As a cosmetic dentist, smile aesthetics mean more than anything to prospective patients. When you don’t have the before and after photos to show for it, how can a prospective patient trust you with their cosmetic dentistry needs? We regularly bring on new clients who want more cosmetic dentistry patients but don’t have any before and after photos. Before and after photos are essential for capturing more cosmetic dentistry leads.
Why Before and After Photos are Important
There are a number of reasons why before and after photos are important and why you should make an effort to capture more of them.
1. They Look Great On Your Website
If a prospective patient is searching for a cosmetic dentist and they land on your website and don’t see a smile gallery, they’re not likely to call you for an appointment. Prospective patients want to see real examples of your results so they can decide whether your work is worth their money. Would you have a random tattoo artist tattoo something on you without seeing any of their prior work? Probably not. The same is true for prospective patients looking for a cosmetic dentist.
They want to see as many before and after photos as possible before they make their decision. It doesn’t matter how dramatic the results are—not every patient is looking for a huge smile transformation. Even posting before and after photos of a professional teeth whitening procedure can persuade a patient to make an appointment.
2. They’re Perfect For Social Media
Another reason why before and after photos are important is that they’re incredibly valuable on social media. When you want to produce content that’s share-worthy in the dental community, it’s with before and after photos. As current and prospective patients come across your before and after photos on social media, they will see what type of cosmetic results they can potentially achieve with your help.
When you sign up for social media management for dentists at Pro Impressions Marketing, we dedicate several posts per month towards before and after photos because we know just how well they perform. If you’re not taking before and after photos to share on social media, you’re likely not getting too many leads from social media.
3. Patients Want to See Them
The last and most important reason why before and after photos are so valuable is because patients want to see them. Whether they’re browsing your social media, website, or visiting you for a consultation, seeing before and after photos can be the deciding factor on whether or not they get their cosmetic work from you. If patients want to see them, why not give them what they want?
What Happens When You Don’t Take Before and After Photos
If taking before and after photos isn’t part of your routine as a cosmetic dentist, a few things can happen.
Your Marketing Isn’t Convincing
You can talk the talk, but if you don’t have the photos to show for it, all your continuing education, awards, and fellowships don’t mean anything to prospective patients. They want to see actual examples of results, not your resume.
You Don’t Get As Many Cosmetic Cases as You Would Like
If it’s your goal to get more cosmetic dentistry patients but you’re not showcasing before and after photos anywhere in your marketing, don’t expect to get very many new patients. Prospective patients want to know what their results can potentially look like before they commit to cosmetic dentistry work.
Make Taking Before and After Photos Part of Your Routine
If you don’t already take before and after photos, here are a few steps to help you make it part of your routine.
- Take before photos at the same time as you’re taking x-rays. Take a few full-face photos.
- Provide your patient with their treatments.
- Take after photos.
- Show your patient the before and after photos so they can see the change themselves. Ask them if you can use their photos in your marketing and have them sign a consent form.
- Send the photos to your dental marketing company to put on your website and to use in your social media.
Start attracting more cosmetic patients today by making before and after photos part of your routine. If you need help integrating your before and after photos into your marketing, like social media management, please contact us at (970) 672-1212 to learn more.
