Patient success is the hallmark of a successful dental practice. There is no better way to demonstrate to the public that you are as skilled as you claim than by showcasing real results with real patients. Before and after pictures serve as crucial visual evidence of your expertise, but they often lack the personal touch—the narrative behind the photos that truly connects with individuals. This is where patient testimonials play a vital role. Going beyond mere results, patient testimonials strike an emotional chord with people, making them incredibly potent marketing tools.
Why Use Patient Testimonials?
No one can tell a story better than the person who lived it. When patients use their own words to express their excitement and satisfaction with the results of their dental treatment, it automatically resonates with the audience as genuine. While dentists can certainly share a great narrative about how they improved their patients’ health and quality of life, it is the patient—who had to endure years with a dysfunctional smile, underwent a comprehensive treatment process, and now feels happier and more confident than ever—who can tell a more compelling story. No one else can convey emotional changes as clearly and honestly as the patients who experienced them.
Whether captured in writing or through video, a patient telling their own story brings immediate credibility to the dental practice because their words are unscripted and sincere. While dentists have confidence in their skills, it is even more impressive when patients voluntarily express their belief in their dentist.
How to Obtain Patient Testimonials
The first step is to develop a strategy for collecting video testimonials. Set a monthly goal for the number of testimonials to gather. Work closely with the office team to help them feel comfortable asking patients, and carefully select the appropriate types of patients to approach. Patients with the most dramatic cases usually make for highly compelling testimonials. Those who underwent significant transformations are also excellent candidates. However, any patient willing to share their experience can be suitable, especially if they are relatable and representative of the majority of patients visiting the practice.
Next, designate a quiet spot in the practice to shoot patient testimonial videos, ensuring minimal background noise. Before recording a testimonial, prepare 3 or 4 questions to ask the patient.
These questions can remain consistent for each patient.
Some easy questions could be:
- Why did you choose the practice?
- What was your situation before treatment?
- How do you feel after treatment?
- What has changed in your life?
- Which 3 words would you use to describe the practice and the care you received?
Once the patient’s testimonial is recorded, all that is left to do is edit the video and post it where others will see it.
How to Use Patient Testimonials
Videos can be posted anywhere—whether on the practice website, social media platforms, or a YouTube channel—to maximize their impact. Adding testimonial videos to the patient reviews section of the practice website can enhance its effectiveness. They can also be shared on social media, incorporated into marketing emails, or featured in blog posts with links to the practice website or YouTube channel. Emails and blog posts offer the opportunity to provide additional context and include supplementary information not covered in the video. The key takeaway is that patient testimonial videos are incredibly versatile.
They can be used individually or combined to create longer videos, such as a patient testimonial montage. Integrating snippets of patient testimonials into other practice videos, such as a video highlighting the benefits of dental implants, adds further credibility to the dentist’s message.
Patient testimonials serve as a powerful marketing tool for any dental practice. They are relatively easy to obtain and often don’t require staging or professional recording, making them cost-effective. Most importantly, patient testimonials highlight the personal aspect of dental treatment and the transformative, emotional impact it has on patients. This aspect is highly persuasive and not always effectively conveyed through other marketing methods. In conclusion, patient testimonials should be an integral part of every dental practice’s overall marketing strategy, as they provide a unique and compelling element that resonates with the public.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With more than a decade of experience in corporate dental laboratory marketing and brand development, Jackie Ulasewich-Cullen decided to take her passion for the dental business and marketing to the next level by founding My Dental Agency.
Since starting her company, she and her team have helped a wide variety of practices all over the nation focus their message, reach their target audience, and increase their sales through effective marketing campaigns.
She can be reached at (800) 689-6434 or via email at jackie@mydentalagency.com.
