As never before Search Engine Optimization is becoming more and more important for small business especially during the tough economical times. Usually  dental practice keywords are very competitive and it may take some time for an average website to reach the first page of Google. Do you know that if you have not reached a first page of Google against the keyword “dentist” in your geographical area, you might be missing 90% of your potential customers? Even if you have a beautiful website it does not mean that your customers can find you faster than your competitors. Most likely they will find your competitors and will never find your website unless your website is well SEO optimized. Oh well… what should I do? (you may ask). You better start seriously think about organic SEO for your website. Without being visible to your customers on the internet you have no chance to stay in the business these days. And the sooner you start it the better results you will get and less expensive it will become. Don’t waist your time start it now. Every day goes by you are not only loosing your customers to your competition but you also increase the gap between your business and your business competition ranking which means your organic SEO optimization price get expensive with each day goes by without optimization. Source: Affordable SEO Company

You can not not be careful enough selecting your dentist or a dentist you will be bringing your kids for the dental treatments. Is there some kind of doctor registry which we can use to do a background check on a doctor or a dentist? Here is an interesting story about a dentist who you probably don’t want to bring your kids to a dental visit. The dentist Dr. Michael McCarty, 64 has been arrested on 3/3/2011 after authorities found child pornography at his home and office. The Cyber Crimes Unit has been investigating Sr. McCarty after receiving a CyberTip which indicated that an Internet user had illegally uploaded images of child pornography to a Microsoft Network (MSN) Group. Dr. McCarty is a licensed cosmetic dentist and general practitioner in Austin, Texas, who was previously recognized as a “Texas Monthly Super Dentist.” Under Texas law, child pornography possession is a third-degree felony. If convicted, Dr. McCarty faces two to 10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. The Travis County District Attorney’s Office will prosecute the case. Source: Attorney General of  TX

Dr. Edward Zuckerberg, a dentist said in the a radio interview that an early exposure to computers inspired his son’s interest in technology, and he encouraged parents to support their children’s strengths and passions with a balance of “work and play.” “My kids all grew up around the office and were all exposed to computers,” said Dr. Edward Zuckerberg, a dentist. “There are advantages to being exposed to computers early on. That certainly enriched Mark’s interest in technology.” Mr. Zuckerberg said he computerized his offices in 1985. His son Mark Zuckerberg, cofounder and CEO of Facebook, was born in 1984 and was raised in the house where his father’s dental offices are located in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., in suburban Westchester. The dentist said his own computer science background was “limited” — he majored in biology in college — but he said he’s “always been technologically oriented in the office” and “always had the latest high-tech toys,” including an early Atari 800. “It came with a disk for programming,” he said. “I thought Mark might be interested and I imparted that knowledge to him. From there it took off.” He said Mark got a book on programming, but “ultimately his ability to program was self-taught. Dr. Zuckerberg is a 1978 graduate of New York University College of Dentistry. He completed a general practice residency at the Brooklyn V.A. Hospital in 1979 and received advanced training in Oral Surgery, Periodontics, Endodontics (Root Canal) and Prosthetics (Crown, Bridges and Dentures). In 1984, Dr. Zuckerberg received a fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry (F.A.G.D.) recognizing his superior achievements in post-graduate continuing education. Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=133502469 NPR

Just a quick comment on my meeting with a potential client today. The dental office is open 3 days a week since about 9 months ago as the economy slowed down and the patient’s load became lighter and lighter.  The owner of the dental practice is obviously an intelligent person and understands that internet marketing is probably a way to go. But … is afraid to invest into that technology. Scott (let’s call him like that) says that he is not sure if he can justify spending on SEO optimization of his business website because he is not 100% confident that return on investment will be grater than the investment itself. We all know that most of the times you need to spent in order to make. Yes, the owner of the business needs to spend on SEO optimization in order to see the results. It’s obvious. Isn’t it? SEO takes time and sometimes takes longer than we all want. I don’t  think  these days too many people will disagree with me on the fact that internet is a major channel of advertising and marketing and that you as a business owner shall not only have your web presence established but start the SEO optimization campaign as soon as possible. Otherwise you will be out of the game.

If are just starting in social marketing you definitely need to know how to avoid making mistakes in the social media world. Below are the biggest mistakes you might be able to avoid, as per Greg Fry: 1. No Consistency. Many businesses start off like a speeding train with their social media efforts. Only to find out that they cannot sustain the volume of activity and engagement.  Don’t start something you can’t finish or don’t intend to do well. If you decide to blog, make a decision to do it on a consistent basis. Not randomly. And the more often, the better. Be consistent, present and responsive. Or don’t do it all. 2. Listen to me! Sell Sell Sell. Many businesses forget that they are dealing with real human beings. With hopes and dreams and pet peeves. People relate to each other through two-way conversation, both online and in person. Ever met someone who monopolises the conversation? I have. And I tend to walk the other way when I see them coming. These shiny new social media tools are not loud speakers. Talking about yourself won’t make others talk about you. Don’t shout offers and deals and me, me, me. Take your sales hat off and think like a human being. Invest in getting to know your customers better than your competition does. Listen. Be curious, and interested and engaged. Tell stories and share knowledge. Most of all, ask yourself how you can provide meaning and value. How can you be helpful? How can you support your best friends and biggest fans? How can you lift them up? It’s about people. 3. No Plan. Lots of businesses, especially small businesses don’t take time to build a proper strategy for social media or even do any planning or set any goals. Failing to Prepare is Preparing to Fail. I highly recommend to read more

Just came across an interesting article by Dr. Larry Emmott. I think those predictions have a bit of sarcasm built in, and I think all 5 predictions are valid. Below are 5 predictions: 1. Some dentists will postpone the purchase of a digital radiography system because they are waiting for the price to drop. 2. Many dentists will install an upgraded management system, add some new team members, but not bother to set up and pay for team training. 3. Dentists will run a paper system simultaneously with an electronic system. 4. Makers of high-tech dental systems, such as digital radiograph and digital impression systems, will continue to create output in a proprietary format that cannot be used by any other system. 5. Dentists will avoid setting up a practice Web site. I might add a couple of my predictions to that list. 6. Many dentists will realize that SEO and web marketing is way to go to market their businesses. However many are still going to stay ignorant to the fact that nobody can find their website on Google search engine. 7. Dentists will agree that the website must exist for their business and hopefully will engage a webmaster to establish a web pretense for their practice. Source: DentistryIQ.com

PRBewswire [2011-01-24] –  Aflac (NYSE: AFL), the No. 1 provider of voluntary and guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States, today announced its new voluntary dental insurance policy. Aflac Dental offers policyholders more choices with multiple levels of coverage to choose from and bigger benefits ranging from higher annual maximums to enhanced orthodontic coverage. Aflac Dental continues to make it easier for employers to administer benefits because there are no participation requirements, network restrictions, deductibles, or annual premium reviews. It’s an insurance policy designed to meet the needs of employers in the face of growing employee demand. “With more and more companies shifting away from employer-paid benefits to voluntary insurance, Aflac Dental is the right benefits solution at the right time for both employers and employees,” said Tom Morey, vice president of Product Development at Aflac. “With Aflac Dental, employers are able to enhance their benefits package at no direct cost to the company while providing valuable dental benefits – a safety net – their employees can rely on when they need it most.” read more …

Science Daily [2011-01-22] -Cracking a Tooth: 3-D Map of Atoms Sheds Light on Nanoscale Interfaces in Teeth, May Aid Materials Design. Teeth and bone are important and complex structures in humans and other animals, but little is actually known about their chemical structure at the atomic scale. What exactly gives them their renowned toughness, hardness and strength? How do organisms control the synthesis of these advanced functional composites? Now, using a highly sophisticated atomic-scale imaging tool on a sea creature’s tooth, two Northwestern University researchers have peeled away some of the mystery of organic/inorganic interfaces that are at the heart of tooth and bone structure. They are the first to produce a three-dimensional map of the location and identity of millions of individual atoms in the complex hybrid material that allows the animal to literally chew rock. Read more … Credits: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110112132126.htm

Why would dentist want to use Botox? A little bit of history. According to Wikipedia,  Botulinum toxin is a protein produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, and is extremely neurotoxic. When introduced intravenously in monkeys, type A of the toxin exhibits an LD50 of 40-56 ng, type C1 around 32 ng, type D 3200 ng, and type E 88 ng, rendering the above types some of the most powerful neurotoxins known.Popularly known by one of its trade names, Botox or Dysport, it is used for various cosmetic and medical procedures. The Tennessee Board of Dentistry is considering a rule change that would allow dentists to treat their patients with the drug. The board has already given the okay to oral surgeons. They can start using Botox Thursday to help treat jaw pain and discomfort. Source: http://www2.tricities.com/news/2011/jan/18/dentists-want-use-botox-ar-782868/

Iwordpress.inf o [10/16/2010] – The dental seo marketing provides highest returns on the investment. Most of the person search for good dentist through online. It the website is not appeared in the first page then it will not reach to a person. In this Dental SEO Marketing is they make sure that the potential clients searching for a web. Through that people can find their required information about the dentist. This searching is performed by the user on every day.