Dental Patient Retention | Dental Practice Solutions

Reactivating Hygiene Patients for Dental Practice Growth

By: Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS

July 16, 2024

Every dental practice has patients who leave without scheduling a next appointment or haven’t booked an appointment in over 3 plus months. Despite your busy schedule, patient retention remains crucial for sustained success. With a targeted strategy for reactivating hygiene patients, you will bring patients back to your office, keep them on the schedule, and experience consistent dental practice growth.

There is an easier way to do hygiene patient reactivation than ever before. Hygiene patient reactivation does not need to be boring, time consuming or tedious. There are simple ways to automate this patient activation process. Every member of your team should be cross-trained to participate in this simple process.

Below, we’ll discuss essential steps and provide advice on managing this critical task with a simplified, proven way to keep patients on your schedule.

Active vs. Inactive Patients

Active patients are those who have received dental treatment within the last 18 months and are marked as active in your practice management software. Inactive patients, on the other hand, either haven’t had an appointment in the last 18 months and should be marked as inactive in your practice management software.

Tips and Advice on Dental Reactivation Campaigns

Patient reactivation is the process of bringing back unscheduled patients for treatment. Each successful reactivation not only boosts your practice’s production and profits but it’s an opportunity to build patient loyalty and keep your backdoor closed.

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s imperative that you have this hygiene patient reactivation system automated. The Smile Club is one system created many years ago proven to keep patients on your schedule.

The Importance of a System to Reactivate Overdue Hygiene Patients

It’s important to note that retaining existing patients is far more cost-effective than acquiring new patients. Marketing research shows that it can cost up to five times more to attract a new patient than to retain an existing one.

Initial Reactivation Efforts

Use practice management software to research inactive hygiene patients and patients with unscheduled restorative treatment
Begin by compiling a comprehensive list of patients who haven’t visited in the last 30 days to 24 months.
Dental Practice Solutions clients use a robust reactivation system to easily find unscheduled hygiene patients. Some hygiene patients also have unscheduled restorative treatment.
Triage the order in which you will contact these various patients.

Include details such as patient names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, insurance coverage, preferred contact methods, and the date of their last appointment.

*Register for our Hygiene Patient Reactivation Power hour and watch how we do this! During the power hour (Webinar) we will show you how to turbocharge your patient reactivation system.

5. Utilize Text Messages and Email

Rarely do people answer a phone call when they don’t recognize the phone number calling them. 90% of all text messages are responded to very quickly vs. a phone call or email.

Utilize text (SMS) messaging. Ensure that SMS messages are only sent to patients who have opted in for texting. Be sure that your SMS messaging system is HIPAA compliant and two-way communication is enabled.

6. Personalize Your Messaging

Tailor your communications based on factors like the length of inactivity, insurance coverage, and specific dental needs. Personalized messages with clear calls to action (CTAs) improve engagement rates.

Use no more than two sentences in a text message to patients. Make it a short sweet messaging and be sure it includes your office name and a phone number for a call back. Make it easy for patients to schedule their next hygiene appointment by offering a scheduling link.

7. Enhance Engagement with Interactive Content

Incorporate links to your online scheduling portal, website, and social media in your emails. Visuals like animations, infographics, and QR codes offering incentives can further increase patient response.

Check with your stateBOD legal marketing guidelines when sending SMS because many states have stiff penalties for various types of marketing SMS, they consider unethical.

8. Offer Unscheduled Patients an Incentive for Scheduling

Unfortunately, many patients thinks they have something better to do than sit in a dental chair.

Offer a special incentive, a carrot, and reward patients who keep their scheduled and pre-scheduled dental appointments.

One system that has proven to keep patients returning to their dental appointments and works well as an incentive to get patients back on the schedule is The Smile Club.

Keep Your Practice Thriving

At Dental Practice Solutions, we understand the importance of patient reactivation in maintaining dental practice growth. Alongside patient retention, are important factors such, as case acceptance and enhanced patient care services. Explore how our robust solutions will support your dental practice’s growth—book an opportunity call today!

One area of our expertise includes hygiene patient reactivation. Dental Practice Solutions ensures that your dental practice continues to grow and thrive with the creation of The Smile Club. This is an innovative way to support practice growth while keeping patients on your schedule.

Don’t overlook your dental practice growth potential by creating a system to reactive overdue hygiene patients. Reconnecting with them can significantly impact your dental practice’s success.

Be sure you register for our Hygiene Patient Reactivation Power Hour happening on Tuesday July 23rd at 5 PM Pacific. Twice, each month, we share important systems and steps you can take to boost profitability in your dental practice. Check back each month for our latest topics to grow your dental practice and without working so hard!

Change the Low Insurance Reimbursement and High Overhead Dilemma!

By: Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS

March 27, 2024

In the realm of dentistry, dental practice owners grapple with insurance reimbursement and high overhead costs. These hurdles can impede practice growth, hinder patient retention, and limit opportunities for expanding a dental business.

However, amidst these obstacles, a transformative solution emerges. It’s called The Smile Club. This innovative approach not only addresses these issues but also enhances patient loyalty, boosts cosmetic case acceptance, and fosters a thriving practice environment.

The Predicament: Low Insurance Reimbursement and High Overhead

Dental professionals frequently find themselves at the mercy of insurance companies, grappling with insufficient reimbursement rates for their services. Coupled with the ever-mounting overhead costs of running a practice—ranging from equipment maintenance to administrative expenses—dentists often face financial strain. These factors can jeopardize the sustainability of their practices and compromise the quality of care they provide.

The Smile Club: A Game-Changer

The Smile Club is a paradigm shift in how we deliver dental care. We should no longer rely on traditional insurance models, The Smile Club offers patients a membership-based approach to accept dental care. By enrolling patients into The Smile Club, patients gain access to a range of benefits tailored to their oral health needs, including discounted services, priority scheduling, and exclusive perks.

Empowering New Patient Appointments

One of the most significant advantages of The Smile Club is its ability to attract new patients to your dental practice. By offering a transparent and cost-effective alternative to traditional insurance, The Smile Club appeals to patients seeking comprehensive dental care without the constraints of insurance limitations.

The allure of priority scheduling incentivizes prospective patients to schedule appointments, keep their scheduled appointments and boost practice growth.

Enhance Patient Retention

Beyond attracting new patients, The Smile Club also plays a pivotal role in retaining existing patients. The Smile Club has an emphasis on personalized care and member benefits that helps patients feel valued and invested in their total health. The membership-loyalty program o ensures that patients receive timely and convenient appointments, fostering a sense of loyalty to the practice.

Boost Cosmetic Case Acceptance

Cosmetic dentistry represents a lucrative avenue for dental practices, yet many patients hesitate to pursue such treatments due to cost concerns. The Smile Club eliminates this barrier by offering discounted cosmetic services as part of its membership benefits. This not only encourages patients to explore cosmetic treatments but also enhances case acceptance rates, thereby augmenting practice revenue.

The Smile Club is a turn-key system for practice growth with personalized on-boarding for the dental practice to jump start their growth boosting cosmetic cases, growing new patient numbers and putting a halt to numerous open holes in the appointment schedule.

Imagine the cost to hire a consultant to help your practice grow. The Smile Club offers personalized implementation for each dental practice and includes a web portal of marketing, learning videos (think about training for your team about case acceptance and enhancing hygiene patient care) and implementation guides, scripts, etc, at your fingertips.

When you use The Smile Club you have a consultant at your service without the cost of more than your Smile Club purchase. A low-cost investment that will yield over 100k annually.

That is no exaggeration!

Foster Patient Loyalty

The Smile Club is more than just a membership program—it’s a catalyst that builds lasting patient relationships. By prioritizing patient needs and offering tangible benefits, dental practices cultivate a loyal patient base invested in their long-term oral health.

This type of patient loyalty extends beyond a financial transaction by fostering a sense of trust and partnership between patients and dental clinicians.

Conclusion: The Smile Club—Empowers the dental team, it changes the anxiety and bad connotation around dental appointments into a situation where patients enjoy seeing their dentist and the dental team!. The Smile Enriches the Lives of Your Patients creating a WIN-WIN for all! The Smile Club BOOSTS Patient-Centered Care. It’s the next level of patient care like your patients have never experienced!

“IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PATIENT!”

In the face of low insurance reimbursement and soaring overhead costs, dental professionals are embracing innovative solutions to thrive in an evolving landscape. The Smile Club represents a beacon of hope—a holistic approach to dental care that transcends conventional insurance models.

The Smile Club will attract new patients and retain your existing patients; insurance PPO or not! The Smile Club will boost cosmetic case acceptance, and foster patient loyalty, The Smile Club heralds a new era of dental excellence. As dental practices across the globe embrace this transformative model, they not only secure their financial viability but also enrich the lives of those they serve, one smile at a time.

The Smile Club means less insurance dependence!

The Smile Club cultivates the next level of patient-centered care.

When you ask your patients what they want for their smile, you notice that your case acceptance improves dramatically. Understand what your patients want their smile to look like and you will have more patients say “yes!” to your care!

Join our Monthly Power Hour and learn more about this innovative approach to grow your dental practice NOW!

And/Or schedule a demo Today and learn more about using The Smile Club for your dental practice growth!

Dental Hygiene Patient Reactivation Simplified

By: Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS

February 1, 2024

Reactivating patients is essential for building a thriving patient base and maintaining an effective hygiene program. A significant number of patients will inevitably lapse from their regular appointments, making it imperative to reactivate them for preventive care.

Dental Practice Solutions has worked with dental offices for over 20 years to get patients back on their schedule. The *Smile Club strategy has equipped thousands of dental offices with a cost-effective strategy to acquire new patients and re-engage patients who are overdue for their hygiene appointments or inactive.

Reactivating unscheduled hygiene patients is akin to acquiring new patients, and sometimes even better, given their existing trust in your dental practice.

Reactivation efforts often face hurdles:

Only 10% of emails receive attention.
Postcards often end up discarded.
People tend to ignore calls from unfamiliar numbers.

How can you effectively reconnect with unscheduled patients?

How can you prompt patients to respond to your emails, answer your calls, or engage with text messsage you send?

One Tip:

Utilize text messaging (SMS) automation, also known as “digital reactivation,” to reach hundreds or thousands of patients with the push of a button on your computer patient engagement software.

It’s a fact that over 90% of adults keep their mobile phones nearby at all times, and 98% of text messages reach their intended recipients. Moreover, 90% of these messages are read within three minutes of receipt.

Digital reactivation complements your existing reactivation methods. Integrate text messaging into your patient reactivation strategy.

If you don’t have a reactivation program yet, consider joining one of our monthly Power Hours which you can attend virtually by registering and using a ZOOM link. (see below information to get the registration link). By adopting the reactivation program we created many years ago called *The Smile Club and incorporating digital reactivation tips, you will yield positive outcomes. Less patients go MIA.

Many dental practices leveraging digital reactivation and *The Smile Club system have welcomed back up to 90 patients per month through this proven system. Set a goal to reactivate at least 20 overdue hygiene patients each week.

Simple and effective tips for digital reactivation.

Use HIPAA Compliant Software:

For digital reactivation, opt for a HIPAA compliant software separate from your dental and two-way texting platforms.

Craft Offers and Text Messages:

Experiment with different campaigns and messages to gauge effectiveness. Offer incentives and create urgency to prompt action.
*The Smile Club (patient incentive system) has proven for many years to be beneficial in reactivating overdue hygiene patients.
*Read below to find out more about The Smile Club

Personalize Your Message:

Personalize messages with the patient’s name and include your practice name. Choose a sender (A real person’s name): a team member, hygienist, or the doctor- owner, to enhance engagement and track your responses to messages you send.

Implementation:

Designate someone within your dental practice to oversee hygiene patient reactivation. This means your patients are more likely to be scheduled for future hygiene appointments.

By implementing these strategies, you can enhance your reactivation process and foster patient retention.

Book a call to learn more about *The Smile Club and patient reactivation. *The Smile Club also grows new patient numbers and grows cosmetic case acceptance.

Call us to learn more: 623-252-1941. Or drop us a quick note.

Explore methods for attracting and retaining high-quality patients. Consider attending one of our Power Hours each month.

Grab a free resource and you will be on our list to be notified when we have our next Power Hour.

Click and Grab a Resource Here.

*The Smile Club. Would you like to learn more about our Patient Rewards, Reactivation System using The Smile Club? Book a quick call and we will show you how it works.

Dental Patient Loyalty: Leveraging Your Existing Patients for Dental Practice Growth

By: Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS

January 8, 2024

In the ever-evolving landscape of the dental industry, where competition is fierce and overhead costs continue to rise, finding innovative ways to grow your practice without breaking the bank is essential.

One often-overlooked strategy is to harness the potential of your existing patients, transforming them into loyal advocates and referral sources. By focusing on patient satisfaction, building trust, and utilizing routine dental hygiene appointments, you can not only retain your current patient base but also turn them into invaluable assets for the growth of your dental practice.

The cornerstone of patient loyalty lies in the quality of service provided. Exceptional dental care is not just about fixing teeth; it’s about creating an experience that exceeds expectations.

From the moment a patient walks through the door to the time they leave, every interaction should be marked by professionalism, empathy, and a commitment to their well-being. A satisfied patient is not only more likely to return but is also more inclined to share their positive experience with others.

One integral aspect of dental care that plays a pivotal role in patient satisfaction is the dental hygiene appointment. Regular preventive care appointments with the dental hygienist are not just about cleaning teeth; they are an opportunity to establish a strong connection with the patient.

Most patients visit their hygienist at least twice a year, providing a consistent touchpoint for building trust and rapport. During these appointments, hygienists can assess for any abnormalities and prevent disease.

This is a perfect time to educate patients on oral health and the relationship it plays in our total health. This is a time to ask about the patient’s smile goals. It’s a time to address the patient’s concerns, and reinforce the importance of routine preventive care.

To leverage the dental hygiene appointment for practice growth, it’s crucial to enhance the patient experience during these routine preventive care visits. Creating a comfortable and welcoming environment, personalized care plans, and effective communication can go a long way in making these appointments memorable.

When patients leave with a positive impression, they are more likely to view their entire dental experience in a favorable light.

Follow-up communication is another key component in solidifying patient loyalty. This can include monthly emails, phone calls when patients have unscheduled hygiene appointments and restorative care.

It’s also helpful to engage with your patients through social media; Facebook and Instagram posts. Use this as a way to show how much you value their well-being beyond sitting in your dental chair. Use these methods and patient engagement systems (Examples: NexHealth, SolutionReach, etc.) to gather feedback, share special information about your office, and express gratitude for their continued trust in your dental practice.

Sending birthday messages via videos (Ask us how to create one video you can send via text/email to all patients) and email is a great way to WOW your patients! This is a secret tip that is proven to have a lot of new patients call and schedule. Book a quick call below and I’ll tell you how to quickly create this.

Building a referral system is a natural progression from satisfied and loyal patients. Encourage your patients to refer friends, family, and colleagues by emphasizing the benefits of your practice. Using the Smile Club, loyalty program is a great way to create buzz around your dental office. Word-of-mouth recommendations carry significant weight in the dental industry, as potential patients often rely on the experiences of those they trust.

Consider implementing a referral program that rewards both the existing client and the referred patient. This can range from discounts on future treatments to small tokens of appreciation. By incentivizing referrals, you not only express gratitude to your loyal clients but also motivate them to actively promote your practice.

In conclusion, leveraging your existing patients is a cost-effective and powerful strategy for growing your dental practice. By prioritizing patient satisfaction, focusing on the value of dental hygiene appointments, and implementing a robust follow-up and referral system, you can create a thriving practice that not only retains its current patients but also expands its reach through the positive experiences of satisfied patients.

Remember, the key to sustainable growth lies in the relationships you build with your patients – turning them into loyal advocates who contribute to the success of your dental practice.

Book a call and ask us about The Smile Club Loyalty Program.

Developing a Comprehensive Dental Recall System for Improved Patient Retention

By: Debbie Seidel-Bittke, RDH, BS

June 21, 2023

In the ever-evolving landscape of dentistry, patient retention is crucial for a thriving dental practice. One effective way to boost patient retention is by developing a comprehensive dental recall system. This system ensures that patients receive timely reminders and follow-ups for their appointments, leading to improved oral health outcomes and increased loyalty.

June, the half-way point of the year presents a great opportunity to focus on the reactivation of overdue hygiene patients. Let’s explore how leveraging patients’ insurance benefits can strengthen your recall system and improve patient retention.

Understand the Importance of a Strategic Recare System: A recall system serves as the backbone of patient retention in dental practices. It facilitates regular communication between the practice and patients, ensuring they are aware of upcoming appointments, preventive treatments, and oral health check-ups.
Leverage Expiration of Insurance Benefits: The month of June marks a prime opportunity to focus on the reactivation of overdue hygiene patients. Incorporate this aspect into your recall system by emailing patients about their unused insurance benefits and the importance of utilizing them before they reset in the new year.

Various patient engagement systems have email templates you can easily use and begin emailing to your patients, especially those who have insurance benefits and they have not used them this year.

Highlight the potential cost savings for preventive care vs. treating disease. Emphasize the value of maintaining optimal oral health while maximizing insurance coverage.

Designing an Effective Recall Process: To develop an efficient recall system during this time of year, it’s important to adapt your strategies accordingly. Identify the patients who are overdue for hygiene appointments and segment them into separate lists according to:

Patients due today up to 6 months ago
Over 6 months ago to 9 months ago
Over 9 months ago to 12 months ago
Over 12 months to 18 months ago

Begin with the patients who are due today up to six months ago. These are the patients to focus on 1^st and try to get them on the schedule asap. Then work your way in descending order.

Craft personalized messages that address their specific insurance benefit expiration, emphasizing their limited time remaining to use their insurance benefits.

Utilize dental your practice management software or a patient engagement system such as NexHealth to automate the recall process and ensure consistent with timely communication.

Schedule this task every day. Plan to have dedicated time to implement your recall system. Establish a daily and monthly goal for reactivating overdue hygiene patients. Start with possibly reactivating no less than five overdue hygiene patients every day.

In addition, June is a time to begin contacting patients with outstanding treatment.

Set a goal to get the patients with outstanding treatment on the schedule. This is when it works well to assess in your software who is overdue for a hygiene appointment and also has outstanding treatment.

Contact these specific patients and schedule them for a hygiene appointment with an exam to reassess the restorative care needed. You never know if the simple filling is now a crown or worse, infection that needs a root canal. Not likely but it can happen and your message is about saving patients money because “Prevention costs a little money but treating disease and infection costs a lot of money!”

Implement Multiple Communication Channels: Diverse communication channels play a critical role in the success of your recall system. Utilize a combination of phone calls, text messages, emails, and voicemails to reach out to patients.

Every time your patient completes a health history be sure to ask and update their preferred mode of communication, increasing engagement and response rates. When highlighting the expiration of insurance benefits, make sure to clearly explain the potential consequences of unused benefits and of primary importance is to encourage patients to schedule their overdue hygiene appointments promptly.

Track and Analyze Recall Success: To ensure the effectiveness of your recall system, tracking and analysis are essential. Monitor key performance indicators such as appointment retention rates, look at and track the number of patients who cancel an appointment last minute and track no-shows. You should assign a code in your practice management software so you can monitor and analyze these important metrics.

Also track and analyze your response rate when reactivating patients. Use this data to evaluate the success of your efforts to reactivate patients; how well or poorly your efforts are working to keep patients on the schedule, reducing last minute cancellations and no-shows.

Once you track and look at your metrics only now can you make necessary adjustments. Regularly assess the performance of the recall system to identify areas for improvement and refine your strategies accordingly.

If you need help with these systems always consider speaking to an expert. For many years Dental Practice Solutions has supported dental practices with their recall system and reducing cancellations.

Schedule a quick chat to see how we can help you optimize these systems. Click the Calendar Link

Conclusion:

June presents a unique opportunity to focus on the reactivation of overdue hygiene patients. You have dozens, maybe a hundred patients who have not seen the hygienist this year. They have insurance benefits that will expire in 6 months.

How can you help these patients use their benefit and save them money on treating disease? Your message to these patients must be that you want to help them use their benefits and avoid costly dental care. Say to patients, “Our office is on a mission to help our patients prevent disease. Prevention may cost a little money but treating disease costs a lot of money. We look forward to seeing you for your preventive care appointment!”

By incorporating these strategies into your recall system, you can increase patient retention, improve oral health outcomes, and maximize the utilization of your patient’s available insurance benefits.