Dentsply Sirona announces the launch of dentistry.com, the only digital platform built exclusively to connect patients to dentists, according to the company. Created with consumers in mind, the free online community is dedicated to improving the state of dental health by increasing the number of new patients who go to the dentist and accept treatment, the company says.
Brian McCarthy, leader of the dentistry.com project team, will unveil the platform at the Dentsply Sirona World meeting on September 13 in Orlando. Positioned as “The New Destination for Dentistry,” its main purpose is to build relationships between dentists and patients. Its search engine for patients supports filtering by a number of criteria, including insurance network, which is one of the top ways patients choose a dentist. The site also will house a comprehensive directory of dental practices across the country.
“People live and conduct all their business on their phones today. Dentistry is challenged because it has not embraced this new mobile-centric reality. Complicating things is the fact that consumers just don’t value dentistry as they do more trendy healthcare pursuits like yoga and meditation,” said McCarthy, who also is executive vice president of Dentstply Sirona’s subsidiary Futuredontics. “Dentistry.com is the online destination where the industry can band together to elevate the perception of dentistry to its proper place in healthcare.”
Dentists joining the dentistry.com community will be able to “claim their practice” during the Dentsply Sirona World meeting. This allows dentists to manage their own page on the site where they can list information about themselves and their practice that would assist in patient acquisition and retention.
During the meeting, dentists who sign up will receive a complimentary practice profile that increases their online presence, offers access to national and local audiences, improves website search engine optimization, and helps dentists connect with more new patients by listing services, insurance plans, hours, and more.
The website also is designed to capitalize on the consumer shift toward making booking decisions based on consumer reviews and the ability to make appointments online. Independent research conducted by Ipsos on behalf of dentistry.com revealed that:
- 64% of people find dentists through online sources such as search engines, dental insurance websites, or online review services
- More than half of all dentists believe in a strong online presence
- Dentists across the board say that acquiring new patients is one of their biggest challenges
“Dentistry.com is the only one-stop ship that provides patients with everything they need to know to make informed decisions about their oral health,” said Todd Daum, senior vice president of marketing, Futuredontics. “From expert articles on dental care, researching dental procedures, or requesting an appointment with a local dentist, no other offering brings this together in one place. Our aim is to not just convert consumers into patients, but empower people to become their own health advocates.”
In the near future, dentistry.com will roll out more features, including the ability for patients to book appointments directly from the site and practice management system integrations to simplify dentistry.com profile management.
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