Lee Sheldon, DMD is a periodontist practicing in Melbourne Florida. He also is the founder of the American Association of Independent Periodontists (AAIP), an organization dedicated to helping periodontists reach the general public with the message of how much they can help them with their complex dental needs.
Years ago, Dr. Sheldon switched his marketing to Gilleard to help him successfully transition to a direct-to-consumer practice as well as a referral practice. We created a custom website prominently featuring implants and full-teeth replacement that immediately did well. And to double up on Dr. Sheldon’s new patients, we created a custom magazine that he has been mailing out regularly for several years.
“I get a 13:1 ROI for the custom magazine, not including all the additional referrals I get.”
“Marketing is increasingly important for the periodontist. Patients need to know how to find us as the source for treatment planning of complex dental cases. And that’s what Gilleard Dental Marketing has done, brought patients to our office that need complex care.
“When I went to Gilleard I had a lot of experience in marketing myself: I’d had a website and had done different campaigns to bring patients in. When I went with Gilleard, I found that they were able to increase the number of patients that I got. Four times as many patients the first month I was with Gilleard.
“We started with the website and accompanying Google AdWords campaign. Such brings us 20-25 new patients every single month. We then added the sixteen-page magazine to provide additional marketing punch. The magazine is a great public relations as well as marketing piece. We are getting an additional 25-30 new patients from that magazine. I get a 13:1 ROI for the custom magazine, not including all the additional referrals I get.
“Periodontists, let’s remember who we are. We are diagnosticians first. We develop predictable treatment plans and work with restorative dentists as well as other specialists to produce long-lasting smiles and function. If you have the mindset that you want to see more patients who need and want the services that we provide, Gilleard can and will provide those patients to you.
“I recommend Gilleard very highly to you. They can create an innovative campaign that’ll make you look professional and will bring more patients into your office.”
Dr. Lee Sheldon
Magazine Program
In July 2020, Dr. Sheldon sent the following unsolicited testimonial, following his reopening after COVID-19
“Gilleard is the key tool for opening the pipeline of good patients who need my help.”
“One looks at a testimonial as a representation of experience with an organization. But one reading this does not know the breadth of experience of the writer of the testimonial. It is with this thought that I, an over-seven-year veteran of Gilleard Dental Marketing, write this unsolicited statement.
“So who am I? I am a periodontist in partnership with another periodontist and a general dentist. Some consider me to be a trailblazer, as I created a direct-to-patient practice as a periodontist. Some consider me to be a maverick, as I have discarded the fetters of the referral model to instead be in better control of the full dental outcomes of my patients. Some consider me to be a leader, as I have been invited to speak to state and national periodontal organizations all over the country. But you know what? I’m just like you. I want good patients. I want to treat them as well as I can. I want to support my family, my staff, and my community. And I want the confidence to know that I can control my practice. I want to have enough new patients to seek those goals. I want to have enough new patients to be able to say no to those that I don’t feel I can help.
“So it comes down to this. Does Gilleard help me to fulfill my goals? Yes. Can I turn on and regulate the new patient flow? Yes. And when I look at the investment that I make in Gilleard’s services, is it worth it? There’s not even a question. The magazine, the website, the Google advertising campaign, the layout, the copywriting, the market research, the helpfulness and collaboration when I need additional help, all make Gilleard a vital component of our practice. Gilleard is the key tool for opening the pipeline of good patients who need my help.”
Lee Sheldon, DMD
Melbourne, FL
Director of the Institute for Dental Specialists
