How do I fire a patient who is draining my practice? Stop calling it firing. You are not firing the patient, you are resigning from the role of being their dentist. That reframe matters because it keeps you professional and it keeps the patient calm. I tell them plainly that I can no longer serve them the way they deserve to be served, and that continuing this way would be unfair to them. No blame, no lecture. Then I have my office manager actually help them find another practice, not just hand them a referral line number and a fake smile. [...]