A thriving orthodontic practice isn’t just built on marketing—it’s built on patient referrals. When patients actively promote your practice to their friends and family, you gain high-quality new patients without spending a fortune on advertising.
But referrals don’t happen by accident. You have to create a referral culture—one where patients feel excited and motivated to spread the word about your practice. The good news? If you make it fun, easy, and rewarding, referrals will skyrocket.
How to Create a Referral Culture
The best orthodontic practices don’t just ask for referrals—they create a culture where referrals happen naturally.
1. Give Patients a Reason to Talk About You
If you provide amazing service, have a fun office environment, and make every visit enjoyable, people will talk about it.
Think about it:
Patients love sharing cool experiences on social media.
Parents trust recommendations from other parents.
If they have a great experience, they’ll naturally tell others.
Every detail matters. From your office design to how your team interacts with patients, every touchpoint should be memorable so people feel excited to share their experience.
2. Train Your Team to Promote Referrals
Your team should always be talking about referrals in a natural and fun way.
Have front desk staff say: “Hey, if you have any friends or family that need braces, send them our way! We love treating awesome patients like you.”
Train treatment coordinators to mention your referral program during consults. “You’re going to love it here! And if you know anyone else who needs braces, let them know about our referral rewards!”
Make it part of every interaction. If you want referrals to increase, they have to be part of your practice culture.