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Struggling with patient attrition? It’s not just you. For dental practices, keeping patients is a constant challenge. Every lost patient impacts your revenue and can harm your reputation. In this article, we'll explore effective strategies to enhance patient retention and promote sustainable growth.
Jan 23, 2025
Common Causes of Patient Attrition
The average practice loses about 17% of their patient base annually due to expected factors such as patients moving away. But if this number is much higher, there could be internal factors that are to blame. Let’s break them down.
Staff-Related Challenges
The quality and consistency of your dental staff directly influence patient retention. Unfriendly or unprofessional staff interactions are frequently cited as reasons for leaving a practice.
This extends beyond just attitude – staff turnover can disrupt the continuity of care and patient relationships that have been built over time.
Poor communication, often resulting from inadequate staffing or untrained personnel, creates friction points throughout the patient journey. From appointment scheduling to treatment explanations, communication breakdowns erode patient trust and satisfaction.
Lengthy Wait Times
Long wait times, frequently caused by staffing shortages or poor scheduling management, frustrate patients and signal disrespect for their time.
Scheduling difficulties compound these issues. When practices offer limited booking options or struggle with staff availability, patients may seek care elsewhere. This is particularly true when competing practices offer more flexible scheduling options and better availability.
Practice Management Issues
Inefficient day-to-day operations create a negative patient experience. When staff members struggle with basic tasks like accessing patient files or coordinating treatment details, it raises concerns about the practice's overall management and quality of care.
The impact of these issues is cumulative. While patients might tolerate one or two negative experiences, consistent problems with staff interactions will eventually drive them to seek care elsewhere. This is especially true in competitive markets where patients have multiple options for dental care.
How to Calculate and Track Your Attrition Rate
If you’re unsure what your patient attrition rate is, the first step is to calculate it to know where you stand. This metric reveals how many patients you're losing over time and helps you identify trends before they become serious problems.
To calculate your patient attrition rate, you'll need three key numbers:
S = Number of patients at the start of your chosen period
E = Number of patients at the end of the period
N = Number of new patients gained during the period
The formula is:
To get your attrition rate, subtract your retention rate from 100%. For example, if you:
Start with 400 patients (S)
End with 380 patients (E)
Gain 60 new patients during the period (N)
Your calculation would be:
For tracking purposes, consider a patient "lost" if they haven't scheduled an appointment in 18 months. Implement these monitoring practices:
Calculate your attrition rate quarterly to identify trends early
Track the reasons patients leave through exit surveys or feedback
Monitor appointment cancellation patterns
Review patient reactivation rates
Use practice management software to automate tracking
Compare your rates against previous periods to spot concerning trends
Strategies to Reduce Patient Attrition
Let’s say your patient attrition rate is higher than you want it to be. How do you improve it?
Focusing on stable staffing solutions and improving overall patient experience can significantly help retain your patient base.
For example, using dental staffing platforms can help you find highly qualified temporary and permanent staff.
Clear and consistent communication is also essential for patient retention. Regularly remind patients about appointment reminders, treatment progress, and post-treatment care. Use modern communication tools like automated text messages, emails, and phone calls to stay connected.
The overall patient experience plays a significant role in retention. Ensure your practice provides a welcoming and comfortable environment, with minimal wait times and excellent customer service. Offering personalized care and taking the time to understand patient needs can go a long way in building strong, lasting relationships.
Reduce Patient Attrition With Highly-Qualified Staff
When unchecked, patient attrition poses a significant challenge for the success and growth of your practice. By implementing the strategies discussed throughout this article, you can work toward retaining more of your patients.
However, maintaining consistent, quality care requires stable staffing—and that's where Teero comes in. Our platform provides the dental hygienists you need when you need them, offering reliable staffing solutions that keep your patients coming back.
Give us a call to learn how our staffing platform can help maintain the quality of care your patients expect.