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Professional Courtesy Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, Editorial Director, Dentaltown Magazine

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The Hunter Becomes the Hunted
– by Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, Editorial Director, Dentaltown Magazine

In 1899 two travelling businessmen met when they shared a hotel room in Boscobel, Wisconsin. Their chance meeting led to the founding of Gideons International. This group has been distributing copies of the Bible in hotel rooms, hospitals, nursing homes and prisons since 1908. Their noble marketing efforts have distributed 1.7 billion Bibles in 94 languages and 194 countries.

Marketing is the science of creating awareness. Most often, the ultimate goal of that awareness is a commitment to purchase something, support a cause or join a group. The men of Madison Avenue, that are the subjects of Mad Men, portray the early days of modern marketing. The show is set in the 1960s and print advertising is a staple of their business, with TV making a rapid rise as a new medium.

Fast forward to 2011 and our marketing options have exploded: print, Web sites, Facebook, Google and many other examples too numerous to mention. We share a common goal to generate new patients in our practices or to motivate existing patients to accept elective treatments. Walking around your local shopping mall you might see the crowd as a mob of potential patients, each one with a treatment plan that will grow your business. You will go home and spend your hard earned dollars trying to get them to take action and call your office. Perhaps you send a direct mail piece knowing that one to two percent response rate is considered a success. As the marketer, you need these new patients to survive and grow. If your marketing message is a success, they will need you too.

How does your attitude change when you are the subject of the marketing? What is your response as the target audience?

I have always been fascinated by dentists who embrace marketing their practices in both subtle and not-so-subtle ways, but they reject all marketing directed toward them. If our patients had this attitude, we would be very lonely.

For example, trade shows exist in some form for every conceivable market. Some attendees will not visit the show floor because they dislike the aggressive tactics employed by some companies. Think of it this way: what if every dentist in your town had a booth in the local mall for one day per year, and that was your only chance to attract as many new patients as possible. Some of your colleagues might take an aggressive approach.

Certainly it is no secret that the magazine you are holding in your hands and our companion Web site, Dentaltown.com, are entirely supported by advertising dollars. Through these vehicles we provide dentists the ability to learn and interact with their colleagues around the world. Our advertisers support us for the opportunity to reach the most passionate dentists in our profession. I would encourage you to subscribe to our e-mail promotions and e-mail newsletter to be certain you do not miss an opportunity to grow your practice.

By now, you should have said to yourself: "What about word-of-mouth?" That is a great question. Many mature dental offices are successful solely through referrals by other patients. In my practice, that is our main driver of growth. Dentaltown.com provides the same environment for dental professionals to share their word-of-mouth stories on products and equipment that they use every day.

As you continue to read this magazine, visit our Web site, sort the mail at your office or attend trade shows, remember that you are both a marketer and the marketed. Give the marketing the same consideration you hope a perspective patient would give to your Web site or direct mail piece. When you have an opportunity to be face to face with a company, let them know what you need to make decisions about the products and services for your practice.

Do you have a great product to share? Go to Dentaltown.com and tell your colleagues. Questions for me: tom@dentaltown.com.
Dentaltown Magazine
September 2025
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