Having the right name for your practice is a million-dollar proposition. DentistryIQ surveyed 200 dentists and shared their advice.
Here's what you need to know.
1. A practice's name is the first thing the public knows about an office as names are is on logos, websites, interior design and marketing materials.
2. There are several options dentists can choose from to select the best name. The first and simplest is naming the practice after yourself. Larry Jack, DDS, said to DentistryIQ he chose the simple approach because "anything else just would not fit in with this small community. I am the only dentist in our mountainous region for miles and miles."
Many surveyed felt naming a practice by anything other than your name was "too cutesy," DentistryIQ said.
3. The second and slightly more complex option is building a brand. The reason dentists choose to build brands is to stand out from competition or convey an emotion or concept to potential patients.
4. For brand building, the most popular names related to geographical connection. Towns, major roads, bodies of water and regional nicknames were all popular choices. Sandusky (Ohio) Dental Partners' Andrew Zucker, DDS, said to DentistryIQ, "Geography matters. Weird abstract names rooted in esoteric themes mean nothing to patients.”
5. Still other dentists chose names that have personal meaning to them or their team. Spring, Texas-based Finish Line Orthodontics' David Holsey, DDS, chose his practice's former name because he is a nationally ranked triathlete, according to DentistryIQ.
Creative names are not without risk. Teresa Poorman-Maaske, DDS, a pediatric dentist, named her practice Kearney, Neb.-based Tooth Fairy P.C. Although perfect for pediatric patients, she fears a potential buyer "might not be too keen on it."