Missed appointments are a fact of life for most dental practices, but they can be devastating to smaller practices and a hindrance to more established ones. A recent survey estimates that over 30% of patients don’t make their healthcare appointments, leading to almost $150 billion in annual losses over the entire sector. 

Practices have developed plenty of strategies to deal with no-shows, including wait lists, written cancellation policies, and reminder calls. These manual strategies require extensive resources to be successful but lend themselves extremely well to automation. 

What Are Automated Appointment Reminders?

Automated appointment reminders replace the traditional practice of making phone calls to patients a few days before their scheduled consultation. These calls let patients confirm their availability while also reminding forgetful clients about their next appointment. Automating the process using a specialized patient manager lets practices send out reminders at set times without any manual intervention.

High-end dental appointment reminder software, such as what we offer at Dental Intelligence, even allows clients to choose how they receive patient reminders — text messages or email reminders. Combined with online booking systems, this software enhances patient communications and frees up valuable resources that help your practice grow.

The Benefits of Automated Appointment Reminders

Some practices are reluctant to implement new platforms, but automated appointment reminders are relatively simple to implement and offer an impressive rate of return. They offer many benefits that make them essential to any modern dental practice. 

Reduces Missed Appointments

Missed appointments cost money, not only in terms of lost revenue but also disruptions and unused capacity. Patients miss appointments for various reasons, including emergency situations, anxiety about treatments, lack of transportation, and sheer forgetfulness. 

Reminders address many of these issues. They remind patients of upcoming appointments while allowing them to confirm or reschedule their bookings. They also reassure patients that the practice cares about their well-being and wants to offer them patient-centric treatment. 

Improves Front Desk Efficiency

Front desk staff are usually extremely busy, and going through a call list and trying to reach every patient before their appointment is time-consuming, frustrating, and often ineffective. Patients rarely answer their phones, meaning that front desk staff have to call repeatedly before getting a response. 

Automation frees up a lot of the manual drudgery associated with appointment reminders, giving staff more time to focus on essential tasks that require human intervention. Even better, a reduced workload often results in higher motivation and increased efficiency while providing better service to clients. 

Supports Ongoing Treatment Plan Adherence

Very few patients remember when they last visited the dentist, making it almost impossible to reliably schedule annual check-ups without intervention from your front desk staff. Patients that require ongoing support often forget appointments, disrupting their treatment schedule and resulting in added work for dentists and the front desk. 

Most modern booking systems allow for setting appointments well into the future, streamlining yearly and quarterly appointments. Automated appointment reminders enhance this system by automatically reminding patients about their upcoming appointment. 

Enhances Patient Experience

Automated appointment reminders make it easier for patients to manage their bookings as well. Reminders allow patients to confirm, reschedule, or cancel their appointment, giving them flexibility while letting the practice fill their slots efficiently. 

Many practices benefit from combining online booking systems and automated appointment reminders, giving patients significant control over their schedules. Many patients appreciate this extra level of care and convenience — the fewer roadblocks the patient experiences, the more likely they are to show up for their appointment. 

Automated appointment software will even let practices tailor patient communications based on past interactions and stated preferences. If a patient prefers email communication, you can tell the software to send them an email reminder instead of a text message. These small touches show that your practice cares about its patients and is willing to go the extra mile to meet their needs. 

Take Your Dental Practice to the Next Level

Even simple automation tools can help dental practices take their service to the next level by providing many benefits to staff and patients. If you’re considering moving to a streamlined, digital workflow, automated appointment reminders are a great place to start.

At Dental Intelligence, we provide dental practices with actionable solutions to common practice problems, including drawing up treatment plans, managing patient bookings, and automating many routine tasks. Whether you need help writing a dental appointment reminder email or want to integrate our systems into your existing practice management system, our team at Dental Intelligence is here to help. Visit our website to schedule a demo today!

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