Dental visits aren't usually on the top of a patient's to-do list; many people fear going to the dentist. In fact, at least six percent of patients who had not visited a dentist in the last six months, the fear of pain was preventing them from heading into the office. With negative past experiences, patients build up anxiety and avoid visiting when they need to, so as their dentist, it's your job to turn this fear around. Here are three cool ideas for gifts you can give patients when they come to see you, so they can start attributing good feelings to your office.
A Care Kit for Dental Hygiene
The first thing you might want to put together is a care kit for dental hygiene. Patients will have less pain and be less anxious about annual check-ups if they aren't suffering from any major signs of decay or gum disease. Some things you might want to include in a dental kit include picks for getting food out from between the teeth, floss, a toothbrush or two of soft or medium toughness, and cavity-protection toothpaste. For children who come to the office, spice up the gift with a cute dental book or sticker set. They will associate visits with presents, making them more likely to want to come to see you. Adult kits could include extras like coupons for dental products, pens or pencils, notepads or other accessories.
Calendars with Dental Tips
Not everyone has a paper calendar anymore, partly due to the invention of smartphones. A paper calendar can be beneficial, though, and your office can create it's own yearly design for patients. Consider an informational calendar that walks patients through different tools or parts of the office; you could also design cute characters or create calendars that show good times to make appointments or that indicate when a patient should call to make an appointment.
Pins or Awards
Another interesting gift you could give away would be pins or small awards for patients who complete treatment programs. For example, if a child gets braces, there are at least four to five visits involved just for installation and removal. Break down the visits into challenges, and when they're complete, give out a toy, pin, trophy or other award to show off the patient's success.
These are just a few ideas for helping to make your dental practice more inviting to patients who may be nervous initially. For more information, contact companies like GPS Dental Products.
