You spend money to attract new patients. Ads, websites, Google listings—it adds up fast. But here's what changes the math: bringing back an existing patient costs 6 to 7 times less than acquiring one.
That fact alone should shift where you focus your energy. Most practices don't have a system for staying in touch with patients after they leave. Not because they don't care, but because they're busy running a practice. A patient walks out the door with a receipt, and then nothing happens. No follow-up. No message. No "we'd like to see you again." The average practice loses 17% of its patient base every year. That's one in six people you spent money to attract, gone.
Each lost patient represents thousands in lifetime value—money that walks out the door. The good news is this isn't complicated. Patient retention isn't about fancy marketing or expensive campaigns. It's about having a system. A simple, repeatable system that touches patients at the right moments with the right message.
The Five Messages That Bring Patients Back
There are five moments in the patient journey where a timely message makes a real difference. Together, they form a retention system that works.
Day 1: Thank You Message
Send this the same day they visit. It's simple—acknowledge that you're grateful they came in and that you gave them good care. This tells patients your practice cares about them as people.
SMS template: "Hi [Name], thanks for coming in today! We loved seeing you. If you have any questions about your treatment, don't hesitate to reach out. —[Practice Name]"
Day 3-5: Review Request
By now their visit is fresh in their mind. Ask them to leave a review on Google or Facebook. New patients rely on reviews from local practices. A real review from someone nearby beats any ad you can run. The trick is you have to ask. Most happy patients won't think to do it on their own.
SMS template: "Quick favor, [Name]? We'd love your honest review on Google. Takes 60 seconds and helps us keep improving. Here's the link: [insert Google review link]"
Day 14: Check-In Message
Any soreness from their visit has passed by now. This message does two things. First, it genuinely checks on how they're doing. If something is bothering them, you want to know. Second, it keeps your practice in their mind without trying to sell anything. You're just checking in like a friend.
SMS template: "Just checking in, [Name]! How are your teeth feeling after your appointment? Any questions or concerns? We're here if you need us."
Day 42-49: Rebooking Reminder
This one brings patients back in. It hits when they're thinking about their next cleaning anyway. Make it easy to book—include a link to your online scheduler or let them reply YES. The moment they have to think about it later, you lose the momentum.
SMS template: "[Name], time's flying! Ready to book your next cleaning? Takes 30 seconds: [insert scheduling link]. Or just reply YES and we'll call you."
Day 180-270: We Miss You Message
This one targets patients who've drifted away. They're not thinking about your practice anymore. Keep the tone genuine. You're not upset. You actually do miss them. This message often brings back patients who would otherwise disappear for good.
SMS template: "[Name], we haven't seen you in a while and we miss you! Your teeth need a check-up. Can we get you scheduled? Reply YES or call us at [phone]."
This is five messages spread over six months. It feels like genuine care, not spam. Patients shift their mindset the moment they realize you're checking in with them, not just trying to get them to spend money.
Why Text Beats Email (And How to Make This Work)
You might wonder if email does the same job. It doesn't. Text messages have an 82 to 98% open rate. Emails sit at 20 to 24%. Most of your emails don't get read. Most texts do.
Beyond open rates, patients prefer text. They've been texting all day. A text from your practice feels natural. An email feels like official business. Patients also respond faster to text. If you ask "reply YES to schedule," they'll reply. If you email a link, they won't.
You can run this system two ways. Manual means you track visits in a spreadsheet and send texts yourself. You have full control and pay nothing beyond your time. But consistency is hard. Life gets busy. You miss sending one check-in, then another, and within weeks you've abandoned it. Most practices that try this manually stop after a few months.
Automated means you set it up once and it runs by itself. Your scheduling system sends the five messages automatically at the right time. You write the templates once and they reach hundreds of patients without effort. This costs $100 to $300 monthly depending on patient volume, but consistency is guaranteed. For most practices, automation wins because it actually gets used.
The Revenue Math
Let's look at real numbers. Say you have 200 active patients. Your current rebooking rate is 70%—meaning 140 patients rebook when they get a standard reminder.
You implement this five-touchpoint system. Be conservative. Assume it improves your rebooking rate by 10 points, to 80%. That's 20 extra patients per month rebooking from your 200-patient base. At $400 per visit, that's $8,000 in additional revenue each month. Ninety-six thousand per year, from one group.
Scale to a mid-size practice with 800 active patients. This system generates $300,000 to $400,000 in additional annual revenue, just from improving rebooking rates. Even if you're conservative and assume only 5% improvement, you're looking at $150,000+ per year.
That math is real and repeatable. Patients who rebook are patients you keep long-term. Every retained patient is thousands more in lifetime value.
Getting Started
The hardest part isn't the system itself. It's deciding to set it up and keep it running. Most dentists know they should stay in touch with patients but don't have the bandwidth. Between patient care, staff management, and the business side of running a practice, sending messages falls off the list.
Automation solves this. You set it up once and stop thinking about it. Messages go out consistently without you lifting a finger. If you want to go manual, start with just the rebooking reminder—that's where the revenue lives. Add the thank you and review request after you prove the concept works. Don't try all five at once.
The first step is knowing where you stand. You might have a retention problem you're not aware of. You might be losing more patients than the industry average of 17%. Or you might already be better than average but leaving real money on the table by not staying in touch.
Patient retention isn't about being pushy. It's about being consistent. It's about reminding patients that you care. A simple text message does that better than anything else.