Of Fish Tanks and Digital Engagement in the Dental Office

When we walk into our dentists’ office most of us check-in at the reception desk, hopefully exchange pleasantries with the receptionist or scheduling coordinator, then we take a seat…and wait.

While nano-thin televisions, gossip mags, and Muzak are great; couldn’t we be doing something better with that time?

In the age of social local mobile digital connectivity we have options, but we need to press our dentists for results!

Most dentists feel a fish tank in the office is relaxing to patients, we agree. What most dentists don’t know is that the time we spend in the reception area (who likes ‘waiting rooms?’) can be more constructively used to educate us as well as entertain.

How are we supposed to know that our dentist actually has a product to alleviate numbness before we’re even out of the office and on our phone yapping away like Bill Cosby?

Our dentists can inform and educate us on all things optimal oral health, but we also need to heed the call.

If you had the choice would you reach for the iPad2®, Xoom®, PlayBook®, OR the latest issue of People Magazine?

Or maybe you’d just rather stare at the fish tank?

Enquiring minds want to know…

Would a more digitally receptive, socially communicable (poor choice of words?), and locally identifiable reception area experience possibly enhance your next dental appointment?

Just think of the possibilities, we could not only peruse the news waiting for our thrice yearly cleaning, check-up, or exam. We could also use that time to connect with other local businesses around the dental office. Some of which we probably already patronize.

When is good enough not good enough when it comes to our dental reception area experience?

Maybe after that teeth cleaning we go get a Dairy Queen® milkshake.

And before we even get in the dental chair we’ve checked in on Foursquare or Facebook Places to grab a nice little dental discount reward for that milkshake!

We don’t know about you, but DQ makes a mean milkshake.

Maybe we’ve identified more questions than answers with this in-depth examination of human dental reception area behaviors, but as patterns and trends continue to come into focus we can work together toward reception area activity evolution.

Only together, with our dentists, can we shed some light on the social local mobile digital entertainment and education options available before our next appointment.

What would you like to see in your dental office reception area?

Would a cotton candy machine be asking too much?