Pro-Craft Dental Laboratory - July 2024

ANTIQUITY — MAKING A COMEBACK There’s a reason movie theater popcorn doesn't come with a popcorn spoon and your favorite burger joint doesn’t offer sporks; some food is meant to be eaten with your hands. While most sit-down meals will always be the domain of the cutlery-wielding elite, finger food isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and if history has any say, it never will.

The Evolution of Dining Etiquette FROM FINGERS TO FORKS

Have you ever feasted on chicken wings, your hands stained with barbecue sauce, and thought, Why don’t we just eat everything like this? As it turns out, we did — people only started eating their meals with cutlery fairly recently. Many cultures around the world still eat primarily with their hands. So, why are placemats adorned with forks, spoons, and knives commonplace today? To find out, we have to get our hands dirty — because the history of cutlery, much like the history of civilization, is complex, nuanced, and full of gossip. BIG SPOON LITTLE SPOON Perhaps unsurprisingly, spoons are the oldest examples of cutlery people used consistently for millennia. After all, what good is a fine pot of communal soup without a spoon to eat it with? Likewise, knives have always been used to cut up meat and prepare our meals, but only the advent Today, social media is everywhere. We carry it in our pockets and laptops and can access it from pretty much anywhere. For dental practices, having a strong online presence is key. Social media marketing offers a powerful way to reach potential patients, engage with your current ones, and build a reputable brand. Let’s take a look at how to leverage social media to enhance your dental practice's online presence! UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE Identify who your patients are, what they care about, and where they spend their time online. How to Leverage Social Media for Success Boost Your Dental Practice

of individualized meals rather than buffet-style brought along the advent of dinner knives.

Forks, however, are an altogether newer invention. Although large serving forks can be traced as far back as Ancient Egypt, the individual, smaller version has its roots in the Byzantine Empire. Around one thousand years ago, the Byzantine noblewoman Theodora Doukaina brought a golden fork to her wedding feast in Venice. It became quite controversial among the Italians, with many shunning the novel tool as posh and overly decadent. However, as royals began to intermarry, the fork gradually caught on. Royals increasingly ate with cutlery and became weary of dirtying their hands with their food. By the 1800s, cutlery was widespread in the Western world, and today, most people and establishments serve meals with silverware! Are they on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn? Each platform caters to different demographics and interests, so it’s important to tailor your approach accordingly. CREATE ENGAGING CONTENT Create engaging, informative, and relevant content for your audience. Share tips on oral hygiene, showcase before-and-after photos of dental procedures (with patient consent), and post updates about your practice. POST CONSISTENTLY Develop a content calendar to hold yourself accountable and encourage regular posting. Aim to post at least a few times a week, but don’t overwhelm your followers with too much content. Remember: The key is always quality over quantity! ENGAGE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE Engage with your audience by responding to comments, answering questions, and acknowledging feedback. This interaction builds trust, helps humanize your practice, and makes your patients feel valued and heard.

UTILIZE PAID ADVERTISING Use targeted ads to promote special offers and new services or attract new patients. Paid ads can be tailored to specific demographics, locations, and interests to make sure your efforts are reaching the intended audience. LEVERAGE ANALYTICS Most social media platforms provide analytics tools that offer insights into how your content is performing. Monitor these metrics to understand what types of posts resonate with your audience. Use this data to refine your strategy and focus more on what works and less on what doesn’t. ENCOURAGE REVIEWS AND TESTIMONIALS Encourage your happy patients to leave reviews on your social media pages and other platforms, such as Google and Yelp. Highlight these positive reviews on your social media to build credibility and attract new patients. In today’s digital age, you can get left behind if you don’t build a strong online presence! While it may take time and effort, using social media to enhance your dental practice’s reach is key — it’s all about how you utilize it!

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