A beautiful smile has been linked to improved sleep, social interactions and self-esteem but those benefits can require multiple orthodontic appointments. The average treatment duration for braces is up to 24 months and each follow up appointment includes time spent in the waiting room.
In 2021, each of the 250 Smile Doctors clinics in 29 states was responsible for the programming on the televisions in their waiting and treatment rooms. Jenn McClain, chief marketing officer for the leading orthodontic service organization called it a “nightmare to keep up with” and wanted a streamlined solution.
“Smile Doctors is a high-growth organization and all of the practices we were affiliated with had different systems, and different brands” McClain explains. “We didn’t know what was playing in the clinics and, while we wanted our partner practices some autonomy over their programming, there was a legal risk if we didn’t know what was playing on the television screens and content wasn’t appropriately licensed.”
UPshow CONNECT offered a solution. The patient engagement platform that leverages ChromeOS plays sponsored content designed to enhance the patient experience, boost brand reputation and offer seamless integration for individual clinics and the corporate office.
Prioritizing Patient Engagement
Dental patients spend an average of nine minutes in the waiting room. Broadcasting curated programming during that time offers several advantages: It comforts patients, improves their experience and engages them with branded content—and it might even encourage them to take an active role in their oral health by providing a more comprehensive understanding of their treatment options.
“Sponsored messaging and local content are great opportunities to create a connection with patients,” McClain says. “Orthodontic treatment is an investment and we want to provide an unparalleled patient experience at every touch.. As patients come in, they see their names on the welcome screens and it nurtures that connection with the practice.”
Children as young as seven years old may start seeing an orthodontist and a growing number of adults are getting orthodontic treatments, too, with the latest data showing that one in three adults are improving their smiles with braces or clear aligners.
Smile Doctors curates their programming to cater different audiences during different times. It’s an approach that has been shown to increase satisfaction, loyalty and patient engagement. Custom messaging and waiting room options also set the tone for the location.
Television screens welcome new patients and congratulate those who are getting their braces off and seeing their names on the screen creates, “surprise and delight,” according to McClain.
“They love the experience,” she says.
UPshow is a “plug and play” solution that leverages ChromeOS, allowing the corporate marketing team to push pre-created content to each location while allowing local customization.
Smile Doctors leverages UPshow’s Managed Services team that provides training, assists with content creation and ensures the solution provides a seamless patient engagement experience across locations. McClain calls it “an extension of the team” that works well with their creative services staff and supports the practices.
Blending Corporate Branding with Local Appeal
The patient experience is five times more important than other strategies for building brand reputation but McClain admits that managing orthodontic locations spread across multiple states proved challenging. Transitioning from disparate systems to a single platform was a start.
“Smile Doctors is the largest orthodontic support organization with over 430 locations in 32 states; we acquire practices that keep their brands,” she says. “Our goal with marketing is to give the practices the tools and training to be able to seamlessly do their jobs and improve their patient experience.”
Branded content includes a combination of messaging, including before/after treatment photos, services and specials and oral health education with staff bios, partnerships with local businesses and other content that appeals to local patients.
The approach builds brand reputation and creates a connection to individual clinics and providers; it also serves as an important sales tool. McClain notes that leveraging UPshow CONNECT to inform patients about orthodontic offerings, such as tooth whitening and retainer insurance programs, means that it’s not just up to the staff to share the information.
“It’s so helpful [for boosting brand reputation] because there is consistent marketing,” she adds. “UPshow CONNECT is always rolling out new features…they understand our practices and our doctors’ needs and work with our creative team to make sure [branded messages] are on target with the local practices’ brands…it definitely leads to a better patient experience.”
UPShow provides the technology along with customer support to help healthcare organizations connect with their patients and improve operations. Contact us for a consultation to learn more.
