How to Retain and Reactivate Patients

Acquiring new patients is important, but retaining and reactivating existing ones is often more profitable and more cost-effective. Studies show that it costs 5 to 7 times more to attract a new patient than to retain an existing one. In fact, boosting patient retention rates by even 5% can lead to a 25%–95% increase in profits.

Retention ensures a steady stream of recurring revenue through routine care, hygiene visits, and long-term treatment planning. Reactivating inactive patients reopens the door to unfinished treatment and overdue checkups.

By strengthening your patient recall and reactivation systems, you create a self-sustaining engine of loyalty, trust, and ongoing care, all of which contribute significantly toward increasing your dental practice revenue by 50%.

Build a Robust Patient Recall System

A recall system ensures that patients return for routine care, preventive services, and follow-ups. Many practices lose revenue simply because patients fall through the cracks after their initial treatment.

1. Pre-Schedule Every Next Visit

Before a patient leaves the office, your team should schedule their next hygiene visit — every time.

• Train hygienists and front desk staff to say:
  “Let’s go ahead and schedule your next cleaning so you stay on track — we can always adjust it later if needed.”
• Use practice management software to set 3-, 4-, or 6-month intervals, depending on periodontal needs.

Best-in-class practices pre-schedule 85%+ of their hygiene appointments at checkout.

2. Automate Recall Reminders

Use systems like YAPI, Lighthouse 360, RevenueWell, Weave, or Solutionreach to:

• Send text/email/phone reminders for upcoming hygiene or overdue visits
• Trigger custom messages based on last visit date
• Allow patients to reschedule directly from messages

This automation fills your calendar without burdening your team.

Stat: Practices with automated recall see up to 25% more hygiene appointments annually.

Keep Patients Loyal Through Experience

Loyalty is built through trust, relationships, and consistent quality — not just cleanings.

1. Deliver a Memorable Patient Experience

• Personalize each visit: Know their names, preferences, family details.
• Stay on schedule — patients value time as much as quality.
• Use comfort amenities: neck pillows, TVs, music, aromatherapy.
• Offer small gifts: a branded toothbrush, lip balm, or referral reward.

Patients who feel cared for are less likely to leave — and more likely to refer friends and family.

2. Communicate Between Visits

Stay top-of-mind with:

• Educational emails or newsletters
• Birthday or holiday messages
• Occasional “we miss you” notes
• Social media engagement

This builds a sense of relationship, not just transaction.

Implement a Patient Loyalty or Referral Program

Patients who refer others or return regularly deserve recognition.

1. Referral Incentives

Offer small rewards for referring new patients, such as:

• $25 credit toward future treatment
• Free whitening or gift card
• Entry into a quarterly prize drawing

Promote the program with signage, email banners, and reminders at checkout.

Note: Always check with your local dental board for guidelines on referral incentives.

2. Loyalty Perks

Create simple loyalty programs, especially for patients not on insurance:

• A free fluoride treatment every 5th cleaning
• VIP early appointment access
• Recognition as a “loyal patient” in communications

These little touches make a big difference in retention.

Reactivate Inactive Patients

Your database likely contains hundreds or thousands of inactive patients. These people already know you and likely just need a gentle nudge to return.

1. Run an Inactive Patient Report

Use your software to identify patients who:

• Haven’t been in for 6, 12, or 18+ months
• Have outstanding treatment plans
• Skipped a hygiene visit or two

Segment them by last visit date, age, or treatment status to tailor your outreach.

2. Launch a Reactivation Campaign

Use multi-channel outreach to reconnect:

• Email:
  Subject: “Let’s Catch Up – Your Smile Misses You!”
  Include a personal tone and a link to book online.
• Text message:
  “Hi [First Name], it’s been a while! We’d love to see you again. Let’s get you scheduled for a cleaning. Text or call us at [Number].”
• Phone call:
  Friendly, no-pressure calls work best in the evening. Include a script for front desk staff.
• Postcards:
  Especially effective for patients who aren’t responsive digitally.

Pro Tip: Offer a time-limited incentive like:
“Book by [date] and receive a free fluoride treatment or $50 toward treatment.”

3. Track Campaign Results

Monitor:

• Response rate by outreach method
• Conversion rate to scheduled appointments
• Revenue generated from reactivated patients

This helps you refine future efforts and justify continued investment.

Prevent Future Attrition with Smart Follow-Up

Once a patient reactivates, make it easy for them to stay consistent:

• Enroll them in your recall system immediately.
• Reschedule their next visit before they leave.
• Discuss long-term oral health planning, not just one-time care.

Additionally, keep an eye out for patients who are at risk of attrition, such as:

• Missed more than one hygiene appointment
• Recently had a bad experience (negative feedback, complaint)
• Have not accepted any treatment in over a year

Use personalized follow-up to retain them:

• “We noticed you missed your last appointment — is there anything we can do to help?”
• “We really value you as a patient and want to make sure we’re supporting your dental health in a way that works for you.”

Build a Culture of Retention

Retention isn’t just about software and systems — it’s a mindset.

Team Training Tips:

• Everyone on your team should be trained to emphasize ongoing care.
• Hygienists and assistants should reinforce the importance of follow-up treatment during each visit.
• Reception should schedule return visits, not ask “Would you like to schedule?” — assume the visit is happening and make it easy.

Script Example:
“Let’s go ahead and get your next visit on the calendar now so you get the best time slot. We’ll send reminders, and you can always reschedule if needed.”

Set Goals and Celebrate Wins:

• Track monthly retention rates and reactivations.
• Set goals for the hygiene team to maintain or improve recall effectiveness.
• Celebrate milestones — like “100 patients reactivated this quarter” — with small rewards or shoutouts.

Measure What Matters

To maximize revenue, track these key retention metrics:

Review these numbers monthly and build accountability into team meetings.

Loyal Patients Are Your Hidden Goldmine

Retention and reactivation are the foundation of sustainable dental practice growth. You don’t need to chase new leads constantly if you’re maximizing the lifetime value of every patient who already trusts you.

By implementing strong recall systems, building exceptional patient experiences, launching strategic reactivation campaigns, and fostering a culture of loyalty,  you’ll drive significant revenue growth without spending heavily on marketing or expanding hours.

A strong retention strategy can easily boost practice revenue by 20–30% or more on its own, a vital step toward achieving your 50% growth target.