By Roger P. Levin, DDS

It’s no surprise that orthodontic fees have always been a factor in parent or patient decision making. However, Levin Group is projecting that fees will become even more important from a competitive standpoint. To aid parents and patients in their decisions, it will be necessary for orthodontic practices to create a highly specific system for communicating value within the new patient experience. Most orthodontic practices feel they already communicate value to the potential new patient, but they now must raise their communications to a higher level. This can only happen if an effective system is designed and unfailingly followed.

Topics: Marketing, orthodontics, Roger Levin, COVID-19, recovery, strategic planning, competition, orthodontic fees, value

By Roger P. Levin, DDS

The COVID-19 crisis has changed orthodontics and dentistry permanently. One of the biggest effects of the crisis is that dentistry has probably advanced five years in about ten weeks. This means that certain inevitabilities, trends, and market positions have already changed even if supporting data is unavailable and the trends are not yet obvious. As a result, it will never be business as usual again.

Topics: Marketing, orthodontics, Roger Levin, COVID-19, recovery, strategic planning, data analysis, competition

By Roger P. Levin, DDS

In the new reality we are now living in, getting back up to speed is challenging. With little time to prepare, most practices were forced to shut down. As we reopen, new regulations and infection control processes have decreased patient volume, and some patients are hesitant to return due to safety and financial concerns. All of this has the potential to seriously disrupt orthodontic practice production. It may seem like a time to sit back and wait and see what happens, but speed counts in a recovery. And the key to minimizing and mitigating lost production and revenue is to take action–NOW!

Topics: Marketing, orthodontics, Roger Levin, infection control, practice production, COVID-19, recovery, revenue

By Roger P. Levin, DDS

COVID-19 has been a game changer. Practices have had to shut down, use new technologies such as teledentistry, and reopen with new regulations, anxious team members, and concerned patients. As many people have observed, we have officially moved into a new normal.

The good news is that the business model for a successful orthodontic practice remains both unchanged and uncomplicated. Orthodontic practices that have enough people calling for potential consults, making appointments after the consult, and accepting treatment to be successful. It’s really just simple math. Leads + Consults = Starts.

Topics: Marketing, orthodontics, Roger Levin, COVID-19, consults, starts, recovery, leads

By Roger P. Levin, DDS

When something isn't right in your practice you can usually tell. Even if you haven’t gotten a chance to crunch the numbers, more free time in your schedule or less people in the waiting room usually means there’s a dip in production. So what do you do when you begin to sense that your orthodontic practice isn’t performing well? Don’t wait; take action immediately by looking at these three things:

Topics: Marketing, orthodontics, Roger Levin, treatment coordinator, practice production

By Roger P. Levin, DDS

Orthodontics is under competitive pressures unlike anything we’ve seen in the past. Emerging trends are making it more challenging for orthodontic practice production and practices that don’t understand these trends will fall victim to them.

Emerging Trends
The rise of the following emerging trends is rapidly affecting orthodontic practice production:

• DSOs or corporate dentistry
• Aligner dentistry
• Direct-to-consumer orthodontic care
• Patients shopping for orthodontic services
• More orthodontists

Topics: orthodontic trends, Marketing, Referrals, orthodontics, Roger Levin, referral marketing, practice production

By Roger P. Levin, DDS

When I lecture to orthodontic teams throughout the country, I often hear them express frustration about the fact that more referring doctors are doing their own orthodontic treatment. Understandably, this frustration can cause them to abandon focusing on general dentists as referrals sources. Why court the very people that you’re in competition with? However orthodontists must think of their referral marketing efforts in this way: The more things change, the more they stay the same. While it’s true that general dentists are increasing the amount of orthodontics that they provide, most orthodontic treatment is still supplied by orthodontic practices and referrals from general dentists are still very strong. So turning away from general dentists can be detrimental to maintaining a high-level of practice revenue.

Topics: orthodontic trends, Marketing, Referrals, orthodontics, Roger Levin, referral marketing

By Roger P. Levin, DDS

“It’s not whether you win, but how you play the game.”

This is a nice sentiment that we’ve all heard about sports but it doesn’t apply to orthodontics, especially when it comes to your practice’s future. In an excellent business book entitled Playing To Win: How Strategy Really Works, a simple method for evaluating the future is boiled down to one brilliant concept: Where will you play and how will you win?

Topics: technology, orthodontic trends, Marketing, orthodontics, Roger Levin, Social Media, referral rewards, focus areas

By Roger P. Levin, DDS

Orthodontics is under new competitive pressures. There are emerging trends that are making it more and more difficult to increase orthodontic practice production. Practices that don’t understand and address these trends will operate blindly, unable to plan for the challenges ahead.

Emerging Trends in Orthodontics

If you want your practice production to be strong you must thoroughly grasp the following emerging trends occurring in orthodontics:

Topics: technology, orthodontic trends, Marketing, orthodontics, Roger Levin, DSO, aligners

By Roger P. Levin, DDS

Orthodontics has seen many changes throughout the past years. From changes in how referrals are made, to changes in technology, and marketing. Keeping on top of all of these trends is Dr. Roger P. Levin of the Levin Group. The Levin Group and Ortho2 have worked together since 2009 to ensure orthodontists are up to speed not only in the technology they use, but also in the trends and markets.

Topics: technology, Marketing, Referrals, orthodontics, Roger Levin