Blog: Ophthalmology Is Better Than Dentistry
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I get done speaking about dental marketing at a convention seminar in Las Vegas. As I put away my materials, I heard a few doctors talking about dentistry. This would have been totally expected if it were other dentists. Except it was a group of eye doctors.
The organization that put on my dental marketing seminar hosted three conferences: dental, ophthalmology and optometry. So why were these eye doctors talking about dentistry? They were frustrated by what they saw as revenue inconsistencies in their service offerings and what dentists are able to attain with their pricing margins, which they thought were “unfair” in some ways.
The specific statement was that a crown can cost ,100 and the cost of the crown from the lab is only , giving their dentist “competitors” a supposed markup of ,061. While this might not be the situation every time, my understanding is that a dentist charging ,100 for a crown is also paying more to their lab than , which is probably the lowest dental lab crown fee possible. The lab fee is probably in the mid 0 range or higher when the dentist is charging in excess of one thousand dollars.
No matter what the real margin, it is still much higher than what ophthalmologists and optometrists can achieve with eyeglasses or contacts. The only “products” they offer that have a cost directly associated with the treatment.
This frustration also got to the point where they stated that their services were more important than dentistry because “losing your eyesight is more traumatic” than losing “some” teeth. It seems their frustrations were centered on how consumers would more easily and/or often accept a ,100 crown versus an eye treatment and/or exam that would cost much less. Not only would the consumer dislike paying this fee (from a doctor) they would also go on to pay 0+ for a “designer” pair of glasses.
While I could defend why dentistry can justify higher margins like the risk involved in prepping, creating, and placing a crown as opposed to giving one someone the wrong contact or eyeglass prescription, the problem is not with dentistry and any overcharging, it is with the consumer. The consumer has very little information to compare, contrast or comprehend what is most important in their lives.
Then again, is it the consumer? Maybe it is dentists, ophthalmologists and optometrists not communicating enough with the consumer. If eye doctors don’t understand dentistry and how it works, how can consumers understand any of these specialties? If eye doctors are seeing reasons to devalue dentistry, no wonder consumers find ways to do the same thing.
The reality check here is that all consumers—whether doctors or not—often find ways to devalue one or all of these specialties to justify not making better health a priority. The only way to break this cycle of dental unawareness and their priority devaluing is to communicate more consistently and effectively. The general consumer and maybe even a few ophthalmologists and optometrists will thank you for helping them understand and appreciate the value of good dentistry.
Dental Marketing Blog by
Dick Chwalek • Integrated Dental Communication Consultant
