Printed Business Cards

It’s not often the dentist hands you the client a business card. Most of the time you found your dentist in the yellow pages or through the recommendation of a friend. This does not mean a stack of cards isn’t available at the office. The hope seems to be that you will pick a few up, put one on the fridge and hand the rest out to friends. But some dentists, especially children’s dentists should consider investing in two sets of cards.

Client cards and colleague cards may be very different for the dentist who specializes in children. The cute childish graphics, handprints and smiley faces may not convey the right impression at the next dental conference. A double set of cards makes sense for dentists who have to balance the professional and the personal side of their practice. Anxious mothers may be calmed by the smiling grinning teeth graphic on a business card whereas a fellow dentist who doesn’t specialize in treating children may feel such a card undermines the profession or makes the dentist in question seem less qualified or less professional.

Business cards say so much that is why choosing their look is so important.

Most dentist business cards have a white background or are printed on white cardstock. This could be to convey the whiteness of carefully looked after teeth or the crisp polished look of the professional occupation. Whichever it is, it seems to work. Dentists should avoid dark backgrounds or drab coloring. Sharp, crisp and bright sends the right kind of message.

Including the dental accreditation on the card adds that professional look. Office hours make a nice back side of the client card. A thick cardstock or even a magnetic business card works well for the dentist’s business card. Cream colors or anything that reminds the reader of dirty teeth should be avoided.

Like any card, the contact information should be clearly legible. For client cards, the child dentists can indulge their playful side and choose a fun font like Comic sans or Gisha and add clip art that is bright happy and childish. For associate or colleague cards a black embossed typeset on a heavy linen cardstock works well. Any clean line simple font works for this type of business card.

It’s not only dentists that may need a second set of business cards. Depending on an individual’s profession, the need for additional deigns may come in handy. Any professional should take time to reflect on the people they hand their cards to and see if they too may need a second “alter ego” set of business cards.

Filed under: Business Card Help, Design Tips on September 24th, 2009