A new surgical center just opened in Glen Rock, New Jersey, and the healthcare world should pay attention.

The Institute for Advanced Reconstruction and The Plastic Surgery Center built a 6,800-square-foot facility that combines reconstructive and cosmetic surgery with something they call “high-end hospitality.” Separate arrival and exit paths for patient privacy. Interior design by a New York firm. Wellness services you’d expect at a spa, not a surgical center.

I’ve spent years bringing hospitality principles into orthodontic practices. This surgical center proves what I already know.

The patient experience gap costs practices hundreds of thousands in annual revenue.

Healthcare Borrowed From the Wrong Industry

Most medical and dental practices operate like factories. Efficient. Clinical. Sterile.

The problem is that patients are consumers now. They compare practices online. They read reviews. They switch providers based on how they feel, not just the care they receive.

Research shows hospitals with excellent patient ratings had an average net margin of 4.7%, compared to 1.8% for those with low ratings. The patient experience directly impacts profitability.

Orthodontic practices face the same reality. The typical patient has 2.5 initial consultations before committing. They shop around. They want to make sure they get a good return on investment.

Your clinical skills get them in the door. Your hospitality gets them to say yes.

What Hospitality Actually Means in Healthcare

Hospitality is not about fancy furniture or expensive art.

It’s about making people feel confident in their decision to choose you.

The Glen Rock surgical center understands this. Separate entrance and exit paths mean patients never feel exposed during vulnerable moments. That’s hospitality thinking applied to healthcare design.

In orthodontic practices, hospitality shows up differently. It’s the Treatment Coordinator who asks questions and listens instead of presenting a scripted pitch. It’s remembering what the patient said matters to them. It’s building trust before discussing money.

Studies found that even small acts of hospitality altered patient outcomes. Hotel-like hospital rooms and services positively influenced patients’ perceived well-being. Compassionate care and empathy lead to positive health effects.

The data backs this up. A 2020 survey of 58 hospitals reported that patient experience was the number one differentiator to attract and retain patients. Satisfied patients become advocates. 68% of patients will recommend their healthcare provider to others.

The Orthodontic Application

I work with two distinct practice types: start-ups who want to get off the ground fast and do things right from day one, and established practices stuck or plateaued at industry average (50% conversion).

The practices that implement hospitality-focused approaches see conversion rates jump to 75% or higher. Same-day starts increase by 20-30 points within 90 days. And 5-star reviews skyrocket.

The shift happens when practices realize their consultations are transactional (from the patient’s perspective). I meet teams every day that believe they’re doing a great job by following the format, processes, and wording they were trained on. The script gives them confidence and structure. But that same script limits relationship building and sabotages conversion.

Most practices genuinely believe they’re delivering a great experience that should impress people. The disconnect is the problem. They’re checking boxes when they should be building connections.

I solve this by infusing strategic hospitality into the patient experience and sales journey. Your Treatment Coordinator becomes the bridge between curiosity and patient confidence. They need to operate as hospitality professionals who happen to work in orthodontics.

This means training them in consultation skills, communication phycology, and sales confidence. Teaching them to ask questions that invite patient sharing. Showing them how asking questions earns trust faster than speaking.

Trust must occur before financial discussions.

Why This Matters Now

Healthcare consumerism changed everything. Patients can compare practices instantly. They share feedback online. They make decisions based on the entire experience, not just the treatment plan.

The orthodontic industry faces a trust gap that nobody discusses. Patients want to feel heard. They want to feel confident. They want to know you understand what matters to them.

I saw this play out recently with one of my adult-predominant, fee-for-service practices. They hosted a 4th opinion consultation. The patient same-day started after telling the Treatment Coordinator they were the first practice that took the time to understand her and explore options based on what she wanted and her lifestyle.

Their fee was $1,500 over her previous top choice. She didn’t ask for a discount or challenge the fee.

This is the power of hospitality in action. The Question-Focused Consultation™ and Behavioral Hospitality™ are the key proprietary methodologies of RiseUP Coaching’s Conversion Alignment System™. They transform practices from transactional into relational, naturally boosting conversion while creating more authentic connections and raving fans from day one.

The surgical center in Glen Rock gets this. They built their entire facility around the patient experience. They recognized that emotional and environmental experiences are critical to patient engagement, confidence, and healing.

ChristianaCare Health System partnered with the University of Delaware’s Hospitality program to create a Patient Experience Academy. They trained nearly 1,000 participants in hospitality principles including managing expectations, service recovery, and the power of listening and empathy.

Their mission was to make healthcare truly hospitable.

The Bottom Line

The Glen Rock surgical center represents a trend that orthodontic practices need to embrace.

Hospitality principles work in healthcare because they address what patients actually want. They want to feel valued. They want to feel confident in their decision. They want to trust the people caring for them.

You can have the best clinical skills in your market. You can offer the latest technology. You can have competitive pricing.

But if your patient experience feels transactional instead of relational, you lose patients to practices that make them feel something different.

The practices that win prioritize trust and values alignment, even in a challenged economy. Consumers will invest in orthodontic services when they feel confident about their return on investment.

Your new patient experience controls your conversion rate.

The surgical center in Glen Rock proves that healthcare facilities willing to borrow from hospitality see transformative results. The same principles apply to orthodontic practices.

Start with your consultation process. Train your Treatment Coordinators in hospitality principles. Build trust before discussing treatment plans. Make every interaction about the patient, not about your practice.

The data shows it works. The results prove it matters. The only question is whether you’ll implement it before your competition does.