How to Reduce No-Shows at Your Dental Office

Dentists know that no-shows at a dental practice will cost money and damage your dental office in the long run. Of course, last-minute emergencies do happen and there will inevitably be no-shows now and then. But you need to ask yourself what an acceptable no-show rate for your office will be. A successful practice, with the right programs in place, can have a no-show rate as low as 1%. 

Reducing No-Shows at Your Practice 

Below are a few programs to help you decrease no-shows in your office: 

• Create a sense of demand – Patients who miss appointments shouldn’t be rescheduled for a week or two. This gives the patients the impression that your dental practice is very busy and in high demand. Once they realize this, they’re less likely to pull a no-show again. 
• Have an effective confirmation process – In the past, a confirmation call was the best way to remind patients of their appointments. Most of these reminders were left as voicemails. Today it’s much more common to remind patients over email or text message. Confirm the appointment at two weeks, two days, and two hours prior to the appointment. 
• Threaten a monetary charge for no-shows – Lastly, if a dental patient misses two appointments in one year, it can be beneficial to let them know that there’s typically a missed-appointment fee of $100. Emphasize that you’ve decided to waive the fee this time. This monetary threat alone can be enough to end no-shows. 

All dentists have had no-shows in their dental offices. However, using the above strategies can help you decrease no-shows and increase the profitability and success of your dental practice. 

For more tips on how to reduce no-shows or for assistance with creating a successful dental practice, please contact CTC National. We are a dental consulting firm offering services from dental office management training to starting a new dental practice. One of our knowledgeable dental consultants can speak with you today!