You’re Losing Patients and Don’t Even Know It

I have some bad news: you’re losing patients, and you might not even realize it. Patients have many opportunities to decide not to come to your practice before they ever walk in the door. There are probably about 10 different touchpoints a patient experiences with your practice before they meet you in person.

These touchpoints include:

• Referrals

• Your website

• Your neighborhood and office location

• Cleanliness of your office and surroundings

• Phone calls to your office

• Dental assistants or nurses

• Front desk administrative team

• Waiting room environment (smell, music, décor)

Each of these can influence whether a patient chooses your practice.

The Cost of Poor Customer Service

Did you know that 60% of patients leave a practice due to poor customer service? Another 40% leave because of dissatisfaction with a clinical team member. One of the most impactful areas you can address immediately is the telephone.

• 30% of practices miss phone calls

• More than 70% of calls are not answered by the second ring

• If a call isn’t picked up, only 14% of patients leave a message

• 75% of patients will never call back

This can result in over $100,000 of lost revenue per year for the average practice.

The Solution: Phone Etiquette and Accessibility

A phone etiquette training program is a practical solution. Ensure your phone is answered promptly, avoid phone trees, and provide a live person to handle calls.

In our practice, we have multiple administrative team members at the front desk to answer calls immediately. Phones are answered from 7:45 AM until 6:00 PM, and even later if needed. By doing this, we avoid putting patients on hold or sending calls to voicemail unnecessarily.

Why Timing and Attitude Matter

Patients don’t call a dental office to have fun—they’re often nervous, embarrassed, or concerned about cost and discomfort. The person answering the phone must:

• Be friendly and empathetic

• Make patients feel heard and cared for

• Avoid transferring them into complicated phone trees

Even small acts of courtesy, like smiling while on the phone, can make a significant difference.

A Real-World Example

I once had a restaurant reservation for 10 people. The restaurant called to cancel because they hadn’t tracked my update. Despite my persistence, the staff was unhelpful, and I ended up taking my business elsewhere. This cost the restaurant over $1,000 in revenue that evening, plus potential long-term losses from lost loyalty.

The lesson? One poorly handled interaction can result in lost revenue and trust—just like in a dental practice.

Coaching Your Team

It’s essential to train your team consistently. Celebrate their efforts and provide feedback rather than blame. Will Gadder, author of Unreasonable Hospitality, notes that most service teams benefit from 4–6 hours of training per week.

Tracking missed calls and coaching your staff to improve phone interactions is a small investment that pays off in patient satisfaction and retention.

The Impact on Your Practice

When your team is trained and friendly:

• Patients are happier

• No-shows decrease

• Your team enjoys a less stressful work environment

• Your practice becomes a place patients love to visit

Patients often compliment the team rather than the dentist, because the team is at the frontlines of service.

Final Takeaways

• Answer the phone promptly—never put patients on hold unnecessarily

• Eliminate phone trees whenever possible

• Train your team in phone etiquette and empathy

• Track missed calls and coach consistently

• Remember that small gestures build trust, loyalty, and long-term revenue

Be the gift. Answer the phone. Make your practice a place where patients feel valued from the very first call.