Business Strategies Archives - HIP Creative

Episode title: The Brand Strategy Mistake Costing Your Dental Practice Patients!

Show: The GrowDental Podcast

Host: Luke Infinger, Founder, HIP Creative

Presented at: [The Garg Blueprint], hosted by Dr. [Garg]

Date published: [2026-06-30] Last updated: [2026-06-30]

Summary: Private dental practices consistently lose new patients to DSOs and corporate groups not because of inferior clinical care, but because their online brand does not match the quality of care they actually deliver. Luke Infinger of HIP Creative calls this gap the Congruence Effect. When a practice’s clinical reality and its brand perception are out of alignment, the consequences show up in three measurable places: patients hesitate when they first discover the practice online, they arrive at the consultation with doubt rather than confidence, and case acceptance drops. The fix follows a specific sequence. Build the brand foundation first, establish findability through Google Business Profile, reviews, and SEO second, then add paid ads on top of that in the third step. Practices that skip to paid ads before those foundations exist are wasting 30 to 40% of their ad spend and paying roughly six times more per lead than a practice that earns organic search traffic.

Topics covered: Brand perception versus clinical reality, the Congruence Effect, DSO and corporate dental competition, Google Business Profile optimization, review strategy, local SEO and the map pack, the 72-hour appointment booking rule, organic versus paid lead cost, the brand-findability-amplification sequence, offer strategy, community engagement.

Key entities named: HIP Creative, Practice Beacon, Google Business Profile, ClearChoice, Dr. Garg, Ben Fishbein, Dr. James Andrews, Harrison Bagdon, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Healthgrades, JCPenney (pricing case study).

By Luke Infinger CEO & Co-Founder, HIP Creative | Author |

Luke Infinger has spent more than 12 years helping dental and orthodontic practices grow through marketing, software, and education. He is the founder of HIP Creative, which works with 580+ dental and specialty practices across the country, and the creator of Practice Beacon, a lead-tracking CRM built specifically for dental and orthodontic teams. His work has included taking practices from regional obscurity to nationally recognized growth benchmarks, among them helping an orthodontist become the fastest-growing in the country by 2018. He is also the author of multiple books on practice growth and a sought-after speaker for dental continuing education events.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-infinger-b36a001b/

Most dental practices spend their marketing budget in the wrong order. They invest in paid ads before they have built a solid dental practice brand strategy, then wonder why the ads underperform. Leads come through, land on an outdated website with generic copy and old photos, and a good portion walk away. The failure point is order and sequence, not ad quality.

Luke Infinger of HIP Creative calls the underlying problem the Congruence Effect. It is the gap between a practice’s clinical reality, the care, the outcomes, the experience actually delivered, and its brand perception, what a potential patient discovers during their research online. When those two things line up, patients arrive to consultations ready to say yes. When they do not, practices pay for the gap with wasted ad spend, hesitant new patients, and consultation time spent answering trust-building questions that a stronger brand presence should have already resolved.

Most dental marketing conversations begin and end at paid ads. What Infinger’s presentation argues, backed by patient behavior data, is that paid ads are the final step in a three-part sequence: brand first, findability second, then amplification through paid ads. Practices that skip the first two steps and jump to step three are running an out-of-sequence strategy. The marketing does not fail because the ads are bad. It fails because there is nothing solid underneath them.

This post covers the full Congruence Effect framework, the patient behavior data behind it, and the specific areas practices can audit and improve right now.

The Congruence Effect is the alignment between two things: clinical reality and brand perception. Clinical reality is what a practice actually delivers. The care, the outcomes, the relationship, the patient experience from first call through end of treatment. For most private practice owners, that part is already strong. Years of training, continuing education, and daily clinical work have made them genuinely excellent providers.

Brand perception is different. It is what a potential patient thinks before they ever walk through the door. It is built entirely from what they find when they search the practice’s name, specialty, or service area. Reviews. Website. Photography. How fast someone picked up the phone. Whether that phone conversation sounded like it matched the level of expertise on the website. Social media. Response time on a contact form. Whether the messaging they see on the website matches what they see in an ad.

When clinical reality and brand perception are congruent, patients come in already convinced. Infinger describes this as the pre-sold patient: someone who shows up to the consultation having already decided they want to work with this provider. They are not shopping. They are not bringing objections about cost or comparing the practice to a competitor down the street. Case acceptance in that environment becomes a conversation, not a sales process.

When they are out of alignment, the opposite happens. A patient might find a practice through a referral or a Google search, feel uncertain based on what they discover online, and keep looking. Or they show up to the consultation skeptical, and the provider has to rebuild trust from zero instead of advancing a conversation the brand should have already started for them.

A 2024 survey found that 89.7% of patients begin searching for a new dental provider online. When those patients search corporate dental groups and DSOs (Dental Service Organizations), they find clean and current websites with professional photography, hundreds of recent reviews, and messaging that stays consistent across every platform they visit.

Corporate groups maintain that consistency because they have the infrastructure for it: chief marketing officers, brand kits, and dedicated processes for keeping the messaging aligned across locations even after rebranding or expansion. In a citation analysis HIP Creative conducted for one dental client, the practice had rebranded three times. Healthgrades listings were still showing old practice names and phone numbers from previous identities. DSOs do not have that problem because they build processes to prevent it.

A patient choosing between a DSO and a private practice in a local market cannot evaluate clinical quality during their research phase. They make a comfort decision based on what looked more credible and consistent when they were doing their two weeks of research. A patient who picks ClearChoice over a highly skilled private prosthodontist is not making a clinical decision. They are making a perception decision.

The practical opportunity for private practices is that DSOs do not have a structural advantage in brand-building. They have a process advantage. A private practice can build the same quality of online presence. It requires investment and a clear sequence of steps, but it is achievable. And once it is in place, a private practice can offer something corporate groups cannot: flexibility, genuine relationship, clinical care not constrained by corporate spending limits or standardized protocols. When a patient searching locally finds a private practice with a polished, current brand that matches the quality of their clinical work, that combination is more compelling than a corporate brand. The private practice has the trust of a real provider and the professionalism of an established presence.

Infinger breaks the consequences of brand incongruence into three specific outcomes that directly affect practice revenue.

Hesitation at discovery. When a prospective patient finds a practice online and the messaging is generic, the photos are dated, or the website does not signal the level of specialization the provider actually has, that patient keeps shopping. Most searchers click on the first two or three results in the Google map pack. A practice that does appear there but fails to differentiate on the page still loses patients to competitors who look more credible at first glance.

Doubt in the consultation. A patient who arrived uncertain because the online brand did not fully convince them will carry that uncertainty into the appointment. The provider then spends chair time handling trust-building questions and objections that a stronger pre-arrival experience should have resolved. This is wasted clinical time, and it puts case acceptance at risk because the patient has not had the chance to become pre-sold.

Lost case acceptance. The cumulative result of the first two problems is a lower yes rate at the consultation. Every objection that has to be handled in the room represents a gap between what the practice communicates online and what the patient believed before arriving. Excellent clinical work without aligned brand perception means working harder to convert cases that should have been straightforward. Infinger put it bluntly: practices spending on marketing without fixing the foundational elements are building on a bad foundation. Everything above it is at risk.

The data Infinger shared on patient research behavior puts the stakes of brand and findability in concrete terms.

The average patient spends about two weeks researching a dental provider before booking. During that time, they interact with a practice’s brand across five to seven touchpoints: Google search results, the practice website, social media profiles, reviews on Google and on platforms like Healthgrades, and direct contact channels like a phone call, text, or form submission. Every one of those touchpoints is an opportunity to build confidence, and every one of them is a vulnerability if the experience or the messaging is inconsistent.

76% of patients judge a provider’s credibility based on website quality. Not credentials. Not years of experience. The visual quality and professionalism of the website is the primary credibility signal for most patients in the research phase. This does not mean credentials do not matter. It means they matter far less than most providers expect, and the website matters far more.

87% of patients read online reviews before choosing a healthcare provider. Reviews matter, but so does the response strategy. Google’s algorithm rewards practices that respond to every review, which means unanswered reviews are both a brand miss and a search ranking miss. One additional data point worth noting: businesses with a 4.9-star rating tend to get more engagement than those at a perfect 5.0, because an all-five rating reads as artificial to patients doing careful research.

44% of patients who find a dental practice through a mobile search move forward and book an appointment. That conversion rate makes mobile search one of the most direct drivers of new patient volume, which in turn makes mobile-first website design a revenue issue rather than a technical one.

72% of dental patients who search online start specifically on Google. More than 70% of clicks in local searches go to the top three results in the map pack. Practices that fall outside that top three are, for most searches, effectively invisible to new patient traffic.

Google Business Profile (GBP) is the primary signal that determines local map pack rankings. Despite that, most practices treat it as a static directory listing rather than an active marketing channel. The numbers on GBP investment make the stakes plain. Businesses with 100 or more images on their Google Business Profile receive more than 500% more phone calls than those with fewer images. Most practices Infinger’s team audits have 20 to 50 images. The gap between that and 100 images is closeable with a smartphone: team photos, patient consent photos, community events, office and treatment area images. Those images are worth uploading because they layer in the human element that patients are looking for during two weeks of research.

Beyond images, a complete GBP includes accurate NAP data (name, address, phone number) that matches consistently across all citation sources, updated business hours and service listings, and an active review response strategy. NAP inconsistency, which is common when practices have rebranded or moved locations, suppresses local rankings in ways that no paid ad budget can fix.

Infinger introduced a framework called the 72-hour rule: every digital lead requesting an appointment should be booked within 72 hours of first contact. If a patient calls or submits a form on Monday, they should have an appointment scheduled by Thursday.

The reasoning follows directly from patient research behavior. A patient searching locally for a dental provider is comparing two or three options, not one. 78% of local mobile searches result in an offline visit within 24 hours, which signals how ready-to-act these searchers are. If a practice can offer an appointment in three days and the second result in the map pack cannot book them for four weeks, that patient is going to the faster option. They are not calling the first practice back to explain. They simply book elsewhere.

The connection between the 72-hour rule and no-show rates is direct. Patients booked too far out are more likely to disengage before the appointment. Their urgency was real when they called, but a four-week wait gives that urgency time to fade. Practices looking to scale their ad spend without also fixing scheduling lead times will find that no-show rates rise alongside lead volume. The math on marketing performance gets worse, not better.

Infinger named it plainly: running paid ads before building the brand and findability foundation.

An organic lead, someone who finds a practice through Google search or a strong community presence, costs roughly $30. A paid lead through Google Ads or Meta Ads costs roughly $180. That is six times as much for a lead that also converts at a lower rate, because paid ad traffic skews toward patients at the beginning of the awareness stage rather than patients who have already spent a week or two doing research.

The sequence problem compounds the cost. 77% of paid ads in dental send traffic to the practice’s homepage rather than a dedicated landing page built for the specific campaign. A Google Ads campaign for dental implants should send traffic to a landing page that matches the ad’s message, features the provider’s credentials and relevant case examples, and has a clear path to book a consultation. Sending that traffic to a homepage asks the patient to do navigation work that kills conversion rates.

30 to 40% of ad spend is wasted when the brand foundation is not in place. Practices spend $3,000 to $8,000 per month on Google and Meta ads, traffic comes through, but the website is outdated, photos are generic or absent, and the messaging does not differentiate the practice from a corporate competitor. The ads are working. What fails is everything that happens after the click.

The framework Infinger advocates: build brand first, establish findability second, add paid ads third. Once a practice has a strong online presence, an active review strategy, local three-pack rankings for key search terms, and a website built to convert mobile traffic, adding paid ads on top produces results that compound. The same ad budget that struggled against a weak foundation now amplifies a credible, findable, trusted brand. The lead cost drops and conversion rates rise.

Brand in this context is not a logo or a color palette. Infinger defines it as everything that makes a patient think a certain thought about a practice before they walk through the door. For private practices competing with well-funded corporate groups, that brand needs to be built deliberately and maintained consistently.

A strong dental brand in 2026 includes these components working in alignment:

Website. Fast, mobile-first, with professional photography (not stock images), clear headline messaging that tells a patient what makes this practice different, and a call to action that does not require the patient to hunt. 76% of patients judge credibility by website quality, making this the most direct brand ROI outside of reviews.

Google Business Profile. Complete, with 100 or more images, an active review response strategy, accurate business information matching all citation sources, and regular content updates.

Reviews. 87% of patients read reviews before choosing a provider. Review volume matters, but so do recency and response quality. Automating review requests through the patient workflow increases volume. Responding to every review, including critical ones, signals professionalism to future patients who are reading.

SEO and content. Search engine optimization (SEO) is an extension of brand, not a separate channel. On-page SEO covers the website itself: keyword-targeted content, page speed, mobile optimization. Off-page SEO covers citations (consistent NAP data across all directories), backlinks, and Google Business Profile optimization. Practices looking to grow specific service lines, full-arch cases for example, need dedicated content clusters on those services to rank for the searches patients actually use. Content is ongoing because competitors are publishing, and the practice that stops publishing loses rankings to the ones that do not.

Social media and community presence. Local community engagement, sponsoring events, working with nonprofits, participating in area milestones, adds offline brand visibility that reinforces digital presence and adds touchpoints in the 5-to-7 interactions patients average before making a decision.

Consistency across all channels. Every platform, every ad, every review response, and every patient-facing phone interaction needs to carry the same message and the same standard of quality. A single inconsistent touchpoint, like a strong website followed by a poor phone call experience, can undo the trust the brand built everywhere else.

Most practice owners, when marketing comes up, ask one question first: how much is this going to cost? That framing treats brand as an expense rather than an asset. Infinger draws the parallel directly: patients ask the same question about treatment, and providers spend real time helping them see the value. The same reframe applies to the practice’s own marketing.

A strong brand investment produces a return that compounds over time. It pre-sells trust before the patient arrives, which reduces the conversion work the consultation has to do. It drives case acceptance by arriving with patient confidence already built. And it enables growth by making a practice findable and compelling to patients who would otherwise choose a competitor based on perception alone.

The practices that first invest in their website, their brand, and their community presence, then add paid ads on top of that foundation, see results that are genuinely different from practices running ads against a weak brand. Community recognition builds before the ad campaign runs. When patients see the ad, they recognize the brand instead of encountering it for the first time. That combination is more likely to convert, and the lift in conversion rates makes the same ad budget go further.

What is the Congruence Effect in dental marketing?

The Congruence Effect is the alignment between a dental practice’s clinical reality (the care, outcomes, and patient experience actually delivered) and its brand perception (what potential patients discover and think about the practice before they arrive). When these two things match, patients come to consultations already ready to move forward. When they are out of alignment, practices see lower conversion rates, more objections during consultations, and wasted marketing spend regardless of how much they invest in ads.

Why do private dental practices struggle to compete with DSOs online?

DSOs maintain dedicated marketing staff, brand kits, and processes for consistent messaging across all platforms and locations. Private practices typically do not have that infrastructure, so the online presence drifts: outdated photos, unanswered reviews, inconsistent information across directories. Patients researching online cannot evaluate clinical quality, so they make a decision based on perceived professionalism and trust signals. A private practice may offer better care but lose the patient to a DSO on perception alone.

Should a dental practice run paid ads before building their brand and online presence?

No. The sequence Infinger recommends is brand first, findability second, paid ads third. Running paid ads before the brand and website foundation is in place sends paid traffic to a conversion environment that cannot close patients. 30 to 40% of paid ad budgets are wasted on poor conversions when foundational brand work has not been done. Paid ads work best as amplification of a brand the local market already recognizes and trusts.

What is the 72-hour rule for dental practices?

The 72-hour rule is a lead-response standard: every digital lead requesting an appointment should be booked within 72 hours of first contact. Patients searching locally are often comparing multiple providers and will book with whoever can see them soonest. Practices with long scheduling lead times lose patients to faster competitors without those patients calling back to explain. The rule also reduces no-shows, since patients booked too far out tend to disengage before their appointment date.

How many images should a dental practice have on their Google Business Profile?

Businesses with 100 or more images on their Google Business Profile receive over 500% more phone calls than those with fewer images. Most practices currently have 20 to 50 images. Reaching 100 is achievable with a smartphone over time: team photos, patient consent photos, community events, and office images all count toward the total.

What is the local three-pack and why does it matter for a dental practice?

The local three-pack (also called the map pack) is the top three business listings Google displays in response to location-based searches like “dentist near me.” More than 70% of clicks in local searches go to one of these three results. Practices in the three-pack receive 93% more phone calls and more than 100% more website traffic than those that do not appear there. Getting into the three-pack requires an optimized Google Business Profile, consistent NAP data across directories, and strong local SEO signals on the practice website.

Brand perception. The collection of impressions a potential patient forms about a dental practice through online and offline research before making direct contact. Includes website quality, review volume and response quality, social media presence, photo quality, and consistency of messaging across all platforms.

Clinical reality. What a dental or specialty practice actually delivers: the care, clinical outcomes, patient experience, and provider-patient relationship. Most private practices’ clinical reality is strong; the gap is typically in brand perception not catching up to it.

Congruence Effect. Term used by Luke Infinger of HIP Creative to describe the state in which a practice’s clinical reality and its brand perception are fully aligned. When this alignment is achieved, patients arrive pre-sold, case acceptance rises, and marketing spend produces better returns.

DSO (Dental Service Organization). A corporate entity that manages the non-clinical operations of one or more dental practices under a centralized structure. DSOs typically maintain standardized branding, marketing infrastructure, and operational protocols across locations.

Findability. The degree to which a dental practice appears in relevant online searches. A practice can have an excellent brand and still be invisible in local search. Findability is driven by local SEO, Google Business Profile optimization, citation consistency, and content volume.

Google Business Profile (GBP). A free business listing on Google that controls how a practice appears in Google Search and Google Maps. GBP data, including images, reviews, business hours, and category, is a primary ranking signal for local three-pack results.

Local three-pack (map pack). The top three local business results Google displays for location-based searches. These results receive the majority of clicks in local queries and are the most valuable organic real estate in local dental marketing.

NAP consistency. The accuracy and consistency of a business’s Name, Address, and Phone number across all online directories and citation sources. NAP inconsistency, often caused by rebranding or relocation, suppresses local search rankings.

Off-page SEO. Search engine optimization work done outside the practice website. Includes building backlinks, managing directory citations, and optimizing the Google Business Profile.

On-page SEO. Optimization of the practice’s website pages themselves: keyword targeting, page speed, mobile responsiveness, structured data, and content quality.

Practice Beacon. HIP Creative’s proprietary lead management CRM built for dental and orthodontic practices. Tracks leads from first digital touchpoint through the start of treatment.

Pre-sold patient. A prospective patient who arrives at a consultation already convinced of the provider’s quality and ready to begin treatment, having been influenced by a congruent and compelling online brand presence during their research.

Host: Luke Infinger, Founder, HIP Creative Presented at: [The Garg Blueprint], hosted by Dr. Arun Garg

[00:00:07]

Luke: My name’s Luke. Like Dr. Garg said, we’ve been working together for about a year. Just to give you a bit of my background. I was a designer working in New York City doing motion graphics, title sequences, and show packages for productions like Fox movies. I went to school for this in Savannah, Georgia, and I genuinely hated what I did once I went to work. So I decided to move back home to Pensacola, Florida.

[00:00:42]

That was late 2013. I started putting together a plan to help businesses with their long-term goals. What’s your outcome for the next year? What’s your outcome for the next 24 months? I partnered with who’s still my business partner, Justin Huell. He’s on the tech and operations side. I was running into tech issues and my wife said, hey, you should talk to her cousin Justin. We partnered together and formally started HIP in August of 2014. At the time we would work with anyone and everyone. We even had a fishing charter client, going out to catch snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. We would do anything.

[00:01:34]

Then an orthopedist found out about us. There’s a very famous sports medicine orthopedist, Dr. James Andrews. He’s worked with RG3, Tony Bradshaw, all the big athletes. His fellows who he trained didn’t want to go to work for the hospital, so they started contacting us one by one. We did an incredible job with them and they started referring us to their friends. General surgery practices, bariatrics, plastic surgeons. Then in late 2015, an orthodontist named Ben Fishbein found out about us. He was local, Gulf Coast area.

[00:02:16]

We started working with him in 2016. By 2018, he became the fastest-growing orthodontist in the country. He started putting on his own events because everybody wanted to know, how are you growing this fast, what are you doing? That launched us into specialty dental and orthodontics. By 2020, we only worked in the dental space. More dentists kept finding us, people in partnerships, pediatric dentists and ortho.

[00:02:53]

We started working more and more in specialty dental. I met Dr. Garg about a year and a half ago through a mutual friend, and we started working together. Fast forward to today, we have 580+ offices across the country that we’re partnered with as clients. We don’t just focus on marketing. Yes, that’s what we’re known for, but we realized early on that you have to have tracking. So we have our own software called Practice Beacon. It tracks all leads from first touchpoint to starting treatment. We also realized that even if someone has the right marketing and the right tracking, if the team is not trained to focus on the right things or have the best scripts, there’s leakage in the funnel. So we started to focus on education as well. I have a book series. Really, our focus is marketing, software, and education. Those three things tied together can continue to help practices grow.

[00:04:14]

Today I want to talk about something that most practice owners, and most small business owners, don’t quite get. I’ve called it the Congruence Effect. And I want to share a short parable.

[00:04:49]

I like to garden. North Florida is not so good for gardening, but I try. This is actually my daughter, Aislin, a couple years ago. She’s eight now. Let’s consider two different types of gardeners. One is focused on symptoms: pulling weeds, killing bugs. I do everything organic, so it can be a nightmare if you’re not using pesticides. But how you actually grow, if you’ve grown anything, comes down to the soil. If you have the right soil and the right nutrients, it can go two or three weeks without watering because the soil is holding moisture and there’s a healthy balance.

I find that a lot of doctors, and I’ve talked to thousands of them, are really focused on symptoms. They’re not focused on the root cause. They’re missing some of the foundational elements. But when you focus on the soil, when you get those nutrients right, that’s when you can grow the right harvest.

[00:06:22]

I’ve gardened for six years now. I have 15 beds. But if I don’t continue to invest in the compost, in wood chips, in the soil, then my harvest is not going to be very good. It’s the same thing with what I’m about to talk about. This is not a one-time fix. It’s ongoing.

[00:06:52]

Let me start with a question. How many of you have Googled yourself recently? Not just to check your rankings or click a website you already know. I mean to really look at your brand through the patient’s eyes. How does a stranger go to the Internet, search, and interact with your brand? A lot of times they’re typing in long-tail keywords. With voice search, it’s a full sentence. They’re searching for a problem they have. If you’re looking at both short-tail and long-tail searches, seeing where you come up, where competitors come up, what your number of reviews is, what the call-to-action button says, what your responses to reviews look like. We audit hundreds of practices and find that most of them don’t even respond to their reviews.

[00:08:19]

I want you to dig in like someone who’s really researching to become a patient. Maybe somebody just moved to your area. Maybe someone got a referral and wants to verify. How long does it take to find you if they’re not searching your name directly? When they find the site, don’t dismiss it because you already know it. Read the copy. What does your headline say? What does the call to action say? Is it easy to navigate? Do you have an offer?

[00:09:14]

Dr. Garg brought up ClearChoice and the $5,000 off promotion. To explain the psychology here: everybody remembers JCPenney. There’s a famous case study about pricing psychology from that era. A CEO’s marketing strategy was to advertise a dollar off products in the store. A new CEO came in and said, we’re just going to offer the best price, the lowest price. Makes sense, right? Show your best value. Sales plummeted. If you think about how you buy, even if you buy high-quality things, an offer can still incentivize you. The right offer crafted the right way can drive volume. You also have to differentiate. Racing to the bottom is not something I advocate for. But marketing quality alongside a good offer can add a lot of growth to a practice.

[00:10:52]

After 12 years of working with doctors, I have a good sense of what keeps them up at night, and it’s not branding. I use the word “brand” a lot today. To be clear, it’s not just your logo. To me, your brand is everything. Everything that represents you, everything that makes a patient think a certain thought about you. Nobody here is lying awake thinking about their color palette. The number one thing I hear is patient flow. I used to host masterminds in Pensacola, and every single doctor would go around the room and say the same thing: I just need more new patients. How do I keep the schedule full? How do I keep growing?

[00:12:01]

Number two is case acceptance. How do I get patients to say yes? Here’s the thing: if a patient showed up to your practice, they’re already halfway there. Taking time off work to see the dentist is already a commitment. They’ve called, they’ve inquired, they’ve come in. So how do we make it easier for them to say yes? Number three, and I know some of you are dealing with this right now, is corporate competition. DSOs that open up a mile down the street can make you feel squeezed. I heard this just this week: someone on our team got a message saying, we’re going to have to get more aggressive because the DSO just bought our main competitor and they’re going to pump a ton of money into their marketing.

[00:13:06]

These are the real pain points. But what I want to show you is that your brand is actually the key to unlocking all three. When we talk about competition, DSOs are not beating you on clinical quality. When I go to ClearChoice, with their strong marketing, I genuinely do not know if the care would match what you provide. Private care is the best care available. We say don’t judge a book by its cover, but we do. When a patient is doing research, they’re instantly asking: can I trust this person? Is this where I want to go?

[00:13:56]

A 2024 survey found that 89.7% of patients, almost 90%, begin their search for a new dentist somewhere online. When they search corporate groups and DSOs, they find clean websites, professional photos, hundreds of recent reviews, consistent messaging across every platform. Corporate groups have CMOs, marketing managers, and brand kits. They maintain consistent messaging across every location. We did a citation analysis for a practice that had rebranded three times. There were Healthgrades accounts with old names and old phone numbers from previous identities. Bigger groups have processes to prevent that. So a patient making a choice is not choosing better care. They chose better perception. That is what you’re actually up against. The good news is it’s fairly easy to change. It takes time and financial investment, but you already have the competitive advantage. You can offer better care, a better experience, because you’re not constricted by DSO budgets or spreadsheets.

[00:16:27]

Local patients want someone who cares. They want a relationship. They want to feel like they matter. The real opportunity is making sure your brand messaging matches your clinical quality. You’re not starting from zero. In many cases, you just need to communicate it better.

[00:16:52]

Some stats I find enlightening. 44% of patients who find a dentist through a mobile search actually move forward and book an appointment. The average patient spends about two weeks doing research. I know I do. I use ChatGPT or Perplexity or Google, and I take my time. I had a bilateral hernia repair and spent weeks doing research on a very specialized surgeon. I read the reviews, watched videos, looked at competition before I made a choice. 76% of patients judge a provider’s credibility based on website quality. Not credentials. Not years of experience. How professional and polished the website looks.

[00:18:20]

Your online presence is your credibility. And patients are not just checking one place. On average, someone interacts with five to seven touchpoints before making a decision. Google, the website, social media, reviews, maybe a phone call or a form submission. You have to be consistent across all these channels, and there has to be training for each person working through them. The takeaway here is that your digital presence is not optional. It’s how patients evaluate before they ever walk through the door.

[00:19:19]

Let’s talk about reviews. 87% of patients read online reviews before choosing a healthcare provider. It’s not just enough to have reviews. Google built its algorithm around human behavior, around a complete process. If someone leaves a review, they want to see a response, and Google rewards you for that. We have a process for our partners in reputation management where we’re automating review requests through our software, and we’re also leaving HIPAA-compliant responses. So we’re checking off the boxes on Google Business Profile and getting rewarded for it.

[00:20:18]

Businesses with 100 or more images on their Google Business Profile get over 500% more phone calls. When I look at practices, most have 20, maybe 25, maybe 50 images. But 100 is achievable with a smartphone: team photos, patient consent photos, community outings. Upload all of those to your Google Business Profile. The data is wild. You can fact-check it. More phone calls by layering in that human element.

[00:21:02]

A patient is spending two weeks looking. They’re checking your website, cross-referencing Instagram, maybe getting a text or a voicemail. The critical question is, what story are they getting? On that new patient phone call, is someone on your front desk telling the patient why Dr. Garg is different, his years of experience, what makes him stand out? And is all of that reflected in the ads, on the website? Everything matters.

[00:21:53]

Here’s what incongruence looks like. You have the best reviews, but then the phone call is a poor experience. Maybe the front desk didn’t have empathy, maybe they had a bad day. That’s just one example. Everything has to be congruent, and not just the digital pieces. The whole experience.

[00:22:20]

Let’s get into the core concept: the Congruence Effect. It’s alignment between your clinical reality and your brand perception. Your clinical reality is what you actually deliver. The care, the experience, the relationship, the outcomes. For most of you in this room, that’s already very exceptional. Brand perception is what potential patients think before they ever arrive. It’s built entirely on what they discover researching you online and possibly offline.

When those two things come together, when there’s congruence, patients come in already convinced. Dr. Garg talked about being pre-sold earlier. Patients are ready to get started. You’re not selling anymore. Case acceptance becomes natural. We hear about objections all the time, objections in the consult. That’s exactly what we want to eliminate.

[00:23:25]

When these things aren’t aligned, there are three consequences. First, hesitation at discovery. Someone finds you online, maybe through a referral or a search, but the messaging isn’t compelling and they keep shopping. People click on the first two or three links. You have to be differentiated even within those. Second, there’s doubt in the consultation. Patients show up, but you haven’t had the chance to build trust beforehand because of the incongruence in your marketing. They walk in maybe skeptical, and you’re starting from zero instead of being ahead. Third, lost case acceptance. You’re burning chair time answering trust-building questions and handling objections that should have been resolved by a stronger online presence. This directly affects whether a patient says yes.

[00:25:08]

Excellent clinical reality without aligned brand perception means you’re working twice as hard to convert the cases. I’ve talked to a lot of doctors who are frustrated. They’re spending on marketing and advertising, but they’ve never nailed these foundational elements. It reminds me of a good friend of mine, an orthodontist, who hired a contractor to build his house. About a year in, they had to tear the whole thing down because the foundation wasn’t done right. The contractor didn’t pull permits, cut corners. It ended up costing millions of dollars. I’m telling that story because if you skip the foundation, everything you build on top of it is at risk.

[00:25:49]

Here’s another analogy you can probably relate to. Two restaurants in the same neighborhood at the same price point. On the left: the most amazing food. The kind of meal you drive an hour for. But dusty windows, a handwritten sign, a website built in 2009. On the right: a modern spot with half the culinary skill. Clean branding, beautiful signage, in the local magazine. Most people walk past the five-star chef to go to the prettier place. Not because the food is better, but because the perception is better. Patients make the exact same call every single day.

[00:27:01]

That’s a polarized example. There are restaurants that have the image nailed and the best food, and maybe that’s you. That is the goal. Your brand should be seen as a clinical asset, not a marketing expense. When I bring up branding on calls, the first question is always, how much is this going to cost? Which is the same question your patients ask you. You can’t look at your brand as just an expense. It’s an investment, like real estate or the stock market. It gives you a return and it can keep growing for decades.

[00:28:23]

Your brand is not a marketing expense. It’s the infrastructure that allows your clinical excellence to actually reach patients who need it. It pre-sells trust. It drives case acceptance. And it enables growth.

[00:28:55]

Now, you could have the best brand, the best videos, the best reviews, the best testimonials. If you can’t be found on the Internet, none of that really matters. 72% of patients begin their search specifically on Google. Google is still at the top even with ChatGPT and AI search. Over 70% of clicks go to the top three results in the map pack. If you have to click “see more” to find your practice in certain searches, you’re virtually invisible. 78% of local mobile searches result in an offline visit within 24 hours.

[00:29:44]

I have something in my books called the 72-hour rule. Dr. Garg and I just talked about this because I noticed some appointments were being booked three to four weeks out. The 72-hour rule is simple: all digital leads requesting an appointment should be booked within 72 hours. If they call on Monday, get them in by Thursday. Here’s why. If a patient calls one practice and can’t get in for four weeks, and the next practice in the map pack can get them in within three days, most people go to the faster option. They do not call the first practice back to explain. They just book elsewhere. And if you want to amplify your marketing and your digital ad spend, you have to make sure you can get people in quickly, or your no-show rate goes up.

[00:30:53]

Last stat on this section: practices in the local three-pack see 93% more phone calls and over 100% more website traffic than those that don’t appear there. Being in the three-pack is extremely important, especially for the key services you want to grow.

[00:31:56]

Google’s algorithm rewards what patients want: the right content and the right experience. Start with your Google Business Profile. Make sure it’s complete, upload as many images as you can, and have a review strategy. Businesses with a 4.9-star rating get more engagement than those at 5.0, because it looks real and authentic. A perfect five-star rating doesn’t look human.

Your website needs to be fast and built for mobile first. Consistency across all platforms matters. SEO means a lot of different things, but I look at it as an extension of your brand. It’s what gets you in front of people. When you build a strong brand presence, part of that is content patients actually want to engage with. Keep publishing content for the services you want to grow. If you want to see more full-arch cases, do you have all the content on full arch? Are you putting out videos, taking the YouTube embed code and bringing it back to your website? It’s not just about getting content up. It’s about continuing to publish new content, because if you don’t, your competitors will, and they’ll outrank you.

[00:34:00]

Let’s talk about the most expensive mistake in dental marketing. This is where I see practices waste money consistently. Competitors and other agencies are just selling ads. You need Meta Ads, you need Google Ads, you need a CRM, and that’s great. But what if you don’t have the foundational pieces? What message is getting in front of people? You’re just like everyone else who can hand Meta money and they’ll take it. And yes, it can work sometimes even when the sequence is out of order. But practices that first invest in their website, their brand, even community engagement, bridal expos, sponsoring team events, working with a local nonprofit, when the community knows the brand, trusts it, has seen it, and then paid ads are added on top, it’s a completely different result. That’s when you can see exponential growth.

[00:35:21]

What most people do instead is spend $3,000 to $8,000 a month on Google and Meta Ads, traffic comes in, but the website’s outdated, photos are old or absent, message is generic, site isn’t optimized. That’s not a paid ad strategy problem. It’s an order-and-sequence problem. 30 to 40% of ad budget is wasted on poor conversions. And 77% of paid ads don’t even have dedicated landing pages. They’re just sending traffic to the homepage.

[00:36:58]

If I’m running a dental implant campaign for Dr. Garg, I’m going to have a landing page that matches the ad exactly. His messaging in the video is the headline of that landing page. I’m not sending people to the homepage. It’s the same as the sequence of your own education. You didn’t jump straight to a specialty within dentistry. Grade school, high school, college, dental school, maybe a specialized residency, maybe training with Dr. Garg. Marketing has the same logical path. The exciting part, paid ads, is the last step. But unfortunately, that’s where most people start.

[00:37:46]

Let’s look at organic versus paid in plain numbers. Organic, meaning someone finds you without paying for it, runs about $30 per lead. Paid leads run about $180 for the same result. That’s a 6x difference. Organic search works well because those patients are already informed. They’ve done the research and they come to you. If you invest in brand and findability at scale, you own the space instead of renting it. When you add paid ads on top of that, you’re amplified. Sequence really matters.

[00:39:00]

I’m not talking badly about paid ads. We run paid ads for hundreds of practices and it’s great. But it has to come after you’ve established organic credibility and a strong foundation.

I want to leave you with a question. If one of your best patients was sent to you through a friend or family member, and they go to Google and start searching the way they’d evaluate any provider in your market, would they find you? And if they found you, would what they see actually do justice to the care you deliver? If the answer is yes on both, protect that and build it. That’s the real advantage. If there’s room to grow, this is potentially the biggest opportunity you’ll work on this year.

[00:40:12]

You’ve spent years becoming exceptional at what you do. The patients who need you deserve to find you, deserve to trust you, and deserve to choose you. In the end, what I’m talking about is brand, findability, and amplification in that order.

There’s a QR code you can scan for the most in-depth brand analysis I’ve ever seen for a practice. It looks at 12 different components within your online brand. It’s an AI grader built specifically for dental practices, and we’ll put it together for you free of charge. There’s also a worksheet you can use to go through your digital assets and grade them as a stranger would. Type in longer searches, your location, see if you actually come up. When you do, make note of the messaging and congruence.

Thank you.

HIP Creative offers a free brand analysis for dental and specialty practices that evaluates 12 components of your digital presence, from Google Business Profile to website speed to review strategy. No commitment required to get started.

The post The Brand Strategy Mistake Costing Your Dental Practice Patients! appeared first on HIP Creative.

Embarking on a dental startup journey can be a thrilling yet challenging experience for aspiring orthodontists and dentists. To shed light on this topic, we present the latest episode of the Grow Ortho Podcast, where Luke engages in a captivating conversation with Matthew Veatch, the founder of Veatch Consulting. With almost two decades of experience in the dental industry, Matthew shares invaluable expertise and insights into the key elements that lead to successful dental startups.

Matthew Veatch’s journey in the dental industry has spanned nearly two decades, during which he has honed his skills in assisting startup dentists and orthodontists. He provides insights into the inception of Veatch Consulting and its transformative impact on numerous startup practices.

Selecting the right location is crucial for the success of a dental practice. Matthew emphasizes the role of location in determining the potential for growth. He shares valuable tips on conducting market research to identify areas with high growth potential.

Marketing plays a pivotal role in attracting patients to a dental practice. Matthew discusses the importance of allocating a budget for marketing efforts, encompassing digital marketing, community engagement, and traditional advertising.

Consistent marketing efforts are vital for sustained practice growth. Matthew stresses the significance of continuous marketing strategies to build a loyal patient base and maintain a positive reputation.

Starting a dental practice comes with challenges and potential pitfalls. Matthew highlights how Veatch Consulting offers expert guidance to help dentists and orthodontists make informed decisions and avoid common mistakes.

Veatch Consulting has facilitated successful dental startups across the nation. Matthew shares some of the proven strategies and systems that ensure clients’ success, including streamlined credentialing services, team building, and leadership training.

Beyond technical expertise, leadership skills are vital for dental practice owners. Matthew emphasizes the role of leadership in fostering success and growth, including managing teams and motivating staff towards common goals.

The dental industry faced unprecedented changes during the pandemic. Matthew and Luke discuss the impact of the post-pandemic economy on dental startups, including fluctuating interest rates and rising construction costs.

In this enriching episode of the Grow Ortho Podcast, Matthew Veatch imparts invaluable insights and advice for dental practitioners venturing into startups. From selecting the right location to implementing ongoing marketing strategies and building strong leadership, Matthew provides a comprehensive guide to ensure success in the dental industry. If you are considering starting your own dental practice or seeking to elevate an existing one, this episode is a must-listen for expert tips and strategies to stand strong in the market and become a leader in your community. Take a step towards building a thriving dental practice by tuning in to the episode now!

If you would like to get in contact with Matthew or to learn more about Veatch Consulting, you can visit the following links: website https://veatchconsulting.com/ or email [email protected].

Episode Chapters:

The post Before Opening Your Ortho or Dental Practice…WATCH THIS appeared first on HIP Creative.

In the world of orthodontics, success is often fueled by passion, perseverance, and a growth-oriented mindset. Dr. Carter Thomas’s journey into the field started with a childhood dream inspired by his father, a pediatric dentist. However, fate had other plans, leading him to discover a fascination for orthodontics and a partnership that would shape his future. This blog post follows Dr. Thomas’s inspiring story, highlighting the power of mindset and the role of modern marketing strategies in achieving success in the competitive orthodontic industry.

Growing up with a pediatric dentist as a father, Dr. Thomas initially aspired to follow in his father’s footsteps. Completing dental school, he set out on a path to become a pediatric dentist himself. However, a chance encounter with Dr. Keith Harvey during his pediatric dentistry days altered the course of his journey. Dr. Thomas’s fascination with the mechanical aspects and mental stimulation of orthodontics led him to transition to this specialized field, guided by the mentorship of Dr. Harvey.

With his father’s unwavering support, Dr. Thomas embarked on the path to orthodontics. Pursuing his orthodontic training at Tufts University in Boston, he also found love and married his wife during this time. Returning to his hometown of Mobile, Alabama, Dr. Thomas partnered with his mentor, Dr. Harvey, to establish an orthodontic practice that would later become a testament to their compatibility and shared vision.

The partnership between Dr. Thomas and Dr. Harvey proved to be a perfect fit. Their longstanding acquaintance through work and family connections laid the foundation for a strong bond. Both doctors aspired to build a successful orthodontic practice, and their shared vision allowed them to venture into new territories, expanding their services beyond expectations.

The podcast discussion sheds light on the pivotal role of Hip, an orthodontic marketing and sales support company, in shaping Dr. Thomas’ practice. Though integrating Hip’s strategies initially presented challenges, Dr. Thomas and his team recognized the value of a mindset change. Hip’s comprehensive marketing solutions and effective sales training bridged the gap between lead generation and lead conversion, resulting in accelerated growth.

A transformative mindset played a key role in Dr. Thomas’s journey. Embracing new strategies and letting go of rigidity enabled him to drive continuous improvement and growth. The pursuit of success became more fulfilling than achieving specific numerical goals, setting the stage for reaching new heights in the ever-evolving orthodontic landscape.

The podcast also highlighted the significance of understanding the patient journey. Dr. Thomas acknowledged that patients come through various referral sources and marketing channels, and catering to their unique needs is vital. Hip’s expertise in optimizing the patient journey ensured a seamless experience from initial contact to treatment completion, contributing to the practice’s reputation and success.

Dr. Thomas and Hip recognized the changing landscape of orthodontic marketing, emphasizing the importance of converting cold leads and nurturing relationships with potential patients. Modern marketing channels like social media and online ads played a crucial role, and Hip’s solutions offered a comprehensive approach to patient acquisition, incorporating technology and sales training.

Dr. Carter Thomas’s journey from a childhood dream to a successful orthodontist showcases the power of passion, mindset, and innovative marketing strategies. His partnership with Dr. Harvey exemplifies how shared visions can lead to remarkable growth. With the support of Hip, Dr. Thomas’ practice embraced modern marketing approaches, navigating the evolving orthodontic landscape with confidence. This inspiring story encourages other orthodontists to be leaders in their communities, adapt to change, and embrace growth opportunities in the dental field. As the industry continues to evolve, the value of mindset and effective marketing solutions will remain pivotal in achieving success and making a lasting impact on patients’ lives.

00:00 Intro

00:34 Why did you want to get into orthodontics?

05:54 What was it like to move from the South to up North?

06:41 Are You A Baseball Fan?

08:27 How did you help create the situation that eventually lead to your partnership?

10:03 What was your vision for your practice.

11:28 What Was The Moment That Made You Want To Grow Your Practice?

13:41 How Has HIP Helped With Your Goals

15:18 We didn’t work well the first time why was that?

16:09 When HIP started to grow in Orthodontics

16:56 Marketing Can Expose Problems

18:28 The Patient Journey Is Different For Everybody

19:33 Orthodontist Don’t Know How To Convert Traffic

22:00 You Have To Nurture Relationships

22:58 Orthodontics Will Grow Exponentially

23:21 Consumer Behavior Has To Be Taken Into Account

25:06 Adult Starts Are Up

26:15 Young Adult Patients Are Different

27:40 Teaching Business To Dental School’s and Residency Programs

29:19 Mindset For The Future Instead of the Now

30:48 The Doctor’s Mindset and Personality

31:48 How To Deal With No Shows

33:29 Timing Is Everything

33:45 Mindset Is A Key Factor In Success

35:48 Your Growth With HIP

36:44 Other Marketers Try To Quote ROI

37:28 Having Your Best Month When Others Struggled

38:12 Staying With The Partners That Are There To Help You Grow

39:14 Looking At Other Industries

41:37 Orthodontists Are Mechanical Engineers By Nature

42:21 Orthodontist Are About Precision

43:46 Education VS Real World Applications

45:08 Final Thoughts

The post Mindset Makeover for Orthodontists with Dr. Carter Thomas appeared first on HIP Creative.

In this episode, hosts Melissa and Luke have an engaging discussion about ‘Passion’, a core value at HIP. They kick things off by sharing their thoughts on what passion means to them. It’s not just about having a strong interest or hobby; it’s about something that drives you to do better and achieve more. They share some interesting stories from a recent team meeting, showing how they inspire their team members to find and harness their own passions.

A big part of the episode is Melissa’s story and how she came to HIP. This story really highlights how her passion aligned with HIP and the mission of our company.

Melissa and Luke also delve into the connection between passion and productivity. They extend this idea to leadership, discussing how passion from leaders can spark creativity and innovation within their teams.

Towards the end, Melissa and Luke give some practical tips on how to identify your passion, nurture it, and keep it alive in your day-to-day work life at HIP. They close the episode by emphasizing the vital role of passion in the workplace, particularly at HIP. They leave listeners with a little teaser about the topic for the next episode, keeping the excitement going.

Tune in to this insightful episode to learn more about the power of passion in your professional and personal life.

The post How to Find and Harness Your Passion appeared first on HIP Creative.

Ultimately, deciding the future of your orthodontic practice should revolve around the type of work experience you desire. If you’re content operating a smaller team and striving to achieve personal success, then a lifestyle practice may be the perfect fit. If you aspire to reach new heights and contribute to the community’s oral health on a broader scale, then a scalable practice may be the way to go. Whichever path you choose, remember that having a positive work culture, efficient processes, and satisfied staff is critical for running a successful practice, enabling you to serve your patients to the best of your ability.

Have you ever heard of the saying “a penny saved is a penny earned?” It’s a great concept to live by in everyday life, but it’s not necessarily the best advice for business owners. The truth is, you need to spend money to make money. Billionaire entrepreneurs like Richard Branson and Elon Musk didn’t scrimp and save when they created their businesses – they invested heavily in the things that would bring them cash flow. If you’re wondering how to grow your business, it’s time to rethink your spending strategy. If you want to grow your business, you need to be willing to spend money to make money. It’s not enough to save up a thousand pennies – you need to invest that money in strategic ways that will bring you cash flow down the line. Don’t be complacent, focus on the patient experience, take a long-term view, and be intentional with your spending. By doing so, you’ll be setting yourself up for success and growing your business in the best way possible.

Starting your orthodontic practice growth journey can be a challenge, but finding the right people, being transparent about what growth looks like, and getting them to buy into your vision are critical steps to take. Building a team that shares your passion and commitment to growing your practice is essential to achieving success. Remember to be patient and take the necessary steps before hiring a COO to help manage your practice. With the right team in place and the right systems set up, your orthodontic practice can achieve great things. So take the first step today and start putting these strategies into action. With the right mindset and the right approach, you can achieve your growth goals and build a thriving orthodontic practice that you can be proud of.

By making small changes such as painting your walls, removing your glass barriers, building a fun and hardworking team, and providing exceptional patient service, you can make your orthodontic office a place for people to enjoy. Patients want to feel comfortable, safe, and respected when they visit your office. By creating a welcoming and positive atmosphere, you can differentiate yourself from other orthodontic practitioners and build a loyal patient base. With some effort, creativity, and empathy, you can transform your office into a destination that people look forward to visiting. You can only achieve this by changing your work culture. To improve the culture in your practice, you can start by asking yourself simple questions like:

Creating a positive office culture takes time and effort, but the benefits pay off in the end. A positive culture leads to happy patients, increased staff satisfaction, and improved business success. By ditching uncomfortable waiting room chairs, brightening up your office, celebrating your team, implementing team-building exercises, and getting inspired, you can create a workplace that fosters positivity and collaboration. So, take the time to invest in your team and your practice.

In conclusion, creating a positive practice culture takes time and effort. By establishing core values and DNA, having a growth mindset, setting clear expectations, hiring the right people, and creating the right energy, you can create a practice culture that your staff and patients appreciate. Remember that culture is a continuous process that requires constant attention and effort. Above all, cultivating a growth mindset is essential for building a thriving orthodontic practice. A growth mindset emphasizes effort, learning, and serving others, leading to a willingness to take on challenges, seek out new learning opportunities, and build a team of like-minded individuals. By adopting a growth mindset, you can overcome growing pains, establish a solid foundation for success, and become part of the top 1% of orthodontic practices. So, if you’re looking to take your practice to the next level, I encourage you to start by developing a growth mindset and putting it into action.

For full access to the book, you can email [email protected] to receive a printed copy or access the audiobook here. Otherwise, stay tuned for each chapter to be released via the podcast every week!

The post Planning Your Next Steps with a Growth Mindset: Chapter 8 + Conclusion of The Scalable Practice appeared first on HIP Creative.

Scaling your practice is a journey that requires knowledge, persistence, and dedication. By following the advice given in the previous three books, you now have the tools and resources to grow your practice successfully. Remember that scaling your practice is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process that requires continuous improvement. By tracking your numbers, implementing systems and processes, investing in marketing, focusing on patient satisfaction, and hiring the right people, you can achieve your goals and take your practice to the next level. To do this right, you need to have the following:

It would be best if you executed each of those things to its full potential and capacity to see exponential growth. And the most important part? Consistency, because true growth only occurs when true consistency is maintained

Owning and operating a successful orthodontic satellite practice requires investing time, effort, and resources to reach its full potential. To maintain and grow your satellite practice, consider the essentials: finding a model that works, scheduling appointments at full capacity, selecting the appropriate location, and being able to predict future hotspots. By focusing on these four aspects, you can establish a successful orthodontic satellite practice in a competitive market.

Designing and implementing a tried and tested model that guarantees success across all locations is essential for orthodontic practice growth. To develop such a model, focus on:

Embracing these components and staying true to your vision and values will ensure your practice’s success and help build a strong reputation and following. Opening up a satellite location can be an exciting opportunity, but it’s essential to maximize your current practice’s growth before branching out. Consider maximizing your current schedule, finding the right location, and paying attention to up-and-coming areas in your community to determine where and when to open up your satellite practice.

If you’re an orthodontist looking to expand your practice, opening a satellite location can be a great way to increase your reach and attract new patients. However, before you can even start planning the logistics of a new practice, you need to determine how much you need to be producing in a given timeframe to make it financially viable. Here are some tips to consider if you do decide that it’s the right time to open your first satellite practice:

Setting production goals for an orthodontic satellite location is a crucial step in the planning process. By assessing your current practice, calculating your overhead costs, and setting realistic production targets, you can create a roadmap for success that guides your marketing and growth strategies. With careful planning and ongoing measurement, you can build a thriving orthodontic practice that meets the needs of your patients and community.

Developing the right mindset is critical for scaling your practice. Maintaining a success-oriented attitude, focusing on your goals, embracing change, building a positive company culture, and seeking out support are excellent ways to stay on track and progress toward your goals. Remember that the growth process takes time, effort, and dedication, but with the right mindset, you can achieve anything. Don’t forget to re-evaluate your “why” regularly and implement the best practices that work for you and your team.

For full access to the book, you can email [email protected] to receive a printed copy or access the audiobook here. Otherwise, stay tuned for each chapter to be released via the podcast every week!

The post Scaling Your Practice with Satellite Locations: Chapter 7 of The Scalable Practice appeared first on HIP Creative.

The importance of measurement in reaching your goals cannot be overstated. Measuring your progress enables you to keep track of your achievements, monitor your performance, make data-driven decisions, and instill accountability. By setting up measurable goals and using effective tracking tools, you can stay on course and achieve success. Remember, the numbers don’t lie, and they serve as a constant reminder of your progress toward your target. So, embrace measurement and use it as a tool to drive your passion for reaching your goals.

Spreadsheets may have worked in the past, but they’re no longer a viable option for tracking and reporting your business operations. BI systems offer a wealth of advantages over spreadsheets, including automation, real-time reporting, customization, and the ability to handle big data. By adopting a BI system, you can streamline your processes, make more informed decisions, and ultimately, drive better outcomes for your business. It’s time to say goodbye to spreadsheets and hello to the future of business intelligence.

While PowerBI is an excellent analytics tool, it doesn’t provide the same level of optimization that Gaidge offers. Gaidge streamlines the process by consolidating your analytics in one place, providing real-time data and analytics, and simplifying the process of analyzing practice metrics. It’s easy to use and no technical expertise is required. Ultimately, Gaidge saves you valuable time and effort, allowing you to focus on growing your orthodontic practice.

Orthodontic practices need purpose-built reporting software specifically designed to meet their needs. Gaidge provides just that – an intuitive platform offering real-time and actionable data to help practices improve their business performance. Gaidge supports the practice with advanced analytics, easy-to-use metric tracking, and real-time data integration with other practice management systems. In short, Gaidge is the best reporting software for orthodontists who want to manage their business efficiently and grow their practices successfully. If you’re an orthodontist who is looking for a business intelligence platform that delivers precision analytics, effortless workflows, and unparalleled support – look no further than Gaidge.

Measurement is essential to achieving your goals. It provides you with valuable feedback, allows you to identify and address problems, and builds momentum and motivation for the long haul. Measuring progress helps keep you focused and accountable, and produces data that you can use to make changes to your strategy to stay on course. Recognizing your achievements along the way is vital for staying motivated and inspired. Your COO can handle this task, ensuring you are on course to achieving your goals. Remember, without measurements, you are working in the dark, and progress remains elusive.

For full access to the book, you can email [email protected] to receive a printed copy or access the audiobook here. Otherwise, stay tuned for each chapter to be released via the podcast every week!

The post Reporting and Measuring Your Growth: Chapter 6 of The Scalable Practice appeared first on HIP Creative.

Integrating your core values into your practice’s people, processes, and practices is the key to building a positive workplace culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters growth and success, and makes a positive impact on your community. By defining your core values, investing in your people’s development, aligning your processes with your values, and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation, you can create a workplace environment where everyone can achieve their goals and make a difference in their work and in their lives. Remember, building a positive workplace culture is not just about what you do, but how you do it. So take the first step today and start integrating your core values into everything you do in your practice—your people, processes, and practices will thank you for it!

As your practice grows, so do your responsibilities. However, one aspect that should not be overlooked is the hiring process. As a small practice owner, you may have taken on hiring yourself. However, as your practice continues to expand into a medium or large-sized practice, it may be time to consider delegating this task to your COO. When it comes to the hiring process, there are several questions you need to consider:

When it comes to hiring in orthodontic practices, warm referrals are the key to success. They provide a trust factor from the outset, save time and money, reduce turnover rates, and have benefits for both the referred candidate and the referring employee. it’s critical to use PI assessments when recruiting new hires. Not only does it provide a comprehensive understanding of a candidate’s behavior and character, but it also eliminates biases, identifies any gaps, and significantly increases the chances that the candidate is the right fit for the role. By investing in qualified candidates, businesses can increase productivity, improve retention rates, and gain a competitive edge. Your first interview is about getting to know the candidate and them getting to know you. If you’re satisfied with their answers, proceed to the second interview. The second interview is where you’ll ask some of the harder questions. The podcast discusses the questions that are to be asked during each interview.

The onboarding process is the foundation of a successful employee experience. A good onboarding process sets the stage for a solid working relationship between you and your new hire. Start your onboarding process strong by creating a personalized plan that starts before their first day, introducing them to company culture, assigning a buddy, and monitoring progress regularly. A well-executed onboarding process empowers new hires to settle in and focus on learning their role with confidence.

Onboarding is not just about covering the basics – it’s about nurturing your new hires so that they can thrive in their roles and become valuable members of your organization. By creating a clear path, investing in training and development, fostering a culture of communication, providing meaningful feedback, and celebrating their successes, you can turn your new hires into masterpieces. Remember that the onboarding process is ongoing, and that each new employee will have unique needs and preferences. Here are some things to consider when breaking down the onboarding process:

In conclusion, tracking the progress of every new hire can help identify issues early on, evaluate employee performance, map employee growth and development, increase employee retention, and create a positive work culture. It is essential to embed this process into the onboarding process to ensure employees start their role and develop quickly and effectively.

Great leaders are the backbone of any successful company. Effective leadership inspires, motivates, and empowers a team to achieve its goals and reach its full potential. When leaders create a clear vision, build trust, encourage continuous learning, foster a positive company culture, and lead by example, they set their team up for success. Remember, your team’s success is your success, so invest in your leaders and empower your team to achieve greatness.

For full access to the book, you can email [email protected] to receive a printed copy or access the audiobook here. Otherwise, stay tuned for each chapter to be released via the podcast every week!

The post Attracting the Right People for the Right Seats: Chapter 5 of The Scalable Practice appeared first on HIP Creative.

Building a strong brand for your orthodontic practice is essential in today’s competitive market. By identifying your unique selling proposition, developing a recognizable visual identity, building a strong online presence, focusing on patient experience, and maintaining consistency, you can create a brand that patients will know and trust. A strong brand can help you stand out from the competition, grow your practice, and become the go-to choice for patients seeking orthodontic treatment.

If you’re looking to grow your business sustainably, you cannot afford to discount the importance of your brand and culture. Your brand is a perception, and that perception is associated with visual images that help bring it to life. Your culture, on the other hand, is your core values brought to life by your employees and delivered to your patients to create a positive experience. A strong brand identity and culture that aligns with your employees’ and customers’ values can differentiate your business from your competitors, increase sales, and drive your overall success. Remember, your brand and culture are not short-term approaches, they should be reinforced daily and integrated into every aspect of your business’s identity.

Your logo is the simple visual people will remember you by. A strong, carefully designed logo can help establish a lasting relationship with your patients, differentiate you from your competitors, and build a brand identity that resonates with your customers. Your logo should embody your practice’s culture, values, and mission and be visually appealing, unique, and memorable. Investing time in designing a strong logo can pay dividends in the long run, allowing you to grow your practice, establish a loyal customer base, and build a strong brand that resonates with your community.

Marketing is an essential component for any business or practice to reach out to its customers and communities. However, it’s important to maintain a budget and track your expenses while investing in marketing and outreach activities. This not only ensures a strong ROI but also helps to prevent overspending. Here are five actionable steps you can take to determine your marketing budget and plan out an effective community outreach for your practice:

Hiring marketing and outreach staff can bring massive value to your practice. As we have established, smart debt management is critical, even with the additional support system. By following the appropriate steps, you can confidently adopt effective marketing and outreach measures and ensure that you don’t break the bank in the process. Remember, always track your progress, so you know where you stand and where you are headed.

Promoting a positive culture in your practice requires more than just one person. It’s a team effort. Having the right team members in place who share your vision and core values is key. Make sure to hire individuals who are a good fit for your team, provide ongoing training and coaching, and reward team members who go above and beyond. Leading by example, open communication, and regular team-building activities can also play a vital role in promoting a positive culture. Remember, when you invest in your team, you invest in your practice’s future success.

For full access to the book, you can email [email protected] to receive a printed copy or access the audiobook here. Otherwise, stay tuned for each chapter to be released via the podcast every week!

The post Manifesting Your Brand and Culture Through Marketing: Chapter 4 of The Scalable Practice appeared first on HIP Creative.

Running a successful orthodontic practice can be a rewarding career, but it’s not easy. Between managing patients, staff, and finances, it’s a full-time job that takes a ton of work. As a trained orthodontist, your main focus should be on fixing patients’ teeth and bite issues, not on business operations. Splitting your time between both areas can be overwhelming, which is why outsourcing your business management may be the solution you need.

an org chart is an essential part of running a successful practice. It helps to define roles and responsibilities, increase efficiency and productivity, plan for future growth, facilitate decision making, and promote accountability. Below are three org charts for dependent on the size of the practice:

By mapping out your org chart, you’ll set clear expectations for your staff and allow for efficient communication and collaboration. Remember, your org chart is not set in stone, and it should change as your practice grows and evolves. At the same time, if you are content with not reaching a Large Practice Org Chart, how you run your practice will all be dependent on whether your vision is about the money or about the mission. A lifestyle practice is focused on money; whereas, a mission-driven practice emphasizes improving patient care and contributing to your chosen community in various capacities.

Accountability is essential for building a successful and sustainable team. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to set expectations, lead by example, encourage feedback, celebrate success, and provide support. If you take accountability seriously, your leadership team and staff will follow your lead and work towards meeting your goals in the most efficient way possible. Remember, accountability is an ongoing process, but by staying consistent, you can create a culture of accountability that will drive your team towards success.

The journey from small to medium to large can take time and effort, but building a successful team with a thriving culture is possible. It requires a commitment to your practice’s brand, core values, mission, and vision. By creating a welcoming culture where people feel valued, respected, and appreciated—your practice can thrive. Encourage your team to pursue personal growth, invest time and effort in crafting a strong brand, consistently maintain it, align new recruits to your values, and uphold the culture to unlock the full potential of your practice.

To structure an ideal practice, orthodontists must have a clear vision, a robust business plan, streamlined operations, a positive patient experience, and an invested team. These elements will lead to a successful practice that provides top-notch clinical care while also driving growth and profitability. By implementing these practices, orthodontic practices can create a positive impact in the field while securing long-term success.

For full access to the book, you can email [email protected] to receive a printed copy or access the audiobook here. Otherwise, stay tuned for each chapter to be released via the podcast every week!

The post Structuring Your Ideal Practice: Chapter 3 of The Scalable Practice appeared first on HIP Creative.