DTI – Can You Imagine?

Here is another analogy to the dental industry that I think you’ll appreciate. If you are like me, we constantly see things in everyday life and connect them back to our industry.

Last week, I was in the chair at my dentist’s office for routine maintenance. For both my dentist and me, that’s every six months.

During the appointment, the dental assistant noticed an issue with an old filling. She took a photo and showed it to me. After reviewing it, she and the dentist recommended replacing the filling before it became a larger problem.

That got me thinking. I asked the dentist if they send those photos to patients who choose to defer the work. He said they don’t, but agreed it was a great idea.

Wait a minute. The dental industry hasn’t embraced marketing deferred-work opportunities via text or email using Digital Teeth Inspections (DTIs), much like we do with Digital Vehicle Inspections (DVIs). Maybe some do, but not my dentist.

So, here’s the question: How often are you marketing deferred work opportunities?

Most shops already have the technology. The capability exists within the software that many of us use every day. Yet some shops haven’t activated those features, some don’t use them consistently, and others simply haven’t recognized the value.

We know how important preventative maintenance is. We know where opportunities exist to address vehicle concerns before they become major repairs. We document those opportunities through DVIs and create trust through transparency.

Dentists do the same thing. Can you imagine if every deferred recommendation received the same attention as the day it was discovered?

We know how important critical maintenance is to a vehicle and where opportunities exist to repair critical systems in a smart timeframe, and so do dentists. 

The difference? We just have one up on the dentist. We can, if the client agrees to continue the conversation long after they leave the shop. So are you?