How Many Appointment Reminders Should Dental Offices Send?

According to Dental Economics, having just one “no-show” per day can cost your dental office between $20,000 and $70,000 per year. If you want to maximize your profits, you need to find ways to minimize no-shows – and appointment reminders are one of the best ways to do this!

But how should you implement an appointment reminder system at your office? Great question. In this blog, you’ll find the answer! Read on to see how many appointment reminders you should send, learn more about appointment timing, and get some simple tips on creating more effective appointment reminders.

Follow The “3-3-3” Rule For The Best Results

To maximize the effectiveness of your appointment reminders, you should follow the “3-3-3” rule. You should send a reminder three weeks before an appointment, three days before an appointment, and three hours before an appointment.

Data from SolutionReach shows that sending an appointment reminder and confirmation message at three weeks has a 79% success rate – which is quite a bit higher than sending a reminder four weeks, two weeks, or one week before a patient’s appointment.

Then, sending another reminder three days before their visit keeps their appointment on top of a patient’s mind – and gives them some time to make arrangements for time off of work, childcare, or other steps they may need to take in order to make it to their dental appointment.

Finally, sending a reminder three hours before their visit ensures that their visit doesn’t get “lost in the shuffle” of daily tasks – and that the patient has all the info they need about their appointment.

7 Simple Tips For More Effective Appointment Reminders

The 3-3-3 rule is a great start. But what else can you do to maximize the effectiveness of your appointment reminders and reduce no-shows? Here are some other strategies you can implement at your dental office.

1. Let patients choose their preferred contact method – Every patient is different. Most people prefer SMS for appointment reminders, but email and voice messages are also common ways to send them. Make sure that each patient is able to choose their preferred communication method for appointment reminders.

2. Automate your appointment reminders – Most dental practice software suites have automated appointment reminder tools. If yours doesn't, consider switching to one that does or using a dedicated appointment reminder software. Automating reminders will save your front office team a ton of time.

3. Aim for weekday afternoons – Generally speaking, weekday afternoons are the best time to send appointment reminders. Sending reminders in the morning is not always the best option – patients may see them when they wake up and then ignore them as they start going about their day. You should also avoid sending reminders on weekends when possible,

4. Never spam your patients – If you send too many messages, your patients may start completely ignoring them. Stick to the “3-3-3” rule as much as you can, and avoid sending too many promos and other messages.

5. Keep things short and sweet – Whether it’s by phone, email, or SMS, your appointment reminders should be simple. Include the date and time of the appointment, the name of your practice, and the location/branch (if needed). That’s it!

6. Allow for interactivity – You should also use an appointment reminder tool that allows patients to quickly confirm or cancel their appointments. For example, by sending “Y” to confirm, or “N” to cancel after they receive their three-day or three-week reminder.

7. Have a clear cancellation policy – Every dental office is different. You may have a 24, 48, or 72-hour cancellation policy, and the fee may vary, too. But no matter what your specific policy is, make the timeline (and fee for a no-show) very clear to your patients. This encourages them to make it to their appointments on time.

Reduce No-Shows And Run Your Office More Efficiently With Appointment Reminders

Fewer no-shows and better patient communication? That’s always a good thing. So follow these tips to improve your appointment reminder system, reduce no-shows, and keep patients in the loop. And if you need more help attracting and retaining dental patients, Incept Health is here for you. Contact us to learn more about what we do and to see how we can help your dental office grow.