Canada represents the fastest-growing regional dental market in North America. The market is projected to climb at a compounded annual growth rate of 5.4%, peaking at $33.7 million (USD) by 2030.1 Analysts and professionals in the dental talent space report this outlook is driven in no small part by the continued and phased rollout of the Canadian Dental Care Plan.2
Politics and specifics aside, the general discourse and issues surrounding the CDCP present keen marketing and communications opportunities for savvy practice owners and administrators like yourself. We have highlighted three key areas where your dental office can rise to the occasion to better educate, empower, and support existing and prospective patients, regardless of their unique financial circumstances and previous history of accessing professional dental care.
Payment flexibility and options
Nearly half of all lower-income Canadians report unmet dental needs, compared to 26% of higher-income individuals surveyed.3 Obviously, findings like these contributed to making the case for sweeping changes in access to care for individuals without insurance and historically underserved populations. No matter where you may stand regarding the CDCP, discussions about the impact of the cost of care on access and, in turn, oral health status underscore the importance of communicating your appreciation of potential financial barriers to care.
Now is a great time to highlight to your broader community as a whole:
- How to support major restorative and cosmetic work typically not covered by financial programs and dental insurance, or only partially covered by these plans.
- The type of “support” you offer may include in-house dental financing, discounts for paying in cash or upfront, membership plans provided through your practice, and so on. Ensure you have clearly highlighted these opportunities to reduce the burden of expenses/out-of-pocket costs and to make patients’ goals for their smiles a reality.
- When you build and improve upon in-house programs, highlight those new changes on your website, any social media channels where you have a presence, in newsletters, and via “traditional” media/marketing collateral (direct mail, in-office fliers, and brochures).
- Showcase your flexible and affordable payment options while also showing that you truly care and are invested in your patients’ overall well-being by noting any other approaches you may take to treatment planning; for instance, patients with full-mouth reconstruction needs should be reminded that treatment can be staggered, with urgent needs prioritized to “buy” more time to pay down out-of-pocket costs.
Vulnerable populations
The CDCP’s phased rollout started with seniors. Before the initial 2023 rollout, over half of Canadians aged between 60 and 79 reportedly had no dental insurance. Earlier phases extended coverage to other traditionally marginalized or underserved populations in the dental care space, including children and teens aged 17 and younger and adults with specific conditions or those with valid Disability Tax Credit certification. There is an opportunity to develop targeted, meaningful content that appeals to seniors, those with special needs, and children.
Do not be shy about marketing:
- Special qualifications or skills that you may have in geriatric dentistry
- Unique expertise in caring for those with special needs
- Investments in tools and technologies to support comfort among those with conditions like Alzheimer’s and autism
- Special training and qualifications that you may have related to pediatric dentistry
- In-office amenities that appeal to children and other kid-friendly approaches to dental visits that set you apart from your competitors
- Helpful oral care tips and suggestions for caregivers for seniors with cognitive, mobility, and other challenges
- Recommendations for oral care products and techniques for caregivers of children with special needs
- The importance of prevention for all groups, including an overview of professional preventative services (especially beneficial products, materials, techniques, and technologies that defy the conventional and differ from what is offered at other practices in your neighbourhood or community)
The latter two bullet points really speak to a coveted consumer demographic, the Millennial or Gen X caregiver. These “sandwich generation” consumers are often pulled between caring for aging parents and growing children. In fact, it is estimated that women aged 25 to 54 hold 75% to 80% of the total purchasing power in Canada—to the tune of a whopping $1.2 trillion in 2023.4
The ripple effect is tremendous when you reach and resonate with this group. What may begin as the caregiver entrusting their child or parent to you quickly evolves into the trusted caregiver for their care and that of new family members as their household grows. There is also the significant effect of “word-of-mouth” advertising and referrals. Just as investments compound, so does the goodwill generated by remaining laser-focused on earnestly helping your patients in all you do—including via your online and marketing communications presence.
Value of services
There are also opportunities to convey the importance of selecting providers not based on the insurance plans/programs accepted or on cost alone. You can demonstrate the quality of the care that you provide. You may even approach value-centric content by sharing suggestions on what new visitors to your website or social media channels should look for in a quality dental “home.” With this approach, you can walk patients through what makes your team and office distinctive from others in your market, and you can do so point by point—communicating differentiators related to your training, certifications, qualifications, technologies, convenience factors (like onsite parking), office amenities, and more.
Today’s consumers also find considerable value in partnering with practices that are good community and environmental stewards.5 Do not be afraid to “toot your own horn.” You know that volunteering for dental care clinics or supporting other causes in your community is the right thing to do, but do you take the time to share your good works and get others involved in these causes, too? Be sure to document any events you host or contribute to, and encourage patients to promote any nonprofits or causes that can uplift your community as a whole.
The intentions of most policies are earnestly good. They are designed to address historic and systemic challenges to better our communities. You and your team do the same in your day-to-day work and when donating your time, talents, and treasure. Reflect on how policies and programs designed to address long-held access issues are relevant to your demographics and align with your underlying principles and vision to sustain your practice as the dentistry landscape evolves.
References
- www.grandviewresearch.com/horizon/outlook/dental-services-market/canada
- https://tempfind.com/blog/dental-market-analysis-size-share-and-forecast/#:~:text=Staff%20Shortage%20and%20Workforce%20Issues,struggle%20to%20find%20skilled%20staff.
- www.cda-adc.ca/stateoforalhealth/_files/TheStateofOralHealthinCanada.pdf
- www.bdc.ca/en/articles-tools/blog/how-do-women-impact-the-canadian-economy#:~:text=Women%20are%20responsible%20for%2075%%20to%2080%,(amounting%20to%20about%20$1.2%20trillion%20in%202023).
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338905570_Consumer_motivations_to_purchase_from_benefit_corporations_B_Corps
About the author
Naren Arulrajah, President and CEO of Ekwa Marketing, has been a leader in medical marketing for over a decade. Ekwa provides comprehensive marketing solutions for busy dentists, with a team of more than 180 full time professionals, providing web design, hosting, content creation, social media, reputation management, SEO, and more. If you’re looking for ways to boost your marketing results, call 855-598-3320 for a free strategy session with Naren. You may also schedule a session at your convenience with the Senior Director of Marketing – Lila, by clicking https://www.ekwa.com/msm/ or simply send a text to 313-777-8494.