I was talking to a dental assistant at a local orthodontic dental office. I asked why she’d chosen to work at an orthodontic office.

She shared that she was ten years old when she was fitted for a retainer to help realign her jaw. Her overbite made it difficult to chew and eat food. For the next six years, she included a palate expander for her bottom jaw, braces, and a few extracted teeth to make room for a beautiful smile.

Her childhood experience led her to her career at an orthodontic dental office. The day she had her braces removed, she saw her smile as a part of her that she wanted to celebrate, and she decided she wanted to have a career that helped others have a smile they wanted to celebrate too.

This story reminded me that what orthodontic dentists do is worth celebrating!

October is a great month to do that by celebrating National Orthodontic Health Month!

Yes, in addition to National Hygiene Month and Halloween, this is another one of those great dental holidays to celebrate.

How are we going to do it? By exploring ways, you can choose to engage patients and promote orthodontic services.

Let's get started. . .

7 Ideas for Promoting Orthodontic Services During National Orthodontic Health Month 

Here are some exciting ways to celebrate National Orthodontic Health Month to month get the word out about your services:

1. Run an Orthodontic Education Day

Consider offering free consultations and screenings during an orthodontic education day—this can encourage new patients to consider braces. 

This is a great time to offer a limited discount on the overall cost of orthodontic treatment to new patients who sign up for the services at your educational event. Here are a few ideas for the event: 

Q&A Session: Allow participants of the event to ask questions.

What: Talk about what treatment options are available at your office 

How: Discuss how long do average treatments take (everyone wants to know what to expect)

Who: Share who they can contact about insurance coverage and financial payment options (Cost and associated options can play a role in a new patient saying yes; consider having one person fully dedicated and available to answer such questions with printouts with relevant cost-associated information.).

On to the next idea for celebrating National Orthodontic Health Month!

2. Challenges and Contests

Social media is a powerful way to promote National Orthodontic Health Month. Create engaging content that highlights your orthodontic services and encourages patient participation.

• "Show Off Your Smile" Contest. Ask current and former orthodontic patients to share photos of their beautiful smiles with a designated hashtag (e.g., #SmileTransformation or #BracesGlowUp)

• Win a $500 discount on Braces! Selfie Anyone? Offer patients a discount on the total cost of braces treatment when they agree to take selfies in their braces/aligners and allow you to use them to promote your practice. (One selfie = one entry into a raffle for patients (which increases your dental practice's visibility online on social platforms). 

4. Partner with Local Schools or Youth Groups

Orthodontic treatments can often start as early as seven years old. So schools and community youth centers are great locations to connect with during National Orthodontic Health Month.

Consider offering free presentations on the importance of orthodontic health. These presentations can cover topics such as:

• Function: How orthodontic treatment works
• Early Evaluation: The benefits of early orthodontic evaluations 
• Benefits: Health benefits of aligned teeth

5. Run Special Promotions for Orthodontic Services

Offers, promotional deals, and discounts are a great way to get new patents from being on the fence to saying YES! 

So, consider offering limited-time National Orthodontic Health Month promotions to support prospective patients. 

What kind of promotions could you offer? Need ideas? Here are a few: 

Discounts on braces or aligners, free orthodontic evaluations, or even promotional pricing on retainers or follow-up treatments can motivate patients to take the first step.

6. Team Celebration 

Your staff is your best asset for promoting National Orthodontic Health Month. So have fun with the celebration by encouraging your team to wear themed t-shirts or buttons promoting orthodontic health.

You might also feature your team on social media with tips for maintaining a healthy smile during orthodontic treatment.

7. Highlight the Benefits of Orthodontic Treatment

Do you want to increase the growth of your orthodontic practices? 

If prospective new patients are given more reasons to consider treatment, they will be more likely to do so.

Often treatment goes beyond aesthetics and cosmetics. Remind prospective patients and the community that orthodontics isn't just about straight teeth. 

You can use this month to educate people about the benefits of orthodontic care:

• Bite alignment, reducing the risk of jaw pain and tooth wear.
• Misaligned teeth cause speech difficulties.
• Long-term oral health and preventing future dental problems.

National Orthodontic Health Month is a great opportunity for your dental office to connect with the community and promote orthodontic health.

How will you choose to celebrate?

---