless speaker such as the Sonos One can be conveniently controlled from anywhere in the room by voice, mobile or computer/laptop to play music and help relax patients. No installation is necessary beyond access to a plug socket.

Unlock Your Green Credentials

Like most industries, dentistry is becoming more and more green as it works towards long-term goals to lower its carbon footprint.

Along with switching to recycled and biodegradable disposables where possible, why not lower your reliance on paper further by switching to paperless statements?

Is your dental office making the most of natural light? Reducing your dependence on artificial light can save money as well as improving wellbeing for your team and patients.

Even putting up a mirror or two in your reception can help bounce natural light around the room, with the bonus of allowing patients to check their faces before leaving should a bit of alginate or prophy paste have been missed!

Embrace Digital

Nothing will freshen up your practice more than having actual fresh faces come through your door. One of the quickest ways to achieving this is by upping your social media game.

Whether it’s sharing before and after treatments using location tags on Instagram, or targeting users local to your practice with paid ads on Facebook, social media is one of the quickest ways to grow your surgery’s profile and reach potential patients. According to 2020 data from the ONS, 70% of UK adults over 16 use social media on a regular basis, and in the 16-44 age range the figure is over 90%.

Once a potential patient lands on your website, is it easy for them to use and navigate? Can they book appointments online? Hire a developer to bring your website into the 2020's and make your services more appealing.

Lift Your Dental Team

Lift staff morale by making changes that will benefit them directly. Ask staff if they’ve got any of their own ideas on how to improve the practice. Creating a comfy staff room can help increase productivity. Simple additions like a coffee machine and speakers can make the staff area more inviting for eating, socialising and relaxing.

This may be a good time to give staff a taste of flexible working. This could be flexitime, compressed hours, part-time hours or offering work on an 'as and when' required basis. Consider a trial period long enough to provide a clear picture of how well the new working arrangements work and go from there. Maybe it’s time to ditch the worn, outdated uniform for something new and fresh. Check our uniform range for some ideas.

Offer Your Own Brand of Teeth Whitening

The teeth whitening market is forecasted to see a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 6.32% for the period 2020 and 2027 according to new research.

Factors helping drive this growth include a growing awareness of oral hygiene and younger people becoming more ‘smile conscious’. To capitalise on this growing market and provide patients with a safe, use-from-home whitening solution, consider popular whitening gels such as Big White Smile.

One of the great things with Big White Smile is that your packaging can be customised with your practice name and logo to add a personal and professional touch.