Times are uncertain. It's scary and unnerving. I'm with you. Believe me, I am. Dentistry has never been hit like this.

The industry is changing. It may never go back to the way things were prior to this pandemic. The best thing you can do is push yourself out to your patients and your communities as a resource. A friend. A guide. Help ease the public's fears and promote that your office is doing everything and more to protect the public and their health.

I have been working on this narrative with a number of my clients. Now is a great time to establish goodwill by going above and beyond. Affirm to patients that your office is clean and sterilized. Educate them on the cleaning and hygiene protocols your office follows all the time. These are great, easy, and informative posts for social media. People want to feel safe.

I am recommending that my clients start using pre-sterilized burs and single-use diamonds exclusively once the practice re-open. Use them. Make sure patients know that you are using them and that you are not required to. You are doing it for their safety and for their benefit.

That's a powerful message right now. People will love it. Promote that you're using single-use tools. Offer to let the patient themselves watch you open the package while they are in your chair. Explain that the experience will be better, cuts and shaping will be better, chair-time will be decreased, etc. There is no risk of cross-contamination. Safety, above and beyond the standard of care, and a "better than ever" patient experience awaits them.

I have encouraged my clients to commit to single-use and pre-sterile for at least 30 days. You could commit to it for the rest of the year. The benefits are real. Cost is comparable to multi-use, you will get better results and better efficiencies with a single-use approach. A rare instance of "win-win".

The major benefit is that it is safer for you, your staff, and your patients. The efficiency gains are real and it will give you the ability to promote your brand as being overly protective at a time when people need it. Most people are already scared of the dentist. COVID-19 is going to intensify those fears.

Be the dentist who cares more about their patient's well-being. Think about it. If you promote that you're using single-use tools and the dentist down the street is not... which one do you think a potential patient is going to choose?

It's that simple.

Now is a great time to build relationships with your community. People are looking for advice and guidance on getting through this difficult time while maintaining the health and safety of their families. Be that guide for them. Comfort them in communicating that you're doing what's required and a lot more to keep them safe! Single-use tools are something everyone can get behind. The landscape of human interaction has likely changed. Be ahead of the curve and use it to your practice's advantage.

-  Sean Hamel, CEO