Rich Rosenblatt, D.M.D. 
I recently found myself sitting in Level 4, catching up with one of our mentors before class. We were talking about the holidays, specifically how closing our offices during the Christmas season sometimes frustrates patients who expect us to be open until December 31st at 11:59 PM.
I shared something I've been doing for the entirety of my 18 years of practice ownership - something that has become coveted by our patients: my fall/holiday letter.
Beyond Clinical Proficiency
As a clinical instructor here at CDOCS for the last 18 years, and as a dentist who takes 75–100 hours of CE every year outside of the classes I teach, I recognize that becoming proficient at the procedures we perform is vital to career success.
However, I honestly don't think technical proficiency is the most important thing that dictates the success of your practice.
I learned a profound lesson many years ago from my father, who was a gifted clinical dentist. He told me that to run a truly successful practice, we need to understand that patients are looking for mainly two things from us. He instructed me to:
- Learn how to talk and connect with my patients on a personal level before I ever look in their mouth.
- Learn how to give a great injection.
As he explained, patients ultimately want to know, "Were they nice to me and did they hurt me?" You strive to become a great technical dentist because you want to give them the best clinical dentistry you can perform, but patients don't know what a great dentist truly is. Most patients just want to know that you are kind, attentive, and that you make the procedure comfortable.
The Cornerstone of Connection: The Holiday Letter
I took this lesson to heart as an associate and continued it into my practice ownership. I want to share the practice building tip that has become one of the cornerstones my patients look forward to: the holiday letter.
Every year, around the middle of October, I craft a letter to my dental family of patients. I even refer to them that way, starting the letter by saying, "To my wonderful dental family of patients."
I follow a simple template that ensures I cover three critical areas:
1. The Opening Paragraph: Personal Connection
The opening is always about me, my family, and my team. I talk about what my kids and family have been up to. I talk about celebratory milestones my team has achieved, such as engagements, weddings, births of children, or new members we have added (by name) whom they will be introduced to when they visit the office. This creates a deep connection right out of the gate between us and the patients. I sometimes even include cool adventures some of the team may be doing over break to create talking and connection points for their next visit.
2. The Middle Paragraph: Clinical Trust
This section is always about what types of CE or technology we have added to the practice to keep us on the forefront of clinical dentistry in our area. For example, this year we sent one of our associates to learn to do All-on-X cases in-house, surgically and restoratively, so patients can now stay in-house if they are in need of that treatment or know people who are. This subtly reinforces our clinical excellence.
3. The Closing Paragraph: Practice Management & Call to Action
The final paragraph addresses the business side. I remind them that their benefits are ending at the end of the year and to utilize them ASAP so they don't lose them. I also let them know that we are closing from Christmas Eve until the beginning of January to allow our hard-working team some time to recharge their batteries.
We remind them that since we are closing, if they have kids coming home for break, they need to make their cleaning appointments immediately as those spots will fill. I also remind them that our doctor schedules fill with bigger procedures as we get to the end of the year, so finding time to fit things they may need becomes less likely the longer they wait.
I end by thanking them for being wonderful and loyal patients whom we consider family. I tell them that we are always looking for more great patients similar to them, so please let their friends and family know about us, or feel free to leave reviews on Google or Yelp to help others looking for a dentist in our area choose us.
The Power of Emotional Connection
When I was a small, four-chair practice with 1,000 patients, we would type this up on MS Word, print them on beautiful holiday or fall stationary, and physically sign them along with my team. We are now a much larger, 17-operatory practice with well over 5,000 patients, so this has become more cost-prohibitive; we now just email it to them. My Office Manager has a background in graphic design, so she creates a beautiful background and sends it out.
This letter has become such an important staple that:
- My patients thank me for sending the letter (email) after it goes out. They come in and always compliment me that they feel so connected to our practice.
- When I send the letter out a little later than normal, they will ask or even call into the office wondering if the letter is still going out.
Learn to connect with your patients emotionally. Ask about them and their families when they come in. Write down in your exam notes things they like to do in their spare time, as well as life events coming up in the future. At the next visit, I will ask them how the Beyoncé concert was, or how their Alaskan cruise was that they had been saving up for over the years to take their entire family. They won't believe you remember.
This connection leads to trust, which then leads to case acceptance. Make your patients part of your family. Share a piece of your heart. It will fulfill you personally and be one of the biggest reasons for the growth of your practice!