Running a thriving dental practice means juggling numerous responsibilities, and it can be hard for you to take a step back and prioritise what needs to be done to ensure your continued success.
You might be delaying a refit as you think of it as ‘nice to have’ rather than essential. However, continuously pushing a refit to the bottom of your to-do list can start to have a tangible impact on your practice. Take a look at these signs that your dental surgery needs a refit and how refreshing your practice can provide a valuable return on investment.
1 – You’ve Experienced Rapid Growth
Seeing your surgery become increasingly popular is very exciting. However, if you’re experiencing rising patient numbers and are starting to offer a broader range of treatments, you’re likely to have outgrown your current space.
The warning signs to look out for include long queues at reception, a crowded waiting area, or workspaces that feel cramped or cluttered. Many practices are starting to offer facial aesthetic treatments in addition to traditional dental services. A dedicated room for these treatments allows you to tailor the experience to suit your patients needs.
It’s also essential to assess whether your surgery reflects your branding and the image presented in your marketing materials. You may have fitted out your surgery as cheaply as possible when you first opened, but developing a successful business offers the opportunity to invest in sophisticated decor and high-quality equipment that will help to grow your practice even more.
We can help you to maximise the potential of your current premises, creating more space and improving the flow throughout your surgery.
2 – Inefficiency
Have you noticed that many of your everyday tasks take longer than they should? This can add to huge amounts of time wasted every week, which is a clear sign that it’s time for a refit.
An unclear layout in your waiting area can lead to patients not knowing how to check in and cause late appointments. Poor quality or broken equipment makes tasks take longer or even means that your work needs to be put on hold while you source a replacement from elsewhere in the surgery.
If your team is struggling to locate the tools they need, it’s time to upgrade your workspaces to ones designed to cope with the range of equipment used in modern dentistry. A refit is also a chance to address any issues with plumbing or electrics that you’ve been avoiding, whether it’s that one power socket that’s never worked or one of your toilets that’s constantly out of use.
Our team will work with you to uncover any inefficiencies costing your practice time and money and suggest how to overcome these.
3 – Outdated Equipment and Decor
A stylish and modern dental practice creates a great first impression and positions you as a thriving business that uses cutting-edge tools and techniques. Top-of-the-range equipment means that treatments can be carried out faster and with less discomfort, providing a superior patient experience.
Patients who are impressed with your surgery are more likely to write a positive review and recommend you to others. If your current decor looks tired and outdated, modern colour palettes, hard flooring, and plenty of accessories such as pictures and indoor plants will make patients feel at home and help to combat any nervousness.
4 – Falling Patient Numbers
If you’re seeing a consistent decline in patient numbers, some changes are likely needed to your surgery. The first step is to identify whether you’re seeing a drop in either new patients, repeat patients, or both.
Patients who have visited and never returned are likely to have had an experience that didn’t match their expectations. If you need help attracting new patients, it’s vital to consider whether your surgery’s exterior appearance portrays that you’ll provide a high-quality service.
These findings will help you identify the improvements to prioritise, which is especially important if you’re on a limited budget. Remember to include images of your new practice design on your website and in your marketing materials so that people can see your improvements.
5 – People Are Telling You
This is by far the most obvious sign. If you check your reviews or survey feedback and find comments from patients saying they feel your practice requires an update, it’s time to take action.
Refits Made Simple
At Turn Key Dental, we don’t believe that refits need to be time-consuming or disruptive, and we’re available to support you every step of the way. Find out more and get in touch here.