Prioritize Your Patients

Patient retention is often undervalued in production forecasting, yet it directly affects provider scheduling, hygiene utilization, and case acceptance over time. A single missed recall can delay treatment plans, reduce hygiene revenue, and increase the risk of inactive patients falling through. Building systems that prioritize patient follow-through helps stabilize revenue and reduce reliance on unpredictable new patient flow. 

12. Launch a Patient Referral Program

When patients leave your office happy, they become perfect referral sources. Consider only nominal-value items that clearly fall within anti-kickback safe harbors and consult compliance guidance before offering any thank-you gifts. Avoid cash rewards entirely to stay compliant. Your referral card might read: "We loved treating you. If a friend mentions this note, we'll donate $25 to the food bank." 

Before rolling out any thank-you incentives, review federal Anti-Kickback rules and familiarize yourself with illegal dental billing practices so your program stays 100% compliant.

13. Automate Appointment and Recall Reminders

Patients expect communication that fits their busy lives. Send a friendly SMS 48 hours before each visit, then a quick nudge two hours out. Include a one-click link to confirm or pick a new slot—last-minute conflicts disappear when rescheduling is that easy.

Retention needs its own rhythm. When a patient misses a six-month checkup, start a recall sequence: a reminder after one week, a second at two weeks, and a final note a month later. Pair each message with a direct booking button to keep your chair full and patients coming back.

14. Offer In-House Membership or Savings Plans

Patients without insurance often postpone care. An in-house membership swaps premiums for a flat annual fee, giving them cost certainty and you a predictable cash flow.

Keep it simple: $299 yearly covers two cleanings, exams, and X-rays. $449 funds four periodontal maintenance visits plus 15% off restorative care. Call it a "discount plan," not insurance, to stay compliant with advertising regulations.

Get Involved With Your Community

Patients are more likely to trust and choose a provider they’ve seen outside the operatory, especially in non-clinical, familiar settings. Local events, school programs, and small business partnerships put your team in front of families before they’re actively searching for a dentist. That familiarity reduces friction when it’s time to book, increases direct referrals, and boosts the performance of your digital campaigns through stronger brand recall. It also creates content for social and local PR, which improves both reach and relevance without relying on paid ads. 

15. Host or Sponsor Local Community Events

A screen can't match a handshake. When you show up at the school gym or the starting line, neighbors see you as part of the community, not just another search result. Community outreach builds trust that digital efforts can't replicate.

Pick events that match your practice and neighborhood: free mouthguard day for the high-school football squad, brushing and flossing demos at elementary schools, sponsoring a 5K with your logo on race bibs and water stations, or "food-for-whitening" drives that trade canned goods for discounted treatments.

Each event earns local press mentions, fresh social posts, and face-to-face referrals. Add a QR code on flyers to track sign-ups, and bring your whole team so patients meet the voices they hear on the phone. One Saturday can spark months of word-of-mouth referrals.

16. Partner with Local Businesses and Charities

Start by trading value with organizations your patients already trust. Offer post-workout whitening discounts to nearby gyms or send playful brushing charts to local daycares. Each partner promotes the offer on their channels while you display their flyers in return.

Complementary providers like pediatricians or physical therapists make natural cross-referral sources. Keep branding consistent across all shared materials so every postcard, poster, or social post reinforces both businesses. These partnerships deliver some of the best returns on low-cost promotional investments.

Short on Staff? Teero Can Help

Marketing plans attract calls, clicks, and appointment requests, but those efforts stall when you don't have enough clinicians to seat patients on time. Vacancies at the front desk or in hygiene quickly turn eager prospects into frustrated searchers. Every missed call and rescheduled visit drains the ROI of the strategies you've worked hard to launch. Need coverage tomorrow? A travel dental hygienist can fill the gap while you search for a permanent team member. 

Teero connects your practice with vetted hygienists who can step in for a single shift or an extended assignment. You choose the schedule, approve the rates, and keep patient flow steady. Want a long-term fit? Treat temporary placements as working interviews and invite standout clinicians to join permanently.

Don't let staffing gaps undermine your growth plans. Explore Teero's staffing solutions today and see how easy it is to welcome every patient who discovers you.