A Hidden Leak in Your Practice You’re Not Thinking About

If you’re a dentist who owns your practice, here’s a quick test I want you to try today: go to your website and send a message through your online portal. In that message, include a specific instruction—something like “Please text me immediately when you see this message. I’ll have a reward for you.” 

Now, wait.

More often than not, these messages don’t get responded to. Why? Because in many practices, no one is actively monitoring these portals.

And that’s a problem.

Missed Messages = Missed Patients

Your website portal is often the very first point of contact for potential new patients. If nobody responds quickly, those inquiries don’t just disappear—they move on to another dental office. And if you’re investing in online advertising that directs people to that portal, the issue gets even worse. You’re paying for clicks, but losing patients because no one is there to follow up.

The reality is, patients don’t usually try twice. If they don’t hear back, they book elsewhere.

Why This Matters

While some dentists have a clear system for how this process is supposed to go, it usually isn’t happening. However, some dental practices don’t even have a clear system for managing these incoming messages. Without accountability, it’s easy for valuable new patient leads to slip through the cracks. That’s not just poor customer service—it’s wasted marketing dollars and missed revenue.

The Fix

The Fix: Create a System That Works

You need a clear plan to monitor and respond to portal messages as soon as possible—while the patient is still engaged and before they try another office.

Here’s how to set it up:

1. Assign Responsibility. Designate a lead team member to oversee portal messages, but make sure several people are trained to cover this task so nothing slips through the cracks.
   
   
2. Set Expectations. Decide on your response-time standard (for example, within 2 hours-do not go more than 24 hours). Then clarify how you want the team to respond—email, phone call, or text. Calls and texts will always convert best!
   
   
3. Audit Regularly. In the beginning, schedule a weekly audit by sending a test message yourself and tracking the response time. Once your team proves consistency, you can move to monthly audits. We don’t recommend stretching it beyond that.
   
   
4. Make It Fun. If your team feels “nagged” by audits, turn it into a game. Send playful test messages and reward the fastest responder with a gift card, coffee, or another small prize.

This isn’t just about checking boxes—it’s about making sure every potential patient who reaches out gets a fast, warm response that turns into an appointment.

Because every unanswered message could mean another lost patient.

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