Enhancing Front Desk Communication to Drive Practice Growth

For many dental practices, the front desk is still viewed as a transactional space — answering phones, booking appointments, managing the diary. But in reality, your front office is one of the most powerful drivers of practice growth, patient trust and long-term loyalty.

In a recent Prime Practice and CareStack/VoiceStack webinar, I explored how intentional front office communication directly impacts conversion, cancellations, recall rates and team confidence. Here are the key insights every dental practice can apply.

The First Phone Call: From Interruption to Opportunity

When the webinar participants were asked how new patient phone calls are viewed in practices, one of the poll options was: “They are an unwelcome interruption most of the time.”

In my earlier years as a Front Office Coordinator (FOC), I would have absolutely agreed. But once we began implementing structured systems from Prime Practice, my perspective completely shifted — I genuinely loved hearing from prospective new patients.

That shift doesn’t happen by accident. Before the phone even rings, an FOC needs three things in place:

1. An Opportunity Mindset

A ringing phone isn’t an interruption — it’s the result of your marketing, reputation and patient experience working well.

2. Clear Training

FOCs need to know what a great call sounds like, not just how to answer the phone.

3. The Right Environment

Quality calls require focus. Answering promptly, without constant distractions or interruptions, is essential. A successful phone call can take time — and it deserves it.

What Makes a Great First Call?

Once the phone is answered, great calls come down to three core elements:

• Tone – sets the emotional temperature. Warm, calm and confident.

• Empathy – signals genuine care.

• Connection – where trust begins, built through active listening and meaningful information exchange.

  
  

To support consistency, we encourage practices to use a telephone information slip. This tool prompts the right questions, ensures key details are captured, and guides what information should be shared with the patient. Many practices have a version of this, but we often see missed opportunities when it’s not used intentionally.

Connection also requires time. Some calls take five minutes. Others may take ten or even fifteen. If calls are consistently rushed, that’s rarely a performance issue — it’s often a resourcing issue. Call quality drops quickly when one person is juggling a ringing phone, patients at the desk and competing demands.

This is why protocols matter. Decide in advance:

• Which patient gets priority?

• When is it appropriate to place someone on hold?

• Who steps in if the primary coordinator is already occupied?

  
  

Clear protocols reduce pressure on the team and create a consistent experience for callers.

Finally, the information gathered must be shared. When clinicians already know a patient’s concerns and story before they arrive, the experience feels seamless and professional.

Converting Enquiries Without Sounding “Salesy”

Conversion doesn’t come from scripts or pressure — it comes from trust.

Consider a telephone shopper who has received a treatment plan for two crowns costing $5,500. Why didn’t they proceed with the original dentist? Cost may be part of it — but often, it’s something deeper.

The fact they’re calling means they’re concerned enough to seek help. Your role is to get curious.

Building trust starts with being genuinely interested:

• What does the patient already understand?

• What matters most to them?

• What hasn’t been explained clearly?

  
  

Questions like:

• “Did the dentist explain what the crown would be made of?”

• “Do you know if the tooth needs a post and core?”

• “Was the treatment planned for one appointment or two?”

  
  

These questions shift the conversation away from cost alone and help patients see the bigger picture of their oral health.

Rather than simply giving a quote, explain gently that dentistry isn’t comparable on price alone — skill, time, materials and processes all matter. This helps patients understand they may not be comparing like-for-like across practices.

Confidence is also critical — not clinical confidence, but dependability. It’s okay to say, “That’s a great question — I’ll check with the dentist and get back to you within two hours.” What matters most is following through.

When warmth, curiosity and dependable follow-up come together, conversion happens naturally.

Building Confidence in the Front Office Team

Many communication challenges stem from uncertainty. Confidence grows when guesswork is removed.

Whenever an FOC encounters a tricky situation — a cost enquiry, a complaint, a difficult question — deal with it as best you can in the moment, then bring it back to the team. Create a documented approach for next time. Every challenge then becomes a confidence-builder instead of a stressor.

Practising scenarios is another key. Confidence comes from repetition, not luck. Short, low-pressure role plays in team meetings allow FOCs to try, adjust and improve in a safe environment.

It also helps when FOCs deeply understand the value of the care your practice provides. When they believe in the standard of care, communication feels natural — not like selling.

Two simple influencing principles can support conversations:

• Scarcity – appointments are limited and valuable.

• Social proof – reassuring patients that others in similar situations take similar steps.

  
  

And one of the most powerful reminders: be interested, not interesting. Asking questions builds trust, guides the conversation and helps patients feel supported.

Avoid assumptions. When we stop predicting what patients will think and instead get curious, outcomes improve for everyone.

Responding to Cost Concerns and Hesitation With Care

When patients express concern about cost, fear or uncertainty, the most effective response is empathy.

It’s easy to become desensitised to comments like “I don’t like dentists” or “I need to think about it”, but for the patient, those feelings are real.

Empathy creates safety. Social proof helps normalise hesitation. And curiosity helps uncover the “iceberg” beneath the surface — whether it’s financial pressure, fear, past trauma or lack of understanding.

Helpful questions include:

• “When you say uncomfortable, what does that mean for you?”

• “What would expensive treatment look like in your situation?”

• “Is there anything else you’re unsure about?”

  
  

Once concerns are understood, you can gently guide forward — or give permission to pause. Offering a follow-up call keeps the relationship open and pressure-free.

Even if they don’t book immediately, you’ve left them with a positive experience — and that matters more than we often realise.

Reducing Cancellations and Keeping the Day on Track

Smooth days start with clear expectations — set from the very first phone call.

Practices that reduce cancellations consistently:

• Clearly communicate policies verbally

• Avoid language that makes cancellation feel like an option

• Build genuine connection

• Review systems that make cancelling too easy

  
  

Warmth, using names and sounding genuinely interested reduce cancellations far more effectively than reminders alone.

For late arrivals, clear protocols are essential. A simple check-in call after five minutes allows the team to make informed decisions that protect the rest of the schedule.

Consistency builds confidence — for both patients and the team.

Improving Recall Through Language and Education

Many practices overestimate their recall rates — until they see the data.

Language plays a significant role. The word “recall” carries negative associations. That’s why we use Active Maintenance — positioning regular exams and cleans as proactive, preventative care.

This isn’t just a front office responsibility. Clinicians play the biggest role by educating patients about degeneration, prevention and the oral–systemic connection.

When Active Maintenance is positioned as essential to long-term health — and reinforced consistently from chair to desk — uptake improves dramatically.

And if a patient doesn’t book immediately? Follow up. A gentle call while the appointment is still fresh can make all the difference.

Two Key Takeaways for Practice Leaders

If there are two things to take away, they are these:

1. Great communication is designed, not accidental

Systems, language guides and agreed approaches create clarity, confidence and consistency — and drive measurable results.

2. Connection is the foundation of everything

Patients book, attend and return because they feel understood, cared for and educated. Empathy, curiosity and follow-through are business drivers, not “nice extras”.

What Defines Effective Communication Today?

In today’s consumer-driven landscape, patients call already cautious, already comparing and already influenced by what they’ve seen online.

What cuts through isn’t more information — it’s human connection delivered with clarity and confidence.

Effective communication today means meeting patients where they are, asking thoughtful questions, reducing anxiety and guiding — not pushing — decisions.

When communication is intentional, patient-centred and consistent from the very first phone call, trust grows — and so does the practice.

At Prime Practice, we offer live online CPD training designed specifically for front office teams. Our programs cover essential front office systems - from appointment book control to handling cancellations, providing practical education that builds confidence, consistency and capability at the front desk. View or calendar and book your spot today.