Principal and Founder of AURA Centre of Dental Excellence and Facial Aesthetics in Kingston upon Thames, Dr Nadine Skipp asks, ‘Where to begin?’ when taking up the provision of facial aesthetics.
It’s exciting times for dentistry. We have all seen the growing interest and popularity in non-surgical cosmetic anti-ageing treatments in recent years. But how do we make the most of this in our dental practices?
There is no doubt that the provision of facial aesthetics is perfect for dental practitioners looking to expand their practice and develop their businesses. It stands to reason that dentists are particularly suited to offering this, especially when you consider the years of training and experience in facial anatomy and familiarity with various injection techniques.
Of course, many dentists recognise the enhanced opportunities available through expanding into this growing lucrative market, but do not know how to bring this into their practice. It all begins with training and building up confidence. The first thing would be to explore the entire range of treatments available, considering all the areas and fields that initially appeal to you. From Botulinum Toxin and Dermal Fillers to Dermaroller (microneedling) and Chemical Peels, there are a wealth of options available and the more disciplines you can learn, the more likely you will be able to accommodate all your patients’ potential needs and requirements.
In any dental clinic, unless you’re performing a specific procedure all the time, it will take a while to build up your competence. Following my own initial training, a dental colleague told me that a great way to gain practical experience, increase my confidence and build upon the foundations of my education was to work for a larger provider of facial cosmetic treatments. So that’s exactly what I did. I worked part-time as a sessional non-surgical practitioner at a leading facial aesthetic clinic. It was perfect for building up my skill levels and completing a diversity of facial aesthetic treatments throughout each day.
Of course, it’s not always possible or practical to move into such an environment, especially if you already work in a demanding dental practice, but it is crucial to get as much experience early on as possible. This really helps to cement what you have learnt and build up your confidence.
Regardless of where you apply your newfound talents, the ideal starting point is to undergo the procedures yourself. After all, you can’t expect to be able to adequately explain, understand or empathise with your patients, unless you have experienced the procedures first hand. In fact, I still have my ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures prior to embarking on my very first treatments, and I regularly use these for educating patients and marketing. This has a real wow factor for my patients and builds valuable confidence in my skills.
Also essential is to ensure that every member of staff is well educated in the treatments being offered. To help with this, it is worth encouraging staff members to undergo various treatments, where appropriate, and to use the products themselves. Your practice team can be the ultimate advert for your services and this will help to increase their knowledge and familiarity with the processes. It will also allow them to provide reliable, honest advice and assurance to patients, while also promoting the excellent results on offer.
Encouraging interest in your facial aesthetics offering is all down to your marketing and the way you spread the word about the fantastic treatments you provide. Using e-shots and leaflets that detail the procedures and outcomes patients could expect, as well as offering promotions on certain treatments will help to do this. As will talking about it during routine dental appointments. It is important not to be afraid to mention these or to hesitate when suggesting a facial aesthetic treatment to your patients. There’s nothing wrong with saying, “Have you ever thought about having this done?”
Ultimately, the best way to advertise is by ensuring the provision of high quality services. Patients that are happy at your clinic will always promote you to other people, so it’s crucial to show each patient consistently high standards of care and support to encourage this right from the start. As important as any marketing technique is, a lot of the early interest comes from word of mouth. So, by nurturing existing patient relationships and with the support from your whole practice team, you can be sure to get your facial aesthetics practice off to a great start.
To find out more visit www.auradental.co.uk, call 020 8549 5710, or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
