There is not a shortage of reasons why a dental clinic could be considering a move.
For most, it has to do with the need for expansion.
Why?
Because your dental practice is growing.
At the same time, you should also establish a good foothold through top-notch service to make it a real magnet for customers.
For others, it still could be the need to change location, not mainly necessitated by growth, but rather the need to find more hospitable surroundings or a fancier address.
And then there are always personal reasons such as the search for a better work-life balance. It could be hard to come by in your current city or state.
Whatever the reason, the fact that dental practice is unlike most other businesses should not be lost on you whatsoever.
One of the top priorities when considering a move is to make sure you don’t lose your current patients. That’s because unless you’re a renowned dental chain or established name, starting from scratch is bound to be an uphill task.
If you have a dental office relocation in the offing, here are some helpful tips that can help you make a successful transition.
Have a Comprehensive Plan
A detailed plan should be at the heart of your move. It should outline all the aspects to do with operational and administrative functions, as well as location and demographic factors.
Most likely you pretty well know where your practice is moving and have evaluated the demographics to justify that location.
That out of the way, you need to ensure everyone is reading from the same script.
Your staff needs to be privy to the particulars of the office plan. That includes sharing with them diagrams detailing the layout of the office, including the equipment and furniture.
The same goes for the moving company.
The moving date should be agreed with the mover months in advance and relayed to everyone.
In addition, have a spreadsheet listing all the inventory before any hasty decisions regarding old equipment and other materials are made.
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Keep Your Patients in the Loop & Records Updated
Keeping your patients in the know about your potential relocation should be a no-brainer.
Retaining all of them might not be possible, though, unless you’re moving within the same town.
Even cities are tricky, save for when your new address isn’t too far off from the current.
If the move is local, make sure to inform all your patients about the impending move months in advance (2 or 3 should suffice).
You are the person more likely to know the best mode of communication depending on how you normally reach out to your patients. That could be through phone, email, or regular mail.
Don’t forget to have neat posters in the clinic too.
When the move is complete, embark on a record cleaning exercise immediately.
Then, update your records while expunging all inactive patient files.
Lastly, don’t forget to follow up with patients who have stuck to you after the move to boost your likelihood of retaining them.
If you’re moving out-of-state, create a detailed online and offline marketing plan that includes requesting patient references from fellow professionals in the area.
Ensure Your Paperwork & Licensing is Ready
Moving a dental office to a different city or state always comes with its challenges as far as licensing and credentials are concerned. You will most likely have to contend with plenty of paperwork and other legalities.
A different city can bring new obstacles on your way. So if you’re wondering how to relocate your dental office right you should consider the licensing.
Some of the paperwork that needs to be in order ahead of the move include transcripts from your dental school (that’s right!), NBDE scores, as well as any state letters recognizing your dental license.
Okay, there are states that don’t have too much red tape and will accept your current credentials.
But still, re-licensing is something you will have to deal with.
That aside, moving your dental clinic is a difficult and costly affair. So one should really deal with some high-level commercial moving company with a history of tackling these types of moves.
If you’re moving out-of-state, make sure you clearly know the dental board requirements in advance as they differ from one state to the next.
Some dentists have been made to wait for even years to be re-licensed. So this is not a pickle you want to find yourself in under any circumstances.
James is the Founder & CEO of GurusWay.com. Majoring in Business and other life-changing sectors, James covers helpful content and shares his experience with the targeted audience.