The new patient phone call is often the first impression of your practice. How your team handles these calls directly impacts your ability to attract fee-for-service patients.
The Importance of the First Call
Studies show that the new patient phone call is the single biggest factor in whether a potential patient schedules an appointment. Yet most practices spend almost no time training their team on phone skills. This is a massive missed opportunity, especially for practices trying to attract patients who value quality.
Moving Beyond the Insurance Question
Many new patient calls immediately devolve into an insurance discussion. The caller asks if you accept their plan, and the conversation ends there. Train your team to redirect these conversations to what makes your practice special, such as the patient experience, the technology, and the quality of care.
Scripts That Convert
Develop phone scripts that focus on building connection rather than answering insurance questions. Start with empathy, ask about the caller's needs, describe what makes your practice unique, and then address insurance as one of many factors. The goal is to schedule the appointment, not win an insurance debate.
Tracking and Improving
Record calls with patient permission and review them regularly. Track your conversion rate from call to scheduled appointment. Most practices convert less than 40 percent of new patient calls. With proper training, this can exceed 80 percent. The impact on practice growth is dramatic.
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