What is the patient dental research phase and why does it explain so many non-booking calls?
It is the period during which a person who knows they have a dental issue is gathering information, weighing options, and building enough confidence to commit to a practice. The research phase can run from a few hours to many months depending on the size of the case, the patient’s personality, the urgency of the underlying condition, and their financial readiness. The doctor and team have no way to know where a given caller is in their research phase. The patient who called and did not book may be one phone call away from committing or six months away. A practice that sends a substantial information packet to non-bookers participates productively in the research phase, supplying material the patient is actively looking for. The packet accelerates the patient’s journey toward a decision and increases the probability that the practice is chosen when the decision moment arrives. Practices that ignore the research phase let the patient finish it at a competitor.
If the answers you are finding here resonate with you, my team and I work with a small group of clients each year. The next step is a complimentary Discovery Consultation and Practice Review with Dr. McAnally.