MARKETING BOTOX IN THE DENTAL OFFICE

“Ideal Practices”

For the Ideal Practice

What are “Best Practices”

1. Optimal product knowledge

• Uses of Botox for Dentistry

• Dilution/injection technique

2. Optimal patient knowledge

• How to identify patients

• How to recruit, convert, and retain patients

3. Optimal office management

• Staff training: patient dialogue and phone skills

• Aesthetic office environment

4. Optimal practice success factors

• Direct Marketing Tools: Mail and Seminar

BOTULINUM TOXIN FOR DENTISTRY

Optimal Patient Knowledge

How to identify patients

How to recruit, convert, and retain patients

Objective

Enhance your approach to the potential patients requesting dental Botox treatments by:

1. Creating an educational process to gain more business

2. Learning to consult vs. answer questions (always answer a question with a question)

3. Processing handling of objections

DENTAL TREATMENT OPTIONSOrthognathic Surgery+Orthodontics+Rehabilitation

Orthodontics + Full mouth reconstruction

Orthodontics

Major Occlusal Equilibration

Botox for dentistry

Dental consult+splint

OTC analgesics

Simple Marketing Steps

Emphasis on New Customers

ProspectProspect CustomerCustomer

ClientClient SupporterSupporter AdvocateAdvocate

Recruit

Retain

Convert

Emphasis on Developing & Enhancing

Each point of patient contact……

Can result in a cosmetic dentistry/Botox for Dentistry question

Requires a knowledgeable employee and marketing support

Represents an educational opportunity

Consider the “Patient Cascade”

What the patient does… Patient consideration

Patient Telephones What is the 1st impression the patient has of the practice?

Schedules Appointment How soon can the patient get the information and treatment that they are calling about?

Patient checks-in How are patients treated when they arrive at the office?

Patient counseling Do patients easily get the information they need to make a decision?

Procedure Does the procedure experience meet their expectations?

Recruit, Convert, Retain PatientsCheck-out / Follow up Recall

60% get lost in the process from “Intent” to “Appointment”

Marketing Tools: Recruit-Convert-Retain

Patient Seminars

Direct Mail Programs

Internal Marketing Tools

Telephone Skills

Selling Skills

Each topic is intended to get you thinking.

Adapt these to your practice.

The 3 Tenets of Best Practices

Recruiting Patients so that they make an initial appointment

Converting

Retaining

Potential patients into actual scheduled patients that accept treatment plans

Patients for ongoing treatment

Recruiting Patients: AID

Assess interest level and areas of concern

Inform patients about aesthetic + functional treatment options available

Decide when they can come for an appointment and personal assessment

The Telephone is usually the patient’s first contact

15-second rule

• People decide if they like you or not in the first 15 seconds

☺ The majority of patients who decide to seek care elsewhere did so because of staff discourtesy

Assess Interest Level by Engaging the Patient in Discussion

Patient: “Do you offer BOTOX”?

Answer the question with a question: “Let me ask you, have you ever had a BOTOX or any treatment before?”

Voice conveys patience, concern, caring

Inform Patients About Treatment Option in Your Practice

Choosing a qualified dentist is key. So let me share some information about Dr._______

Dr.________________ and has been personally treating patients with conditions like yours for over ______ years.

DR.___________ also….

Decide When the Patient Can Be Seen

Ways of asking for the appointment:

1. “The doctor has an opening on ___or___. Do either of those times work for you?”

2. “We just received a cancellation for ___. Would you like me to slip you in then?”

If the answer is “No”:

1. “Then perhaps I can look at the schedule and see if we can fit you in another time?”

Converting Patients: CARE

Communicate with patients

Acknowledge patient concerns

Respond to patient’s need for information

Educate and obtain

Communicate with patients

Determine patient type (Innovator, Early Adopter, Early Majority, Late Majority, or Laggard)

Initiate discussion when:

1. Patient asks about BOTOX (or invisble braces or cosmetic dentistry)

2. Patients show modest concern

3. Patient admits not wearing splint

Acknowledge patient concerns

…..but the thought of putting an

injection in my face scares me

There might be aneasy way to improve my smile and eliminate jaw

pain while avoiding major dentistry

Respond to the Need for Information

Educate and Obtain Loyalty

Are they concerned that they will look “Expressionless ”?

What happens after the procedure – work, eating, socializing?

How long does it last?

Retaining Patients: STAY

Set realistic expectations for treatment

• Jaw-ache/ hypersalivation cured but not completely eliminated

Treatment assessments, if necessary

• First-time patients may return for a treatment assessment after a few weeks

Always make a follow-up appointment

You (the physician/dentist) are the reason patients return

Always Make a Follow-UpAppointment for the Next Treatment

Set up office systems to track patients

Make a follow-up appointment for the next treatment before the patient leaves the office

Appointment card (have patient self address card)

Try to obtain e-mail address

If the patient has not made a follow-appointment, use telephone reminders and also send out a reminder card for scheduling the next appointment

You Are the Reason Patients Return

Become your patients’ “dental expert”

Educate, educate, educate

Keep your patients coming back for “more”

“Best Practice” Strategies in Summary

Recruit: AID Convert: CARE Retain: STAY

Assess

Inform

Decide

Communicate

Acknowledge

Respond

Educate

Set expectations

Treatment assessments, if necessary

Always follow

You

Botox for Dentistry

Optimal Office Management

A. Staff training: patient dialog and phone skills training

B. Aesthetic office environment

Staff Training: Patient Dialog and Telephone Skills

How to Transition a phone inquiry into a BOTOX dental treatment

Patients’ First Contact

Many patient’s first contact to the practice is by telephone

“15-second rule”

People decide if they like you or not in the first 15 seconds

68% Patients who decided to seek care elsewhere did so because of staff discourtesy

First Thing First:Handling the Patient’s Inquiry

Always ask: “Have you had BOTOX before?”

Yes

“Where you satisfied with your past treatment?”

No

“How did you hear about Dr._____ and BOTOX?”

First Thing First:Handling the Patient’s Inquiry PEERS

Positive Contact

Explore

Educate

Respond

Schedule

“Well, thank you so much for calling us because it is really important to understand how BOTOX works and how that relates to patient satisfaction”

First, it is important for you to understand BOTOX is administrated in units. BOTOX has been used to treat 1 million people since its 2002 FDA approval. The most common side effects are headache, respiratory infection, temporary eyelid droop, nausea and flu symptoms. “Is there a reason you are interested in BOTOX?”

Allergan is the only company that manufactures BOTOX. BOTOX is a simple, non surgical procedure that, within days, relaxes muscles in adults (65 years of age for up to 4 months)

“Does that all make sense to you?”

Important: Keep it conversational (if objection is present go to LAER)

“What day could you come in for a consultation?”

Patient Dialogue Strategy

What is BOTOX?

•A powerful safe muscle relaxant

• A purified protein which is injected in a very low doses into overactive jaw muscles that cause pain

• A simple, non-surgical procedure that, within days, soothes muscles / eliminates pain / reduces excessive salivation/ improves your smile

• Works by blocking the release of acetylcholine, the chemical that causes muscle to contract

Patient DialoguingBOTOX Key Messages

How Does BOTOX Work?

• A purified protein that soothes and smoothes muscles by blocking nerve impulses.

• With a few tiny BOTOX injections into the painful muscles the pain soon disappears.

•BOTOX is non-surgical so no recovery time is needed.

• Once the muscles are at rest, there is relief from pain which can last up to 4 months.

Is BOTOX New? • BOTOX, has been used to treat a variety of medical conditions for nearly 15 years.

• Approved in 2002 as BOTOX

- 1 million people have been treated to date

Patient DialoguingBOTOX Key Messages

What Happens After the Procedure?

• Non-surgical - no recovery time.

• After treatment, you can immediately get back to work or other activities.

• The patient can expect to see results within days after treatment with effects lasting up to 4 months.

• Simple procedure – a few tiny injections – takes about 10 minutes and can be performed in the physician’s office.

• The most common side effect includes headache, respiratory infection, flu syndrome, temporary eyelid droop and nausea.

BOTOX Consumer Language

USE WHY

“Purified Protein”

“Body friendly”

“Minimal Discomfort”

Helps alleviate concerns about what BOTOX is

Comforts patients, helping them realize that the treatment is reversible and does not effect the rest of the body

Eases concerns that treatment may be too painful

BOTOX for DENTISTRY Indications and Usage

IndicationBOTOX for dentistry is indicated for the temporary relief of painful jaw muscles, migraine headaches, uncontrolled salivation (sialorrhea), limited mouth opening (trismus), gummy or asymmetric smiles.

ContraindicationBOTOX for Dentistry is contraindicated in the presence of infection at the proposed infection site(s) and in individuals with known hypersensitivity to any ingredient in the formulation.

Additional Treatment Considerations

Other treatment considerations • Patients with neurological disorders such as ALS, Myasthenia Gravis or Lambert-Eaton syndrome may be at increased risk of serious side effects.

• The most common side effect include headache, respiratory infection, flu syndrome, temporary eyelid droop and nausea.

• Less frequently occurring (<3%) adverse reactions include pain in the face, erythema at the injection site and muscle weakness

Refer to full prescribing information provided

Remember the characteristics of the early majority patients

Early Majority patients want to…..

Have more information than Innovators and Early Adopters

Be conversational but your goal is to give as much factual information to them.

Simple Patient Communication ..Can Lead to more Business

P E E R S

Positive

Explore

Educate

Response

Schedule L A E R

Listen

Acknowledge

Explore

Respond

Objections may be present

Objections may be present

Practical Questions

How long does BOTOX last?

• BOTOX can last up to four months. When it wears off, there is a good chance that your pain may have disappeared for a prolonged period because painful jaw muscles may be a transient condition. However the pain may revert to their pre-treatment level of discomfort.

Will my facial expressions look natural?

• Yes, although your wrinkles between the brows may disappear, it will not radically change your facial appearance. You will still be able to smile, frown, or look surprised without the wrinkles and creases between your brows

•Applicable to brow treatment for tension headache

Is BOTOX expensive?

• When considering major reconstructive dentistry, BOTOX for dentistry is quite affordable.

Using the LAER Method for Objections:

Listen to the Objection:

Acknowledge:

Explore

Respond

Listen, Acknowledge, Explore, Respond

“How long does BOTOX last for my condition? – I heard it does not last”

“I can understand your concern with BOTOX longevity – as this does vary from patient to patient”

“How long would you expect it to last?”

“Generally BOTOX lasts for up to 4 months. When it wears off, your condition may gradually revert to the pre-treatment (condition).”

Using the LAER Method for Objections:

Listen to the Objection:

Acknowledge:

Explore

Respond

Listen, Acknowledge, Explore, Respond

“If I use BOTOX will I lose facial expressions?”

“I can understand your concern with losing your facial expressions”

“May I ask you where you heard about changes in facial expressions with BOTOX?”

“For most patients it is a natural appearance. Your wrinkles between your brows may improve, but BOTOX for dentistry will not radically change your facial appearance.”

Objective Handling:How do I use the LAER Method

Listen to the Objection:

Acknowledge:

Explore

Respond

Listen, Acknowledge, Explore, Respond

“No, I’m curious how much he charges?”

“Why does it cost less at the cosmetologist?”

“I can appreciate your concern for price as this varies a lot from office to office” (“This depends on the strength of the dilution.”)

“Can you elaborate on what concerns you have about cost?”

“On average you can expect to pay between $______ and $____ .”

Three Basic Decisions During Phone Inquiry

Botox for dentistry Inquiry

ScheduleAppointment

Refer call elsewhere within

the office

Give some basic information

Process to follow when the patient isn’t ready to schedule an appointment

Receive phone call form patient

Refer patient to professional in practice, if necessary

• Brochure• Physician information•How to take action

Give some basic information on the treatment to the patient

Schedule an appointment

Create patient tracking file

Send patient information packet

Follow-up with patient in 7 days

Helpful tips

• Answer a question with a question

• Credential your injector

• Educate, Educate, Educate

Knowledge translates to power, loyalty and trust

• Be able to comfortable talk about BOTOX and the benefits to the patient

• Ask to schedule the consultation

• Make them feel important

Telephone Skills Summary

• Answer calls on first or second ring

• Engage in conversation vs answer questions

• Educate, Educate, Educate

Knowledge translates to power, loyalty and trust

• Be able to comfortable talk about BOTOX and the benefits to the patient

• Ask to schedule the consultation

• Make them feel important

Summary

• Remember PEERS

Positive contact, explore, educate, response checks, schedule

• Remember LAER (objective handling)

Listen, acknowledge, explore, respond

Summary

• Systems and routines you develop will directly affect practice operations

• Developing effective ways to use the telephone will increase revenue and promote quality in your practice

• Keeping an existing patient is easier the getting new patients. Use these skills to retain your patients – remind the to come back