How do you increase patients in a dental clinic in India?

Before you spend on ads or an agency, count the patients who already reached out to your clinic and did not book.

Where do dental clinics lose patients they already had?

They lose them between the first message and the second visit. A patient who asks a fee question and hears nothing until the next morning may book with the clinic that replied first, and you never find out.

There is no reliable India-wide figure for how many enquiries a dental clinic loses, so don't trust anyone who quotes one. Follow a patient through these six steps and see where your clinic leaks.

1. 1Leaks when the call rings out mid-procedure

   Step 1: Enquiry comes in

   Leaks when the call rings out mid-procedure

   A WhatsApp message, a call or a Google Maps tap.
2. 2Leaks when nobody replies after hours

   Step 2: Gets a reply

   Leaks when nobody replies after hours

   The fee, the timing and a slot, in the patient's language.
3. 3Leaks when the fee question is dodged

   Step 3: Books a time

   Leaks when the fee question is dodged

   A clear day and time the patient agrees to.
4. 4Leaks when the estimate comes as a surprise

   Step 4: Attends

   Leaks when the estimate comes as a surprise

   The dentist examines and explains the treatment and cost.
5. 5Leaks when nobody tells the patient it is due

   Step 5: Comes back when due

   Leaks when nobody tells the patient it is due

   The follow-up or check-up the dentist advised.
6. 6Leaks when nobody asks

   Step 6: Leaves a review

   Leaks when nobody asks

   If the patient chooses to, after being asked like everyone else.

Take two minutes with this self-check. Every "no" is a place to start this week.

Should a dental clinic share fees on WhatsApp?

Yes. Share a fee range and say the dentist confirms the exact cost after examining. The Revised Dentists (Code of Ethics) Regulations, 2014 (opens in a new tab) say there is no bar on the display of fees and other charges (5.7.1), and a clinic website can carry treatment details and fees (8.2.9).

Some patients message more than one clinic before choosing. A reply of "please visit for charges" feels like a dodge. A range, an honest reason the exact figure can change, and two time slots give them a reason to come to you.

The same code asks dentists to announce fees before treatment starts and to estimate all likely costs (3.8 and 5.7.1). A clear range on WhatsApp is the first step of that.

What should happen after a missed call?

Someone should call or message back the same day, before the patient books elsewhere. In a dental clinic the phone often rings while the dentist and assistant have gloves on, so missed calls are normal. Leaving them unanswered is the problem.

• Check the call log at fixed times, such as lunch and closing.
• Separate new enquiries from existing patients calling about their appointment.
• Reply to new enquiries with the same things you would say on the phone: timings, fee range, two slots.

For a longer look at why calls go unanswered and how to track them, read the guide on missed calls at a clinic.

What should a dental clinic fix on Google?

Claim the profile, use the clinic's real name, and keep hours and services correct. Google says local results depend mainly on relevance, distance and popularity, and that businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to show up (opens in a new tab).

• Claim and verify. Follow Google's steps to add or claim a Business Profile (opens in a new tab).
• Real name only. Adding words like "best dentist" to the name breaks Google's business name guidelines (opens in a new tab) and can get the profile suspended.
• Hours, including holidays. A patient who finds the clinic closed may not try again.
• Services. List the treatments you actually offer, in plain words patients search for.

The full walkthrough is in the guide to Google Business Profile for doctors.

How do you ask for Google reviews the allowed way?

Ask every patient, the same way, with no reward. Google suggests sharing a review link or a QR code, and its policy lets businesses ask for reviews of genuine experiences.

When you reply to a review, don't confirm that the person is your patient or mention their treatment. The dental code treats confidences a patient shares with their dentist, and details of their case, as confidential (4.2).

How do you bring back patients who are due?

Message patients whose follow-up or check-up the dentist advised is due, and only if they agreed to hear from the clinic. That is care the patient already expects, not a sales blast.

Sample wording for each situation is in WhatsApp recall messages for past patients. Rules source: WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy (opens in a new tab).

Which marketing breaks the dental code of ethics?

Claims of being better than other dentists, boasting of cases, and promotions that pull in patients with inducements. The 2014 code allows dentists to advertise with decorum and to share factual information online, but it draws clear lines.

This is not a small risk to ignore. In its 2023-24 Annual Complaints Report (opens in a new tab), the Advertising Standards Council of India found healthcare the single most complained-about sector, 19% of every ad it scrutinised that year. Of 1,575 healthcare advertisements it reviewed, 190 were from clinics, hospitals and wellness centres making misleading claims about their care and cures, and 86% of all 1,575 healthcare ads ran on digital media, meaning social posts and websites, not only print or TV.

Does one extra patient cover the cost?

It depends on your own fee and costs, so work it out rather than trust anyone's promise. Type what you charge for a common procedure and what the case costs you in materials and lab work.

If the answer is one or two patients, the question becomes simple: are you currently losing that many enquiries to slow replies, missed calls or patients nobody reminded? The self-check above tells you. For more on running the front desk, browse the Medslots guides for clinic owners.