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    <title>Ideal Dental Care Blog | IdealDentalCare.co.uk</title> 
    <link>http://www.idealdentalcare.co.uk/</link> 
    <description>At Ideal Dental Care, we provide a full range of affordable dental treatments to help you and your family maintain a happy, healthy smile.</description> 
    <language>en</language> 
    <image> 
      <title>Ideal Dental Care</title> 
      <url>http://www.idealdentalcare.co.uk/Images/Ideal-Dental-Care-Logo.jpg</url> 
      <link>http://www.idealdentalcare.co.uk/</link> 
      <width>192</width> 
      <height>168</height>
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    <item> 
      <title>Love thy (business) neighbour</title> 
      <link>http://www.idealdentalcare.co.uk/blog/article/love-thy-business-neighbour/</link> 
      <description><![CDATA['Forming alliances with other local businesses is a sure-fire way of getting new patients. Here are a few pointers to building bridges with other local companies.

Who are my alliances?
I take the view that as well as serving a fundamental clinical need, dentistry has become one of the core disciplines within the field of cosmetic surgery. Therefore dentists are also in the business of making customers look and feel great so we seek out other high street...']]></description> 
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    <item> 
      <title>Converting to private practice is a test of mettle – part 2</title> 
      <link>http://www.idealdentalcare.co.uk/blog/article/converting-to-private-practice-is-a-test-of-mettle-part-2/</link> 
      <description><![CDATA['Converting to private practice is one of the biggest decisions any dental practice owner will ever face and in the first part of a two-part article we looked at how it is a test of a practice owner's mettle, how patients react to the transition and entering the brave new world.

In this article we look at the other three key elements of converting to private...']]></description> 
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    <item> 
      <title>Converting to private practice is a test of mettle – part 1</title> 
      <link>http://www.idealdentalcare.co.uk/blog/article/converting-to-private-practice-is-a-test-of-mettle-part-1/</link> 
      <description><![CDATA['Converting to private practice is one of the biggest decisions any dental practice owner will ever face and in the first of a two-part article we look at the steps required.

It&rsquo;s a test of your mettle because it requires the owner to take a huge leap of faith into another world &ndash; even though it is still essentially the same business model. And once that leap has been taken everything&rsquo;s different: the patients, revenue streams and even the practice itself....']]></description> 
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      <title>Open days to boost patient numbers</title> 
      <link>http://www.idealdentalcare.co.uk/blog/article/open-days-to-boost-patient-numbers/</link> 
      <description><![CDATA['Open days are a great way for us to attract new patients by introducing them to our dentists, showcasing specific products or treatments, or simply helping people overcome the fear of the dentist.

When to host an event
Like most free open door events, which are reliant on walk-ins on the day, attendance is heavily dependent on the weather. We&rsquo;ve learned through experience that the best times to plan open events are in the spring and summer months and...']]></description> 
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    <item> 
      <title>Using leaflets to increase patient numbers</title> 
      <link>http://www.idealdentalcare.co.uk/blog/article/using-leaflets-to-increase-patient-numbers/</link> 
      <description><![CDATA['Leaflet drops are a mainstay of any marketing campaign and they ALWAYS generate results. But, what you have to bear in mind is that it&rsquo;s a numbers game so you always need to think big &ndash; the more leaflets you distribute, the more responses you get. 

The leaflet
An A5 double-sided leaflet in full colour on good weighted paper (at least 250gsm) will help it stand out &ndash; especially if it's posted through letter boxes. 

A...']]></description> 
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    <item> 
      <title>Ticking the right boxed when raising finance</title> 
      <link>http://www.idealdentalcare.co.uk/blog/article/ticking-the-right-boxed-when-raising-finance/</link> 
      <description><![CDATA['Despite the headlines, banks are still willing to lend &ndash; as long as you understand the hoops you have to jump through to keep them happy and tick all the right boxes.

And when you know which boxes the bank manager has to tick and why, then not only does the process become easier but the odds of getting a favourable result increase significantly.

Here are four key boxes which need ticking.

Clinical qualifications and...']]></description> 
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      <title>How to improve sign-up to dental plans</title> 
      <link>http://www.idealdentalcare.co.uk/blog/article/how-to-improve-sign-up-to-dental-plans/</link> 
      <description><![CDATA['Payment plans are the cornerstone of any successful dental practice because they provide a regular income which is extremely important in maintaining a healthy cashflow for the business. However, they are often woefully undersold because practices haven&rsquo;t developed a proper plan for selling them.

You can&rsquo;t rely on silent salesmen (in the form of posters and leaflets). You have to bring the plans to life by developing an active sales process, which everyone understands...']]></description> 
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    <item> 
      <title>Make the most of what you’ve got</title> 
      <link>http://www.idealdentalcare.co.uk/blog/article/make-the-most-of-what-you-ve-got/</link> 
      <description><![CDATA['One of the fundamentals of marketing is making the most of what you&rsquo;ve got: so as soon as we took possession of a new site in Sheffield we used the huge 2m x 2m windows as an advertising space. 

It was no accident that we had chosen a site which was on the main road into the city, so we knew we already had a captive audience of drivers and pedestrians especially in the morning and evening rush hours....']]></description> 
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      <title>Building a thriving dental practice – part two</title> 
      <link>http://www.idealdentalcare.co.uk/blog/article/building-a-thriving-dental-practice-part-two/</link> 
      <description><![CDATA['Building a successful private practice is a challenge but is achievable and in the first part of a two-part article&nbsp;we looked at the location of the practice, building a management team to grow the business and creating an efficient practice layout.

In this article we look at the other three critical elements which go towards building a thriving business.
...']]></description> 
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    <item> 
      <title>Building a thriving dental practice – part one</title> 
      <link>http://www.idealdentalcare.co.uk/blog/article/building-a-thriving-dental-practice-part-one/</link> 
      <description><![CDATA['Building a successful private practice is a challenge but is achievable and in the first of a two-part article we look at three critical elements which go towards building a thriving business.

1. Location, location, location
If you get a practice in the right location then you&rsquo;re laughing. We have found...']]></description> 
    </item>
    <item> 
      <title>Using A boards to get more patients</title> 
      <link>http://www.idealdentalcare.co.uk/blog/article/using-a-boards-to-get-more-patients/</link> 
      <description><![CDATA['&nbsp;When it comes to attracting new patients, often the simplest marketing can be the most effective.

We have found the humble A board to be a brilliant way of encouraging walk-in sign-ups and here are a few things to consider if you&rsquo;re going to erect them outside your practice.

Getting permission
You can buy them from all good stationery firms and the most common ones are freestanding A1 boards.
You have to liaise with the...']]></description> 
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      <title>Going private – a few things to think about</title> 
      <link>http://www.idealdentalcare.co.uk/blog/article/going-private-a-few-things-to-think-about/</link> 
      <description><![CDATA['Crossing the divide between NHS and private dentistry can strike fear into the hearts of some. For others it&rsquo;s the promised land of greater choice when it comes to treatments, materials, equipment, time and even patients.

Like everything in life, being prepared is half the battle when making such a momentous change and here are a few key things to bear in mind if you&rsquo;re currently working in the NHS but planning to move to private practice.
...']]></description> 
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      <title>Top tips to setting up a dental business</title> 
      <link>http://www.idealdentalcare.co.uk/blog/article/top-tips-to-setting-up-a-dental-business/</link> 
      <description><![CDATA['Since the General Dental Council (GDC) changed its rules, it&rsquo;s now much easier for non-dental professionals to set up and run their own dentistry business.

Here are five top tips for anyone wishing to set up and run their own successful dental business.

1. Research, research, research
Do your homework thoroughly and consider issues such as location and the demand for services in...']]></description> 
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