Ah, the dentist office goodie bag. It’s the reward for letting a stranger poke around in your mouth for half an hour. As a kid, it may have been exciting, akin to getting cookies after being so brave on the first day of school. But not all goodie bags are created equal. No, some are better than others, and some are downright awful. Check out our this list, and see where you land. You might end up making some changes, because the goodie bag is an important part of the dentist office experience, and your patients notice. Here’s what your dentist office goodie bag says about you.
Toothbrush and Travel Sized Mouthwash and Toothpaste
A traditionalist, I see. Nothing wrong with that. Everyone knows that those little tubes are going to go under the bathroom sink until your patients forget toothpaste at the store and can’t squeeze anymore out of the rolled up tube. And let’s get something out of the way right now—the toothpaste in the travel-sized tubes is lower quality than the regular tubes. I don’t know how or why it happens, but it does.
Any Type of Reading Material
Are you serious? Your patients didn’t come to the dentist to read, and they’re definitely not going to be in the mood to find out why flossing is the best thing they can do for their gums. They’re most likely going to keep doing what everyone else does—floss the night before they go to the dentist and bluff their way through the cleaning.
A Magnet
I don’t hate it. Probably 90% of the magnets holding up photos of nieces and nephews on my fridge are from some kind of business, reminding me to buy more stuff from them. Plus, maybe it catches their eye as they open the freezer to grab that tub of mint chocolate chip. Maybe it doesn’t. The point is that it’s there.
Full-Sized Anything/Fancy Toothbrush
Whoa, I didn’t realize I’d crossed the tracks into the nicest part of town. Seriously, is my car going to get towed out here? It’s a ’98 Accord and now I’m worried that’s not allowed in your parking lot. Still, this is probably going to be the best part of my day. It’s like getting a full sized candy bar on Halloween. Except, kind of the exact opposite.
Chapstick
You’ve got your head on straight. Adding a tube of lip balm to your goodie bag is a savvy move. People love using that stuff—both in the winter and summer—and they also lose them like crazy. Hardly anyone actually finishes a tube before they misplace it in their car and find it melted under the seat two months later. This says, “I care about my patients, but I’ve also come to accept that they’re never going to use that mini box of floss.”
The goodie bag is an integral part of the dentist appointment, so don’t think your patients aren’t noticing if you cut back hard on the goodie bag supplies. It’s all about making the visit a little easier for your patients. At Molar Media Mount, we specialize in helping you get your patients comfortable and relaxed during their visit. So contact us today to find out what the Molar Media Mount can do for your office.