Hello Friends,

Are you looking to improve and grow your pediatric dental office? The other day I shared some pediatric office dental practice management tips and ideas to implement once the patients are in the practice, today, I’m sharing some marketing tips and ideas to attract new patients to your office.

Here you go, Dental Marketing Ideas for the Pediatric Office…

Open House Kids Day (In Office) –

• Choose a theme: Carnival, BBQ, Luau, Movie/TV/Book Characters, Decades, Sports, etc.
• Activities: Face Painting, Balloon Twisting, Hula Hoop Contest, Karaoke, Crafts, Carnival-like games, Photobooth/props, Bounce house, etc. (Depending on if the event is inside or outside the office)
• Prize: Have a drawing to win a gift basket, gift card, bicycle, or team up with a local business for a donated prize.
• Food: Hot dogs, Chips, Ice Cream/Popsicles, Water, Popcorn, etc.
• Advertise: Promote via social media sites, local newspapers, in-office fliers, on continuing care postcards, and emails/texts to your current patients.
• Option: Book appointments in hygiene only, this way, you’ll have production for the day and the doctor(s) will be free to visit with guests and still do the exams.
• Memories: Take lots of pictures during the event to share on your social media sites, newsletters and media press release.

See also Tips and Ideas for Dental Office Open House Event

Host Patient Appreciation Events (Outside of office)

• Skating Rink, Indoor Bounce/Trampoline, Movie Theater, Public Pool, Bowling, Local Park, etc. Invite your patients to bring a friend. Be sure to have imprinted give-aways and information about your office at these events. Encourage all attendees to visit and like your social media pages.

Fun Dress Up/Theme Days –

What: Decorate the office, team dresses up, small prize giveaways and snacks.

Theme Ideas: Luau, Superhero, Disney, Western, Carnival, Sports teams, Pajama Day, Silly hats/hair/socks, Etc.(visit party & dollar stores or orientaltrading.com for a ton of theme ideas)

Children’s Dental Health Month –

In-Office –

• Charity – Host a Give Kids A Smile Event (See Children’s Dental Health Month and GKAS Day Ideas )

• Field Trips – Invite local schools and daycares in for a free field trip to the dentist. Serve a Healthy snack such as grapes, apple slices, string cheese and small bottled water, Present Education stations/demonstrations -visit the ADA website and Pinterest for great ideas for presentations.  Toothbrush bags for the students and teachers/parents. Show a short Video while the kids eat their snack.

Outside the office –

• What: On-site Short Dental Education Presentations/Demonstrations and Toothbrush gift bags for the kids and teachers/parents.
• Where: Schools, Daycares, Library, Mom groups, etc.

Participate in local Family Health & Wellness Fairs –

See  Health and Wellness Fairs for some great ideas.

Community Involvement – Visit local farmers market, art/street fairs, Races/Run/Walk for-a-cause, Fundraisers, Parades, Etc. Be active in your community. Have imprinted freebies ready to pass out at these events.

Visit Local Businesses –

• Where: Pediatricians, Dental Offices, Children’s stores, Dance studios, Salons, Etc.
• What: Introductions, Referral pads/business cards, Small Gifts (Imprinted toothbrushes, flosscards, lip balm, etc.) Food (Bagels, Donuts, Fruit, Pies, etc), Contest/Drawing for Prizes, Lunch-n- Learn, etc.  TIP: When visiting general dentist and pediatrician offices, always treat their reception team wonderfully… if your goal is to meet the doctors and get patient referrals, you want/need the front office team (gatekeepers) to like you. 😉
• SEE Dental Marketing Ideas for your Local Library
• Consider sending a food/drink/ice cream truck to local offices/businesses.

Back-To-School/School Break Visits –

Set aside some back-to-school and/or breaks from school special days in the office. Special pricing or promotions on Sealants, Ortho, Fluoride, Mouthguards, etc. Consider doing a drawing for a Backpack filled with school supplies. Contest:  nominate your favorite teacher (use social media sites to promote), prize ideas for winning teacher: Breakfast/Lunch at the school, free teeth whitening, or team up with local businesses for prize donations.

SEE Dental Ideas for Local Schools

Book Drive –

Collect new or gently used books to donate to your local library or schools. Promote via social media sites, local newspapers, in-office fliers, on continuing care postcards and to your current patients.

• Incentive: Gift Basket (put together a fun themed gift basket).  Every person that donates books can enter a drawing to win a gift basket. You do not need to be a patient of record to donate books.
• Once you have collected all the books:
• Take pictures of the books
• Put together toothbrush gift bags w/office information and special offer to deliver to the employees of the library and or school.
• Deliver books and gift bags to the library and or schools.

Host a Candy Buy Back –

• For tips and ideas on successfully hosting a candy buy back see: Dental Marketing Ideas for October

Sponsor local sports teams – Offer free or a reduced rate for mouthguards for local sports teams.

Reminder, keep track of your events, the businesses you visit, any donation requests, etc. Put specific referral source codes into your software system, this way, when you ask “How did you hear about us?” you have the correct referral code to enter in and you’ll be able to acknowledge that source with a thank you as well as know what marketing is working to bring in new patients.

Did you enjoy these tips and ideas?   I would love and truly appreciate for you to please leave a review/recommendation for me on GOOGLE and/or FACEBOOK.

Are you receiving my complimentary Dental Practice Management and Marketing Ideas in your email inbox each month? If not, please follow today or send me (bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com) your email address and I will send you an invitation to follow. This way, you won’t miss a single idea. Feel free to tell your dental friends all about this website so they can start benefiting from these dental ideas too.

Yours for Greater Success,

~Betty

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