Having a complete list of every dentist and physician who could make patient referrals is essential if you want to grow your dental specialty practice.

If you are one of the many dental specialists who depends on referrals from other dentists and physicians, this question applies to you. Just because you receive an occasional dental patient referral does not mean you have a solid relationship with the referring dentist or physician.

With so many opportunities to market your dental practice, it’s easy to get caught up in the latest gimmick or program and lose sight of the most basic technique proven to help dentists grow their patient base: referrals.

You probably know that referral newsletters are targeted, cost-effective ways to stay top of mind with general dentists and other influential health care professionals. Many dental specialists use newsletters to consistently reach influential referral sources.

With so much written today about the benefits of carefully crafted patient referral programs, it’s surprising that so many dental professionals still rely on fate to bring referrals their way. While offering great results is certainly the number one way to ensure patient satisfaction, keeping current patients happy doesn’t necessarily translate into referrals of new patients.

Many elements of dental marketing are difficult to track and quantify. But many activities can be tracked, and therefore your return on investment (ROI) can be measured. Patient referrals are one of your specialty practice’s most measurable marketing techniques.

In the dental marketing world, a referrals-based practice is the “gold standard” most practices hope to attain, but which only a select few will reach. Why? Because a practice that is able to grow and thrive based only on referrals takes years of hard work and dedication, and a willingness to first develop—and then maintain—a series of marketing practices that encourages other people to bring in all of your new patients for you. Sound like hard work? It is. But the rewards are well worth the effort.

As everyone knows, recent economic conditions have made it more difficult for small businesses to remain profitable. Dental specialists have not been immune from the challenge. What can practitioners do to remain successful in the face of these financial tough times?

What strategies does Blatchford suggest as the most effective to build the success of your dental practice? “It all starts with the strength of your relationship with general dentists. Dental specialists depend on general dentists for referrals. So the number one thing you have to do is build a strong partnership with your general dentist. You can do this by continually looking for ways to provide value and give them a reason to refer patients to you.”

Everyone likes to be recognized and your referring dentists and physicians are no exception. Reaching out to them and/or their family will earn you high marks and improve your relationship. Here are four easy ways to recognize your referring healthcare providers: