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ePaper created 2015-09-29, 13:02:58 | version 1.38.0
_Owning a dental practice or group has al- ways presented challenges, but the marketplace has never been more crowded than it is now. With an ever-increasing level of choice for pa- tients, it is more important than ever for dental businesses to stand out from the crowd. While we of course all know the value of providing a first-rate customer service, and that will always remain the most important factor, how many of us recognise the importance of creating and building a brand? Generally, in dentistry, branding has not been regarded in the same way it is in the corporate world, where multi-national businesses expand on the strength of their brands. But now, with the growth of dental corporates and multi-practice groups, branding is becoming an increasingly im- portant factor. That is not to say that branding is onlythedomainofthebigplayers.Creatingabrand whichisuniqueandpeoplecanidentify,talkabout, recommend to others and remember is just as important for a single practice, and in some situa- tions even more so, where there are other local competitors for existing and potential clients to choose from. Effective branding is also important when look- ingtoexpand,franchiseorsellone’sbusiness.When dentists are adding another site to their existing portfolio, doing so under a brand will enable people to know who is moving into their area, and can help give confidence that this is an established dental business taking over their local site. One example being a business in North East England I act for, the Burgess & Hyder Dental Group, who now operate eleven clinics across the region under their brand. “...it is more important than ever for dental businesses to stand out from the crowd.” Why dentistry needs brandingAuthor_Amanda Maskery, UK I practice management _ branding 32 I cone beam3_2015