In the holiday movie classic “Miracle on 34th Street,” the Macy’s Santa finds himself at the center of controversy when he “redirects” shoppers to competing department stores whenever Macy’s was out of stock of the children’s toy they are frantically searching for.

By doing this, he was ignoring specific instructions from the Macy’s toy department manager to convince shoppers to buy something else…in Macy’s of course! Before he could (gasp!) fire Santa, a redirected shopper tells him she was very impressed by this Santa’s act of good will and that she would forever be a loyal Macy’s shopper...

According to dental marketing guru Fred Joyal, your patients should not only know why you invested in the technology but, most importantly, how they will benefit from it. The same holds true for your teledentistry purchase. To derive an optimal return on your investment, you need to fully explore the patient benefits and the marketing advantages of this rapidly growing technology...

Teledentistry at one time may have been thought of as exclusively a public health service. However, as the technology has evolved and the costs involved lowered, the opportunity for this service to add to your practice's revenue has grown. Part 1 of this series by Michael Ventriello focused on why your practice should embrace teledentistry. The second part focuses on how to promote the benefits that matter to your current and prospective patients...

As we wind down another Oral Cancer Awareness Month, the dental industry is confronted with statistics that indicate a rise in oral cancers, which include those of the oral cavity and the oropharynx. Why is this?

Dead weight on your social media accounts won't help your business succeed...

Like most independent business owners, the average dentist typically assumes the responsibility for his or her own marketing. But is this a good thing? The answer can often be summed up by paraphrasing Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry character. “A dentist's got to know his or her limitations.”

Michael Ventriello, owner of Ventriello Communications and an experienced voice in dental public relations, examines the need for more communication and collaboration around periodontal disease. Dentists and hygienists need to have difficult conversations with their patients and also work to bridge the dentist-physician communication gap, he writes...

In my humble layperson’s opinion (IMHLPO), one of the responsibilities of dental professionals is to inform their patients of the many oral-systemic health links, and to reinforce the fact that the health of their mouths often determines their overall health...

Many of the products you might see at a dental meeting could be used to improve patient care or practice efficiency. But how often have you been brushed off by a dentist when you try to share what you learned? With a little planning, you can make a powerful business and clinical argument for incorporating new products into your practice...

Michael Ventriello, owner of Ventriello Communications and an experienced voice in dental public relations, explains why he "fired" his dentist over the lack of oral cancer screening. He writes that dentists and hygienists need to embrace examination tools and protocols to improve oral cancer screening and survival rates.