There's gold in that teeth!

No, I'm not talking about extracting the precious metals dentists used in times past to fill cavities. Instead, I'm referring to the rush to cash in on one of the hottest and most profitable segments of the dental profession - cosmetic dentistry.

According to a recent survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry® (AACD):

• Nine out of every ten adults in America consider an attractive smile to be an important social asset.
  
  
• Eight out of ten believe that an unattractive smile makes a person less appealing to the opposite sex.
  
  
• Three-fourths suspect that an unattractive smile can negatively impact their career opportunities.
  
  
• Nearly half said they would like to make some improvement in the appearance of their smile.

Given these findings, it's no surprise that cosmetic dentistry currently represents the fastest growing area in the entire dental profession. Tooth whitening alone (says the AACD) has increased by more than 300% in the past five years. Other procedures, such as cosmetic crowns and teeth straightening, are also growing by leaps and bounds.

Why People Want It

People have always appreciated a winning smile, so why the sudden surge in popularity for cosmetic procedures? Several reasons. First, thanks to improvements in health, nutrition and dental practices, people are keeping their natural teeth longer than ever. They also want to keep them looking better.

Second, the massive baby boomer generation has declared war on the inevitable ravages of time. As middle age begins to take its toll, the very image-conscious boomers still want to look their best. At the same time, they have entered their peak earning years, meaning they have more disposable income than ever. As a result, millions of Americans are spending millions of dollars to satisfy their desire to look young, healthy and vibrant.

Dentists have been quick to react to this trend. The AACD reports that 84 percent of American dentists now offer cosmetic dentistry as a regular part of their practices. Of those, half report a steady increase in the amount of cosmetic procedures performed over the last three years. So the good news is that the market is growing - rapidly. The bad news is that as more dentists jump on the cosmetic bandwagon, you have to work a bit harder to earn your share of the pie.

The Ideal Cosmetic Dentistry Marketing Tool

We believe strongly in the Internet as a powerful dental marketing tool. In the case of cosmetic dentistry, marketing and the Internet fit like a hand in a glove. Here's why:

• Cosmetic dentistry is clearly an elective service for people that tend to be more educated and have more disposable income than the average patient.
  
  
• This socioeconomic+ segment of our population tends to use the Internet at a much higher proportion than other, less affluent segments.
  
  
• Because of its flexibility, the Internet provides a very effective medium for targeting cosmetic dental patients and providing the information they need.

Because of the costs involved, cosmetic dental patients tend to do more research than the average patient. But remember that prospects choose to visit your Web site; it isn't forced upon them like direct mail or advertising. As a result, they don't consider your Internet marketing materials as obtrusive. Instead, they perceive your Web site (when done well) as helping them make a decision they already want to make. To effectively market cosmetic dental procedures on a Web site:

• Provide plenty of clear, concise, well-written information about the procedures you offer. Make it easy for patients to find the exact information they want.
  
  
• Provide glowing testimonials from satisfied patients.
  
  
• Link to other sites and/or articles that provide objective, unbiased information about cosmetic dental procedures.
  
  
• Use "before and after" photos that show off your patients' new smiles. When it comes to cosmetic work, the slickest marketing copy in the world can't match the power of one good picture.
  
  
• Have a FAQ (frequently answered questions) section to educate people who come to your site.

Above all, avoid the hype. People considering cosmetic treatment want reliable information, not a sales job. Create a good online case presentation that helps people make the buying decision and you'll land your share of these highly profitable patients.