Dental Marketing & Boosting Case Acceptance

When the year starts to tick along and you want to ensure you’re trending positively into the next, you’ll want to review your existing dental marketing plan and consider three major thrusts that can help a dental office increase revenue and move forward positively.

1. New patient growth. Nearly a third of dentists report being underbooked. There is market share to be gained.
2. Attrition control – or allowing the right kind. 25% of active patients aren’t scheduled to return.
3. Improving case acceptance. This one is tricky to track!

You know that Patient NEWS can help you with the first two. We are experts and industry leaders, and we have helped thousands of dental offices attract, convert, and retain high-quality patients through highly customized, hyper-targeted digital and direct mail marketing.  

If your numbers aren’t where you want them to be and you know it’s time to do more, get a free marketing assessment and custom patient growth plan to see how your practice stacks up.

[Yes – I want more]

As for case acceptance, we asked a few of our industry friends – leaders in dentistry – to help us out. Dr. Hazel Glasper, Dr. Christopher Phelps, Dr. Travis Campbell, Mr. Kelly Schwartz, and Dr. Paul Goodman were so kind and offered up a few of their case acceptance tips for us to share with you.

This week, we’re highlighting Dr. Glasper and Dr. Phelps. Be sure to stay tuned next week to hear from the others.

Dr. Hazel Glasper, owner of Revive Dental, has spent the last 20 years reshaping the public’s perception of oral health. She’s an author, speaker, and trainer of dentists. Dr. Glasper has the highest first-year new patient production we’ve ever seen – currently sitting at $11,500 (up from $8,000 within the last four years). Her view is amazing, and maybe that’s why she was inducted into the class of 2025 World’s Top Doctor. A powerhouse.

Here are a few thoughts from Dr. Glasper:

1. I understand my ideal patient. I see about 8-10 new patients a month, which is a low number for the industry. I believe every patient counts, so every phone call needs to be answered, and the right information conveyed. We seek patients with a comprehensive mindset. This starts with the right marketing and phone call conversion using the right verbiage conveying the values and brand of your practice.
   
   
2. I have a clear practice model. I treat every person with consideration for health, function, and aesthetics. This practice of complete care affects patient outcomes and patient health and supports the financial health of my practice. My diagnostic process converts the majority of my new patients and results in high productivity and collection due to my comprehensive mindset. 
    
3. I believe in my work as a physician of the oral cavity. I understand the importance of good oral health. Its impact can affect the lifespan of our patients, and a lack of good aesthetics can affect the psychological health of our patients. We have a great responsibility to our patients. My patients need restorative, periodontal, endodontic, oral surgery, implant, and aesthetic work, and it is my responsibility to fully inform my patients of all my findings and allow them to make an educational decision about their health. 

“I know what I want. Quality patients, revenue generation, and relevant information about practice metrics. Patient NEWS delivered all three.” – Dr. Hazel Glasper

If you’d like to see how we help Dr. Glasper attract quality new patients – and how we can help you do the same – schedule time here:

[Yes – I want more]

Dr. Christopher Phelps is a general dentist, entrepreneur, and best-selling Amazon author. He founded the Phelps Institute, is the CEO of the Cialdini Institute, and is a sought-after speaker, consultant, and expert in the science of ethical influence and persuasion. He’s been recognized by the Global Summits Institute as one of the Top 100 Dentists in the World.

Here are a few thoughts from Dr. Phelps:

1. When presenting the price of different treatment options, start with the most expensive option and go down in option pricing from there. By doing this, you’ll influence more to say yes to the most expensive item and more to say yes to every other option, vs. if you present your lowest priced item first and take them up in price from there.   
   
2. If you have evidence that many of your past patients have chosen a specific treatment option you’re presenting over others, mention this. With social proof, we look to evidence of what others have done or chosen to guide us to do the same. For example, “Let’s talk about these options to replace missing teeth. Now, this first option is what the majority of my patients choose for themselves. It’s called a dental implant...” If you can track this and report a number or statistic on it, that will amplify its influence. For example, “This is our most popular option. In fact, over 72% of our patients chose it over the options we discussed today.”
    
3. When presenting a singular treatment option to the patient, avoid presenting it on its own. For example, “Well, Mr. Jones, it looks like you need a crown...” When you present things individually like this, you’re actually taking control away from the patient, and many will feel forced into that option. That’s why they tend to take control back, resist your claim, and avoid scheduling the treatment. Instead, present it back to them as a ‘this or that’ choice. “Well, Mr. Jones, it looks like you have two options. Option one is you can do nothing, but here’s what it’s going to cost you (in chair time, visits, additional services in the future because you waited, additional higher fees, etc.), or you can avoid all of that and do a crown today. Which would you prefer?” By presenting things in a ‘this or that’ framework, you put control into the patient’s hands, and they are more likely to choose the second option you present them with.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Patient NEWS for several years now, and their results for my dental clients have been consistently positive. They care about your data and getting you results." – Dr. Christopher Phelps

We hope you’ve enjoyed the insights provided by Dr. Glasper and Dr. Phelps. They are both amazing speakers and presenters, so if you have a chance to see them, definitely do so. I love Dr. Glasper’s opinion that patients should hear about all their options. As a consumer, I want this. I want to know all my options, and have been frustrated when practitioners haven’t necessarily presented everything I could take advantage of.

And Dr. Phelps is amazing. We’ve had him coach our team at Patient NEWS, and his Power of Persuasion course makes so much sense. Walk from the most expensive down so that people take more of something. It’s always been generally reported that when people get three options, they pick the middle, but with too many options, they freeze.  

Test out some of these tips the next time you’re with your patients. Especially with new patients, try not to judge what they could afford to purchase. People will prioritize what they want, and everyone wants a beautiful smile! 😊

Remember to watch for next week’s edition, featuring Dr. Travis Campbell, Mr. Kelly Schwartz, and Dr. Paul Goodman.

We’d love to help you stand out, unlock production growth for your practice, and help you get into an upward trend into 2026. Our clients generate 25% more new patients than industry average and boast average annual production over $2 million.

Know your numbers could be better? Let’s fix that. Start with a free marketing assessment and get a custom patient growth plan that shows exactly how your practice stacks up – and how to grow stronger.

[Yes! I want more]