I have been in Burlington these past few weeks as we have lots going on at rdhu! I will be heading home for a few days and then back again next week to attend the ODA ASM in Toronto. If you will be at ODA, please pop by the Curion booth—let's say hello and take a pic! You can also take a look at the LM Ergo Instruments and Power Sharpener.

I stopped by Starbucks on my way to work this morning. When I am at home, because I live so remote, we don’t have the opportunity to go to restaurants or Starbucks, so when I am in Burlington, it is such a treat.

Every time I have gone to Starbucks over the last few weeks—and as you already know—they always ask for your name.

I love when they do that. When they say, “Kathleen, here is your latte,” with my name on it… it just creates such a nice connection and touch.

Lululemon does this as well. They write your name on your dressing room door. This is your room for a short period of time. It gives you a sense of ownership… of belonging.

There are two parts to my Starbucks experience today. I will share one part today and one part next Tuesday.

There is a lot to be said about personalizing an experience. We have the opportunity to personalize the dental experience in many ways.

And what’s interesting… this isn’t just a “nice touch.”

It’s actually backed by what we know about human behaviour.

When someone hears their name, something shifts. Studies in neuroscience show that hearing our own name activates areas of the brain related to identity and attention. It literally brings us into the moment. We feel seen.

Research in consumer behaviour has also shown that personalized experiences increase trust, engagement, and loyalty. When people feel recognized as individuals (not just “the next patient”), they are more likely to return, follow recommendations, and refer others.

There is also something called the “IKEA effect”—a concept from behavioural science where people place higher value on things that feel like they are “theirs.”

Even something as simple as seeing your name on a cup… or on a door… or on a package… creates a subtle sense of ownership and connection.

And that is exactly what we are creating in our practices.

Not just an appointment.

A sense that this experience was designed just for you.

How can we personalize the patient appointment in simple, meaningful, intentional ways?

1. Ensure that the front team greets patients by name when they arrive—both existing patients and new.
“Hello, you must be Mrs. Jones. We are thrilled to have you here!”
Or, “Julie, it is so nice to see you again.”

2. Have their name set on something in your operatory. I had one hygienist share that she writes the child’s name on the bib—so when they walk in, they see their name waiting for them.

Perhaps you have a little paper bag with their name written on it and the aids you plan on giving or recommending inside—ready for them.

If you are an Oral-B Professional Partner, perhaps you can slip one of the postcards in for them before they leave after customizing it.

I am a big believer that we should have the tools on hand for our clients and patients. If you know they have an iO power brush, consider carrying the replacement heads so they can receive your professional pricing rather than paying more at retail. This also helps ensure they are changing them out every few months and not using one for a year!

If you offer BioGaia oral probiotic samples to your patients, take a moment to look at your day sheet ahead of time and identify who may benefit. You can slip a couple of samples into their personalized small bag along with a brochure—ready for them when they arrive.

The same goes for someone who could benefit from Perio Monitor. Perhaps you share that you would like to do this simple chairside test to assess inflammation.

You could prepare this information for them in advance.

That way, whether they say yes today—or prefer to think about it and revisit it next time—you have something ready for them to take home and learn more.

The same applies to the Stimmie. Once your patients are using one, you know they will want that rubber tip again in a few months. The same goes for Curaprox interdental aids—I could go on.

It shows that you were thinking about them before they even arrived.

When we look at our day sheet and plan accordingly, it allows us to be intentional with each patient interaction.

This is where personalization shifts from a nice idea… to a planned experience.

I am also a big believer in having everything placed in a bag to send your patient home with. A family member recently came home with a handful of items—literally a handful of tools and brochures falling out of his hands—which he placed on the table as soon as he walked in the door.

Great information and tools… a missed opportunity to elevate the experience.

A simple paper bag with their name on it doesn’t cost much, but it personalizes and elevates the entire experience.

When we first started rdhu, we would have name badges on the welcome table and a marker, and attendees would write their own names. It wasn’t until I learned about personalization that we started preparing packages for our members in advance. Such a simple shift—but I just didn’t think about it 17 years ago!

3. Do you have a Welcome Package? You could include their name on it so they know you were expecting them.

4. Email connection. Do you send email communications regularly? Sending at least once a month is key for nurturing relationships.

Make sure you have a CRM (Customer Relationship Manager) that allows you to address each patient by their first name. This is another powerful touchpoint for connection and an opportunity to educate your patients on oral health and the services you provide.

In the earlier years of rdhu, we didn’t have this type of software. We would address emails as “Dear rdhu member” (how impersonal!). Now, all of our communication is personalized.

You can send one email to many people and still make it feel like a one-to-one message.

Do you send communication based on the needs of that patient? For instance, patients considering implants—could you place them into an implant-focused email series to educate and support them?

This way, you are sending the right information to the right people—rather than to those who don’t need it.

Personalize your messaging.

If you don’t currently have the software, you can always add a CRM for this purpose. You can also send follow-ups after appointments designed specifically for that patient group.

There is so much we can do to personalize the patient appointment—to make them feel like we were expecting them, ready for them, and that they are important to us.

And this is just one part of my Starbucks experience this morning…

Because the second part reminded me of something equally important—what happens when something you’ve come to expect… doesn’t happen.

I’ll share that with you next Tuesday.

Have a great week!

Warmly,
Kathleen

Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH, BSc ~ President