Stop letting new patient calls go to voicemail
Puffly is a free CRM that keeps every new patient inquiry, pending treatment plan and overdue recall in one list, so the front desk always knows who to call next.
Where dental practice leads come from
Google Maps and "dentist near me"
Most new patients pick from the map results and call the first office that answers. A missed call over lunch is a patient who booked down the street.
Toothache and emergency searches
Someone with a cracked tooth or a swollen jaw wants an answer the same day. Get back to them fast and they often become long-term patients.
Patient referrals and families
A happy patient tells a spouse, a coworker or a neighbor. Note who sent whom so you remember to say thank you.
Insurance plan directories
Plan directories send people who already know you take their coverage. They usually call a few offices in a row and book with the first one that responds.
What slow follow up costs a dental practice
A new patient with a toothache calls three offices and books with whoever picks up first. Treatment plans go stale too. The patient who said they would think about the crown rarely calls back on their own. An empty chair is time you cannot get back.
A pipeline that fits a dental practice
Puffly’s pipeline is yours to name. Here is one way a dental practice could lay it out.
- New inquirySomeone called, texted or filled out your form asking about an exam or a cleaning.
- New patient exam bookedThere is a date on the schedule, so confirm insurance details and send the new patient paperwork.
- Treatment plan presentedThe exam is done and the patient has heard the recommendations and the cost.
- Unscheduled treatmentThey agreed the work is needed but never picked a date. This is the list to work every week.
- Recall dueTheir six month cleaning is coming up or overdue and needs a nudge to book.
Follow up moments worth a reminder
A caller left a voicemail asking whether you take their insurance
"Hi, this is the front desk at our office. Yes, we are in network with your plan. Want me to hold a new patient exam for you this week?"
Treatment plan presented last week and the patient wanted to think it over
"Hi, just checking in after your visit. Any questions about the crown or the timing? I can send over a couple of openings if you are ready."
A patient is two months past their recall date and has not booked
"Hi, it has been a while since your last cleaning. We have a few openings next week if you would like one held for you."
Puff, your AI teammate, can draft these messages and line up who to call next. Outreach waits for your approval unless you choose otherwise.
The shape of the year
Many patients push for appointments in the last weeks of the year, when insurance benefits are about to reset, so work the unscheduled treatment list early in the fall. Late summer brings back to school cleanings and January brings people with fresh benefits, so keep the recall list moving in both.
Questions from dentists
Can I keep patient charts and x-rays in Puffly?
No. Puffly is not built for protected health information and is not HIPAA compliant. Keep clinical records in your practice software and use Puffly for inquiries, scheduling follow up and recall reminders.
How would I use it for recalls?
Keep patients who are due for a cleaning in a Recall due stage and set a task for each. Puff can tell you who to call next and draft a text that you approve before it goes out.
What happens to calls we miss at lunch or after hours?
You can turn on the missed-call text back automation so the caller gets a quick message from you. If you want calls answered live, Puff Voice is a paid AI receptionist add-on.
Puffly for related trades
Start with the free CRM.
Leads, contacts, deals, tasks and your own branded lead form cost nothing. No card to start. Bring your leads in from a Google Sheet or add them by hand.
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