Answering One of the Most Common Questions Dental Clinics Ask About Missed Calls

A question that comes up often from dental clinic owners and office managers is simple but important. What actually happens when a patient calls and no one picks up?

Many clinics assume the patient will leave a voicemail or call back later. But that is not always the case. In fact, research and patient behavior suggest the opposite. Studies show that more than 70 percent of callers who reach voicemail will not leave a message. Many of them do not call back at all. Instead, they move on and contact the next clinic they find online.

This behavior is especially common among new patients. These are people actively looking to book an appointment, often for the first time. If their first experience is an unanswered call, they may assume the clinic is too busy or not taking new patients. The opportunity is lost, not because of care quality, but because of poor timing.

So what can clinics do about it?

The key is not just answering more calls. It is having a system in place for what happens when a call is missed. That includes:

• Automatically reaching out to the patient

• Starting a conversation quickly while they are still interested

• Gathering key information such as their reason for calling and preferred time

This level of follow-up builds trust and turns a missed connection into a booked appointment.

Modern tools can help

Systems like CallSmart are designed to step in at the moment a call is missed. They send a personalized text message, engage the patient, and help move the conversation forward. Patients appreciate the fast response, and clinics recover more opportunities without needing more staff.

If your team has ever asked what actually happens after a missed call, now you know. Most calls that go unanswered stay unanswered. But with the right follow-up process in place, that does not have to be the case.

To learn how your clinic can automatically respond to every missed call and improve patient engagement, reach out to us today.