Howard Speaks: Who's Answering Your Phone?

Who’s answering your phone? Funnel-y how most dentists don’t track their new patient journey from landing on your website to calling your dental office. On average 100 people have to land on your website for three to call. Three people have to call for your front desk to convert one into a scheduled patient. Three patients have to come in with a cavity for you to convert one into getting treatment. Combine every one of these underperforming aspects of your new patient dental marketing journey and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics still shows an impressive 2020 median annual wage for dentists of $164,010 with the lowest 10% earning less than $79,000 and the highest 10% earning more than $208,000, showing the top 10% netting 2.5 times more than the lowest 10%. This clearly shows hope in the range of possibilities for any individual dentist wondering what’s possible. We’ve talked before how owner dentist net $100K more than non-owners. We know every successful business needs to get really good at one thing explaining why ADA economist Dr. Marko Vujicic shows average 2019 net income for general dentists was $204,710 and for specialist it was $343,410 illuminating the value of specialization. The world learned in 1776 when economist Adam Smith published The Wealth of Nations that specialization leads to an increased production of higher quality work predicting why centuries later an oral surgeon could take out four wizzies faster than I can turn a can of Cheese Whiz into Cheese Was. We know demographics matter and the importance of creating a supply of what people are demanding which is why dentists often move far away from where they were born for a better opportunity. Combine this with living below your means and saving and you have the recipe for early retirement.