Dental Fees Versus Dental Value

Many dentists think their fees stop people from going ahead with treatment. Wrong. Price is irrelevant! Consumers want value. It is that simple.

Novice, unimaginative, and feeble marketers use price to sell services. Do some of my dentist clients still use FREE and half off promotions? Yes they do. It is a crutch they are uneasy about relinquishing.

Pulling this marketing crutch away abruptly can be difficult. In those cases we try to meet somewhere that leaves room for value building. But the discount route is NOT the only way to go, and might NOT offer the freedom you really want.

Other dentists come to me wanting to avoid the sores and lack of freedom associated with crutches but want me to relieve comprehensive treatment plan sticker shock stress and reduce the unpleasant side effects of dental insurance reliance.

My confession: I used to try and compete with the price focused dental marketers when I first went solo in 2000. Then I threw away the crutches, started focusing on value and my sales took off!

How does this relate to you? Just like your patients need MORE than crowns and cleanings - you require more than logos and websites or even a marketing campaign. You need a strategy to move your dental practice brand beyond selling "services" and develop a complete marketing treatment plan.

Beyond Dental Services

You need to improve your value NOT sell your dental services to the lowest bidder.  While not every dental practice has the brand potential to do this, you should seriously consider it.

Almost every dentist sells "services" - so when you compete in this arena - cost becomes your crutch.  Dentists often grab this crutch because they have not established any value beyond the fact that he or she is a dentist with a dental office.

When dental patients say everything costs too much, many dental marketers AGREE and suggest you lower your prices (through 50% off deals). 

While this might work if you are the only dentist marketing heavily in town, what happens when you get competition?  A price war devoid of value enlightenment!

Pay full price for your first crown - and your second crown is FREE! Now what does that say about your expertise and the value of good dentistry?

Dentistry is NOT like plastic surgery or Lasik eye surgery! Efficiencies are not as exploitable; treatment plans can vary widely. You can contain two eyes or two love handles into a price advantage - but if you want patients to move beyond one-tooth-at-a-time dentistry, price often becomes your enemy.

And selling dental services like pizzas and groceries is problematic, too. How can you build value -- take all those courses, pay for the best team, utilize the latest technology and offer the most advanced dental techniques -- when price is the main way you present your dental brand?

Are most of us influenced by price promotions? Of course, but once you go that route - what's next? Can you sell them Lexus dental treatment plan value after you present a Yugo dental brand?

Obviously, not every dental practice is or can be a boutique Beverly Hills practice. But creating exclusive, overpriced brands is NOT the goal of value building.

Dental Value Perspective

Value building takes into account that everyone has certain aspects of their life where they will spend more or less than what their circumstance might imply they can.

My mom used to drive us 120 miles to see an optometrist because the ones in our small town "were not good enough". This was during the recession of the 1970s and with five kids who wore glasses at some point even though there were 50 eye docs within 50 miles of our town and many just as good. To some extent this was an opinion not developed from deep research. Possibly just the distance made her feel better.

In contrast there are people like Sam Walton who used to drive an old pickup truck to work even after he had a few billions. He valued billions not automobiles.

When people perceive higher value, they will sacrifice a lot to get it. It is the same reason people go to Target when Wal-mart probably has cheaper prices. It is why people buy $50K SUVs even though they are single, make just enough to pay all their bills, live where there is no snow, and do no off road driving. They are buying value!!!!  It is not always logical, but it is what we do.

Therefore, this is not about income, cost or status - it is about where each person perceives value. It is also about how we as marketers and you as dentists present and "teach" value. I am NOT trying to say that people should pay more - but that they should know the real value of your dental brand!

Leading with price as your value statement reduces your ability to successfully offer (sell) higher-level dental value, which might include comprehensive restorative dentistry. If you are only doing one-tooth-at-a-time dentistry, the reason to build value might be lessened somewhat.

However, if you want to provide "future benefits" from your expertise, which requires a large value (and financial) investment by the consumer, why start them on the path of expecting it for less?

If you have never built value - price is what your patients will base their decisions on. KEEP price in its place, which should be somewhere below your plethora of value statements.

Unfortunately, many dental practices are devoid of any value message beyond the statements patients "might" hear during their infrequent visits.  The general public who has avoided the dentist or put off their care is even more in the dark.

Dark Ages Dentistry

Speaking of dark, during the Dark Ages barbers guilds competed for dental business from the dentist guilds. This angered the "real" dentists and confused the peasantry. Of course, the peasantry liked the less expensive dental work from the barbers--if they had to have it. But this created value confusion.

Dentistry finally separated from barbering after the dental treatments became more complex and were actually good for you. The value difference became obvious.

Sadly, dental value building has hit another Dark Ages, where the masses are ill informed and value creativity is lacking. Rather than taking the value banner and jousting with it - it seems cutting prices reigns over the land - is cutting hair next?

Throw away your dental discount crutches. Enjoy the freedom higher value provides.
And leave the hairstyling to the guild that does it best.

NOTE: This kind of dental marketing only needs to persuade ten to 30 consumers a month to change their value perceptions - not the entire kingdom. Niche Dental can find your niche and develop its value.

Dental Marketing Commentary
By Dick Chwalek - Niche Dental President
Dental Consultant

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Dental Marketing Commentary by Dental Marketing Consultant and expert in dental marketing research, Dick Chwalek - Niche Agency Director

For more on Dick Chwalek's dental marketing expertise, read his articles. The article topics include choosing the best dental logo design firm, getting better dental referrals, getting larger smile makeover cases, and standing out in the dental marketing crowd.

While not a dentist, Dick is well versed in many of the latest dental techniques and dental technologies. Recently, he wrote an advertorial for Dr. Kent White of Chattanooga on Neuromuscular Dentistry.