Pain-Free Dental Marketing is a dental marketing agency specializing in social media, website design, and SEO for dental practices. Since 2015, they’ve partnered with dental practice owners, implant centers, and other dental professionals to attract more patients, strengthen their online presence, and grow their businesses.
In a recent episode of The Dental Marketer podcast, host Michael Arias sat down with Eric Hubbard of Pain-Free Dental Marketing to tackle a core challenge for every practice: converting phone calls into booked appointments.
The best marketing in the world won't work if your front desk can't close the deal.
– Eric Hubbard, Founder at Pain-Free Dental Marketing
Hubbard's agency has listened to over 160,000 marketing calls. They've found that the biggest factor separating high-performing practices from the rest isn't expensive ad campaigns — it's how they handle the phone. Here’s a breakdown of the key takeaways for turning your front desk into a powerful, patient-booking system.
The high cost of rushed conversations
When a potential patient calls your office, they often call a list of a few different businesses, and they're likely to go with whoever gets back to them or takes their call first. The problem, as Hubbard points out, is that many front desk teams are so busy they sound rushed and impatient. This happens because they're juggling other tasks, trying to take payments, or answering questions from people in the office.
The solution is simple but powerful: just slow down.
By taking time on each call, you can build trust and show genuine curiosity. Hubbard emphasizes that this single change is the biggest way to transform your front desk. He encourages teams to get "behind the question."
For example, instead of just answering "yes" to "Do you take my insurance?" ask the patient why that’s important to them. This helps you address the real reason for their call and provide a more helpful response.
Ditch the scripts, embrace the strategy
Hubbard advises against rigid scripts, which can sound robotic. Instead, he recommends using a simple, human-centric strategy for calls:
- Establish a connection: Start the conversation with a friendly tone.
- Get behind the question: Use open-ended questions like "Tell me more about that" or "Why is that important to you?". This helps you understand their true needs and pivot the conversation if necessary.
- Offer solutions: Present solutions that address their needs, like in-house financing plans if they don't have ideal insurance.
- Ask for the sale: The most successful offices aren't afraid to ask for the appointment directly. A simple, "Would you like to make an appointment here?" can make all the difference.
Track, train, and transform with the right tools
So how do you know if your team is hitting these marks? That's where technology comes in. Hubbard's team uses CallRail to gain invaluable insights to help them understand where patients are coming from — whether it's a Google ad, a social media campaign, or your website. These insights give context to the front desk team, helping them understand the value of each call.
CallRail also makes it easy to hold the team accountable without creating burnout. Instead of just giving them a conversion rate, you can provide the metadata and actual call recordings, so they can listen and identify areas for improvement. It’s all about rewarding good calls, not being punitive about bad ones. Hubbard suggests incentivizing team members with bonuses for full schedules and high conversion rates. This transforms a new patient call from "more work" into a tangible win for the entire team.
Investing in your front desk team is crucial to your practice
Hubbard's final advice is to invest in your front desk team. They are the first experience most patients have with your practice, and they should be well-trained and well-supported. By combining a culture of curiosity and care with the right technology, you can ensure that every marketing dollar you spend translates into real growth.
Ready to start converting more leads to patients and optimize your team performance? Try CallRail today with a free 14-day trial.
