An orthodontist colleague recently told me that there's a trend within his specialty to focus more time, energy and money on marketing directly to the public; the days of catering to general dentists for referrals are ending.
I'm assuming that orthodontists don't believe their marketing dollars were well-spent. Perhaps they think patients will come anyway, because of proximity, or maybe they just don't want to be judged by a dental office based on how nice the latest gift basket looked in the break room.
With the importance of social media and the ubiquitous ratings and review sites, patients are changing the ways they seek specialty care. Let's face it—orthodontics is a specialty where patients are very comfortable making their own diagnoses, like "my teeth are crooked."
This conversation prompted a reflection on the relationship between general dentists and their colleagues. The nature of these relationships is influenced by different factors, including geography, insurance participation and specialty. Geography is the most obvious; patients are reluctant to travel far unless there's a very good reason, and if you happen to be the only specialist for miles, patients will come to your office even if you're mediocre.
I'm fortunate to practice in a suburban area where the specialists are near, and there are many to choose from. Once I've assured the patient that a specialist is close by, the question I hear is, "Are they on my insurance?"
Specialists and general dentists might initially think about answering this question by saying, "It doesn't matter whether the specialist is on your insurance," but for most patients, it does matter. Over the years, I've convinced some patients to seek care outside of their network, but the majority reject this option for a provider who's in-network. This can be the burden of choice.
The specialty factors into it, too, based on how long a relationship is expected to last. Sending a tyke to a pediatric dentist is a referral relationship that might last a dozen years or more; on the other hand, sending someone to have a single extraction with local anesthesia is often a question of convenience above all else.
So far I've discussed the general dentist and specialist relationship in terms of a transaction, but I'd contend that it needs to be much deeper than just sending someone off to another office for treatment.
For the sake of their patients, general dentists should be mindful of the inner workings of a specialist's office. This will also help foster a long-term relationship. Have you ever brought a gift basket or catered lunch to one of your specialty colleagues? Do you discuss cases by phone more than once a week?
I'm fortunate to have an associate dentist who owned a practice in a small town for more than 30 years. He understands the power of these relationships. Shortly after he started working in my office, he reached out to every specialist we worked with and scheduled a lunch or a visit to their office. The specialists appreciated meeting the newest member of our team, and our associate could then talk with patients about the relationship he had with that specialist when he referred them.
Every general dentist will work with many specialists throughout his or her career, and it's important to view them as a valuable resource and not as the people who clean up your messes. Utilize their expertise, and if you're a dentist who sends only patients with second molars with curved canals to your endodontist, look for an opportunity to brighten his day the next time you come across a bicuspid that needs treatment.
I hope you'll use the remaining months of the year to visit your specialist partners and tell them they are appreciated. If you are a specialist, please send your notes of appreciation to my email: tom@dentaltown.com or appreciate me on Twitter: @ddsTom.