05/26/2026
Missed calls are draining $174,720
Every dental owner tells me:
“Missed calls don’t cost much.”
Then we run the numbers.
Average new patient value: $1,200
Average missed calls per week: 8
Average conversion rate: 35%
That equals:
📞 2.8 new patients lost each week
💰 $3,360 in lost revenue per week
📆 $174,720 per year
Not from poor dentistry.
Not from weak marketing.
From no one answering the phone.
The front desk was checking in a patient.
Handling insurance.
Running late.
The caller hung up.
Called the next practice on Google.
Booked there.
A missed call is not $0.
It is $1,200 you will never see.
Before you hire another receptionist, ask yourself:
❓ Will they answer every call after 5pm and on weekends?
❓ Will they avoid putting patients on hold during rush hour?
❓ Will they still work here in 90 days?
If any answer is no, you do not have a staffing issue.
You have a systems issue.
The fastest growing practices build systems that:
✅ Answer every call
✅ Book the appointment
✅ Thank the patient
✅ Work 24/7
No hold music.
No voicemail.
No lost revenue.
Your team focuses on patients in the chair.
The system handles the calls.
How much is your practice losing this week?
