The power of a ‘Thank You’ card

Remember that warm and fuzzy feeling that you got last time you received a handwritten card in the mail?

Dr. Wehking

In a world that seems to grow more pessimistic every day, I’m using good ‘ol Thank You cards to celebrate the little victories in life and spread good vibes.  These little celebrations are helping not only my personal development, but also the growth of my practice.

Gratitude in my personal life:

My personal goal is to write one random Thank You note or positive Google/Yelp review per week.  I find that this goal helps me find the goodness in the every day activities like grocery shopping or ordering at a restaurant.  For example: “Wow!  Sheila really went out of her way to help me find the vitamins!”  Instead of, “Ugh, why are the vitamins always so hard to find?”

Gratitude in my practice:

Each new patient receives a thank you card from every team member that they came in contact with during their visit. While this may sound like a pain in the neck and just another thing to keep track of, it’s actually super easy.  We paperclip a Thank You card to each new patient’s paperwork and as we hand-off the patient from dentist to assistant to hygienist, every person takes 10 seconds (YES, IT LITERALLY ONLY TAKES 10 SECONDS) to add a little note to the card.

Writing a card (or leaving a review) gives me time in the day to stop and be thankful.  It’s my time to remember that my patients have chosen to trust *me* to care for them.

Sending good vibes is also a great marketing tool.  Not only will the patient get the warm and fuzzies when they receive your card in the mail, but its another point of contact with them to keep your office on their mind.  You know what’s really cool?  Sometimes we get a Thank You card back!  You certainly can’t deny that it just plain feels good to be appreciated.

Dr. Dawn Wehking graduated from the University of Maryland School of Dentistry in 2010. She is a member of the American Dental Association, Colorado Dental Association and the Boulder/Broomfield County Dental Society. She was awarded Fellow status with the Academy of General Dentistry.  She finished the Spear Education curriculum, a place where great dentists go to learn how to be exceptional dentists.  She  serves as visiting faculty at Spear Education. Dr. Wehking is also an ADA Success Speaker, teaching dental students about life after dental school. Dr. Wehking owns a small private practice in Lafayette, Colorado. On her days off, you’ll find her with her furry children, enjoying Colorado’s great outdoors.

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