The Centre, with which LCM has worked since the start of 2005, carries out dental procedures such as tooth replacements, root canal treatments, dental surgery, gum treatments, teeth straightening and whitening. Some patients approach the centre directly, although most are referred by their general practice dentist; which is similar to when a GP doctor refers a patient to a more specialised medical consultant.

"Nothing is ever a problem to LCM. They are always finding solutions. There are never any problems. We are absolutely delighted." Michael says.

This dynamism came as a pleasant surprise, having previously used an agency based outside the area. "Before, we felt we were doing the work of coming up with ideas."

"LCM helps with public relations and monitoring our marketing activities to measure their effectiveness. They also help with design and with our Website as well as providing ideas and brainstorming, and devising our overall marketing strategy. It really is great support," says Michael. A specialist dentistry business employing just 31 people cannot expect to have such capabilities in house, he says.

"It is also very useful to have a marketing agency which is local, because they have very good contacts with the local press and radio. They know what works. And they also know all about local as well as national business awards and business networks," says Michael.

LCM's first task was to find out what misunderstandings about the Centre might be out there. "The crucial one we identified in our research was a fear among general dentists that the Centre might steal their patients," says LCM account manager Vicky Wilson. "Having discovered this we focussed on explaining to dentists that the Centre is there to work with them to give their patients the most up to date specialist treatments available in the UK."

Crucially this message is clearly expressed in the centre's strapline, "For you and your dentist", which LCM helped devise. But a good strapline alone is not enough to make sure the truth is universally understood. "You can't guarantee every dentist or patient will consume every message to them. So there is no better way to convey a message than to say it over and over again," says Vicky.

LCM's strategy, therefore, involved reinforcing what it was trying to say by revamping the Centre's online and offline literature, a vigorous public relations and a radio advertising campaign. Outside the media, LCM devised open days and evenings for dentists and members of the public. "The Centre has a very impressive site," says Vicky "and the events help realise the value of this asset."

Under LCM's direction, the Centre also produced a DVD to introducing dentists unfamiliar with its work to its services and people. To help do so it included clips of referring dentists describing their satisfaction with the referrals they have made. Clips of the Centre's team members were also included on the Centre's web site. "Dentists will understandably only refer to specialists they have met, and who they trust, but they can't easily find the spare time to come and vet our specialists," says Vicky. "So this way, we take the specialists to them."

So what was the outcome of all this activity? In financial terms it is clear: the turnover of the Centre has doubled since it opened in 2004, according to Michael, with this rise buoyed by a large increase in the number of referrals received. The Centre's excellence has also been recognised by the dental community who awarded it Best Specialist

Referral Practice category at the Private Dentistry Awards 2006.

Working closely with clients like the Wessex Specialist Dental Centre is a rewarding way to work for members of the LCM team to work too. "The best thing about working with the Wessex Specialist Dental Centre is that they see me as part of their team," says Vicky.