Increasing Referrals from Physicians – Where Can You Start?

Imagine if your practice received 10 to 15 good quality patient referrals a month from medical doctors. This would be an enormous boon for any dental practice!

This is not an unrealistic goal for your practice. What can you do to start fostering relationships with medical doctors and specialists so they refer their medically compromised patients to you?

Internists and Endocrinologists are a good place to begin. If you are in a professional office complex, have you noticed what specialists are in the building? Have you personally introduced yourself and your practice to all Internists and Endocrinologists in the general vicinity of your office? Personal introductions are best, but letters can also be effective. If you send out letters, be sure to include a brochure -- one on dental care concerns for diabetic patients would be a great choice.

Another option: Go through your patient health histories and pull out the charts for all diabetics. Find out who their Internist or Endocrinologist is and introduced yourself to their doctors, making sure to tell them that your practice wishes to communicate regularly about the patient’s progress.