How ClearDent Helped Dr. Laura Schmidt Streamline Operations and Prepare for the Future
About
Located in the heart of North Vancouver, Park & Tilford Dental has been a trusted part of the North Shore community since 1988. Known for its comfortable, family-friendly approach and modern care philosophy, the practice offers a wide range of services—from general dentistry and implants to cosmetic procedures and clear aligner therapy. Their mission is to provide efficient, compassionate care in a welcoming environment, with a strong focus on long-term patient relationships.
Meet the Leader
Dr. Laura Schmidt – Owner & Principal Dentist
Dr. Laura Schmidt took ownership of Park & Tilford Dental in 2022, bringing nearly a decade of experience and a leadership mindset rooted in both dentistry and business. A graduate of UBC’s Doctor of Dental Medicine program, Laura is deeply connected to the community she serves, living locally with her husband and two young children. With a passion for efficiency, growth, and innovation, she leads her team with a strong operational focus and a drive to elevate patient care.
From streamlined workflows to simplified reporting and modern patient tools—discover how ClearDent helps independent practices thrive.
All the tools your team needs to run smoother, deliver better care, and grow with confidence—built into one intuitive platform.
When Dr. Schmidt assumed ownership of the practice, she inherited a server-based software system and a largely paper-based workflow. As a dentist who had previously used other systems, she immediately recognized the inefficiencies and time-consuming processes that were bogging down her team.
“Switching from paper to digital charting was one of the first things we did,” she explained. With a 15-person staff and a busy, six-day-a-week schedule, outdated systems simply weren’t going to cut it. The administrative load—especially when handling new patient intakes—was heavy, and internal communication required staff to move physically between rooms. It was clear that the practice needed a more efficient, modern, and scalable solution to support growth and reduce friction in day-to-day operations.
The Solution
Dr. Schmidt selected ClearDent as her practice management platform, citing its user-friendliness, accessible support, and integrated tools as key differentiators. Having experienced other software before, she found ClearDent easy to deploy—and more importantly, her team learned and adapted quickly.
The digital charting transition was seamless: “With minimal support, we were able to incorporate it quite quickly.” But the impact didn’t stop there. Adding ClearChat, ClearDent’s internal messaging system, eliminated the need for verbal handoffs and made behind-the-scenes communication more polished and private. “It really enables a more polished experience for the patient,” Dr. Schmidt shared, noting how the clinical-to-admin handoffs now feel seamless.
ClearDent also simplified and clarified treatment planning and front desk coordination. From the clinical room to the reception desk, everyone knows what was done, what’s next, and how to keep the patient on track.
The Results
The shift to ClearDent has empowered Dr. Schmidt and her team to operate with greater clarity, efficiency, and professionalism. Her favorite feature? The reporting.
“It’s really easy to pull up A/R reports, track rebooking trends, and identify where treatment has been missed. It makes it easier to chase patients and get them back in,” she explained. For a dentist who sees herself as an entrepreneur as much as a clinician, visibility into business performance is critical: “We are entrepreneurs who happen to know dentistry. Knowing your numbers is number one.”
The ClearDent support ecosystem has also been a huge asset. Between training, the Help Centre (ClearDent’s help portal), and tutorial videos, Dr. Schmidt‘s team is always learning. “You always pick up something new that makes your job easier.”
Looking ahead, she’s especially excited about ClearDent’s Online Booking and Cloud platform. With 50 to 100 new patients per month, Online Booking will help reduce admin workload and allow the front desk to focus more on in-practice interactions. “I’m excited to alleviate that time so my admin team can really focus on the person standing in front of them.”
She also sees tremendous potential in ClearDent Cloud. “We still use server-based systems and it’s bulky. The idea of logging in remotely to prep for Monday night is a huge advantage. The Cloud will reduce stress and make us more flexible.”
Conclusion
Dr. Schmidt encourages practices to stay current and make the most of their software. “Get training, use the videos, and keep exploring—there’s so much in there.” Her advice to others? Don’t wait to modernize.
“ClearDent stays on top of the trends. They listen to dentist feedback and have their finger on the pulse of what’s going on. We’re an independently owned small business—and so is ClearDent. We get each other.”
Park & Tilford Dental’s journey is a powerful example of how the right technology partner can simplify operations, empower staff, and unlock future growth.
"’We're an independently owned small business—and so is ClearDent. We get each other.”
How ClearDent Transformed Cougar Ridge Dental’s Operations and Patient Care
About
Cougar Ridge Dental is a family-oriented dental clinic located in Calgary, Alberta. Known for its compassionate approach, the clinic offers a comprehensive range of dental services, including pediatric, general, cosmetic, and surgical dentistry. The team prides itself on delivering high-quality care using the latest technology and techniques. Their mission is to ensure that every patient receives modern, effective treatment in a welcoming, trusted environment where comfort and well-being are a priority.
Meet the Team
Mandi Carter – Office Manager
Mandi Carter brings years of experience managing dental practices and working with a variety of dental software systems. She has a strong background in optimizing workflows, improving team efficiency, and supporting high standards of patient care. Since joining Cougar Ridge Dental, Mandi has dedicated her time to modernizing operations, improving team communication, and enhancing the overall patient experience through thoughtful process improvements.
See How Cougar Ridge Dental Transformed Efficiency and Patient Experience with ClearDent
All the tools your team needs to run smoother, deliver better care, and grow with confidence—built into one intuitive platform.
When Mandi joined Cougar Ridge Dental, the practice was in the midst of a significant transition. The clinic had recently changed ownership after experiencing financial challenges, partly due to operational inefficiencies. Much of this stemmed from the outdated, overly complex software the clinic relied on for daily tasks. “The amount of time it took to do a basic task was unreasonable. The software was just costing the practice so much money in inefficiency,” Mandi explained. Staff members faced frustration daily, needing to navigate multiple unnecessary steps to complete even the simplest functions, which impacted morale and productivity. These challenges underscored the urgent need for a solution that could support both the team’s efficiency and the clinic’s financial health.
The Solution
With extensive experience using multiple dental software systems, Mandi knew ClearDent was the right choice. “Hands down, ClearDent is the most efficient,” she said. Mandi believes that software plays a critical role in the success of any dental practice, and she was confident that ClearDent’s all-in-one solution would address the clinic’s needs. The owner dentist, who also had prior positive experience with ClearDent, fully supported the decision. Together, they prioritized making the change.
The transition to ClearDent went smoothly despite the complexity of migrating data from their previous system. ClearDent’s team provided outstanding support, proactive communication, and tailored guidance that kept the implementation on track. “It was a daunting task to change from Dentrix to ClearDent, but ClearDent’s team provided great communication and support,” Mandi noted. Staff adapted quickly thanks to ClearDent’s intuitive, user-friendly design. Features like integrated reporting, treatment planning, and seamless front-to-back office communication immediately began making a difference. The reporting tools, in particular, helped the team save time and reduce frustration when generating essential business insights.
The Results
Since implementing ClearDent, Cougar Ridge Dental has seen substantial improvements across all areas of the practice. “Our schedule is fuller, we can pull up lists of patients quickly, and booking is more efficient every single week,” Mandi shared. Staff are able to access patient information and treatment plans easily, leading to faster decision-making and better-coordinated care.
ClearDent’s sticky notes and customizable alerts allow the team to personalize patient experiences, remembering personalized details like a patient’s preference for a pillow or blanket during treatment. This thoughtful attention to patient comfort has not gone unnoticed. “We’ve already gotten gifts from patients because they’ve been so thankful for how we’ve treated them,” Mandi said. The ability to manage benefits accurately and efficiently has also led to increased patient satisfaction and referrals.
Another major benefit has been the clarity of treatment planning. “The fact that you can see the treatment plan from the appointment, patient file, and chart — and see notes, approvals, and what’s booked — makes everything so clear. It’s a huge help,” Mandi explained. The team no longer faces the guesswork or confusion that came with their previous software. ClearDent has streamlined their operations and improved morale.
Looking ahead, Mandi and the team are excited to explore ClearDent’s online booking tool, which they see as an important next step in supporting the clinic’s growth. They believe it will help fill the schedule even more effectively and provide added convenience for patients who prefer digital options.
Conclusion
Mandi encourages other dental practices to embrace change and consider modern solutions that can transform daily operations. “I know it’s overwhelming to think about changing your dental software because everything depends on it, but I 100% believe it is worth it to switch to ClearDent. It’s so efficient, user-friendly, and worth every penny for the ability to run a practice well.”
Cougar Ridge Dental’s experience demonstrates how modern, integrated software like ClearDent can drive real improvements in efficiency, patient satisfaction, and business success, setting a strong foundation for long-term growth.
"It’s so efficient, user-friendly, and worth every penny for the ability to run a practice well.”
Imagine googling your dental practice and being greeted by a mix of glowing praise and scathing critiques that end up in a 3.5 overall star rating. While the positive reviews are encouraging, the negative ones sting—especially since they’re visible to every prospective patient and can heavily influence their decision-making process. Studies show that potential patients often prioritize recent and negative reviews over positive ones, which means unresolved issues can weigh disproportionately in their choices. Worse, you’ve noticed that some of the criticisms stem from simple misunderstandings or issues that could have been resolved with better communication. As a dental practice owner, you understand the importance of reputation, but managing it online feels like a constant uphill battle and not what you or your staff are trained to do.
Your marketing efforts are in full swing, from targeted digital ads to social media campaigns, yet potential patients hesitate to book appointments due to a few bad reviews. Meanwhile, glowing feedback from happy patients remains under-leveraged, sitting unshared and uncelebrated. Sharing positive reviews not only counters the effects of negative feedback but also reinforces trust and credibility. By actively showcasing patient praise, your practice demonstrates its commitment to quality care, encouraging prospective patients to choose your services. It’s clear that while your clinical skills are excellent, your practice’s online reputation isn’t fully working in your favour.
Statistics show that online reviews significantly influence patient decisions—70-80% of patients rely on reviews when choosing healthcare providers. Furthermore, the cost of acquiring new patients can range from $150-$300, making it critical to retain those you already have while cultivating new relationships through positive reviews.
Managing Online Reviews
Online reviews can make or break a dental practice. They’re the digital equivalent of word-of-mouth referrals, but with far greater reach and speed. Plus, they’re evergreen – staying online until someone changes or removes them – which almost never happens. Here are the most common pain points practices face when managing their online reputation:
Negative Reviews: A single negative review can deter potential patients, even if your overall rating is high.
Low Review Volume: Having only a few reviews, even positive ones, can make your practice seem less credible.
Lack of Engagement: Failing to respond to reviews—both positive and negative—can give the impression of indifference.
Unbalanced Feedback: Happy patients often don’t think to leave reviews, while dissatisfied ones are more motivated to share their experiences.
Difficulty Tracking Feedback: Keeping up with reviews across multiple platforms (Google, Yelp) can be overwhelming without a streamlined system.
These challenges can undermine marketing efforts, decrease patient trust, and leave your practice vulnerable to competitors with stronger online reputations. Considering the typical lifetime value of a dental patient—estimated between $7,000 and $10,000—losing even a few patients due to negative online reviews can significantly impact your bottom line.
ClearDent Solutions for Managing Online Reviews
Managing online reviews doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Social media platforms provide tools to analyze your reviews, while ClearDent offers solutions that streamline the process, making it easier for practices to build and maintain a stellar online reputation. Here’s how:
Encourage Positive Reviews Automatically:
ClearDent’s ClearConnect allows you to send post-appointment surveys that prompt satisfied patients to leave reviews on platforms like Google or Yelp. By automating this process, you can steadily grow your pool of positive feedback and offset occasional negative reviews.
Monitor and Respond to Reviews:
Quickly respond to feedback—thank happy patients for their praise and address concerns from dissatisfied ones to show your commitment to patient satisfaction. Through ClearDent’s partnership with Social Ordeals, you can utilize their dashboard to track all your reviews across platforms, providing a comprehensive solution that enhances visibility and simplifies reputation management.
Showcase Your Best Feedback:
Highlight glowing reviews on your website or social media channels. This not only builds credibility but also encourages others to share their positive experiences.
Streamline Feedback Collection:
Use ClearConnect to request reviews from patients after their appointments. Filter responses by star rating, ensuring that only highly satisfied patients receive an invitation to post their review on platforms like Google.
Track Trends and Insights:
Analyze review patterns to identify recurring issues or areas for improvement in your practice. You can do this using your Google Business Profile or other review platforms, while a social media manager like Social Ordeals provides a comprehensive tool to analyze reviews and streamline your efforts. This data-driven approach helps you enhance both patient experience and operational efficiency.
The Pain-Free Practice
Consider this example: A patient had a minor complaint about a long wait time during a visit. They left a negative review on Google, which you noticed immediately through Google reviews. Within hours, your team responded with an apology and an explanation of how the practice is addressing scheduling issues to reduce wait times. The patient appreciated the prompt response and updated their review to reflect your professionalism and willingness to improve.
At the same time, your ClearConnect system sent review prompts to 20 patients who had completed appointments that week. As a result, you received 15 new 5-star reviews, significantly boosting your overall rating and pushing the initial negative review lower in the list. You then featured one of the glowing reviews on your social media channels, showcasing your commitment to excellent patient care. Your practice now appears more appealing to prospective patients searching on Google or Yelp, leading to increased inquiries and bookings.
This seamless integration of tools and strategy turned a potential setback into an opportunity to strengthen your reputation and attract more patients. When you consider that most practices need 20-50 new patients per month to sustain and grow, tools like ClearConnect and partnerships like Social Ordeals ensure you stay ahead.
Attract and Retain Patients with ClearDent
Your online reputation is one of the most critical assets for your dental practice. With ClearDent’s patient engagement tools and partnership with Social Ordeals, you can effectively manage reviews, address patient concerns, and showcase your strengths to prospective patients. By leveraging digital marketing strategies and reputation management tools, you’ll not only protect your brand but also foster trust, loyalty, and growth.
It’s the end of the month, and your team is busy analyzing the practice’s financial performance. Despite efforts to increase production—through promotional campaigns, adding new procedures, and scheduling more patients—revenue growth remains stagnant, and key performance indicators fail to meet expectations. As you dig deeper, you notice an alarming trend: accounts receivable (A/R) are climbing, and some planned treatments have gone unbilled. Your expenses are mounting, yet it’s unclear which areas are underperforming. This could mean certain procedures are not generating expected revenue, marketing campaigns are not delivering patient acquisition, or operational inefficiencies are inflating costs.
This scenario paints a troubling picture: without clear insights into your practice’s performance, inefficiencies and missed opportunities compound over time. The lack of visibility into key metrics makes it difficult to pinpoint problems, let alone develop effective solutions. This not only affects profitability but also adds stress to an already demanding schedule.
Lack of Visibility into Business Performance
Running a dental practice requires strategic decision-making, and a lack of visibility into business performance is a significant obstacle. Practices often face challenges such as:
Limited Real-Time Insights: Many tools don’t offer real-time, comprehensive, or customizable information tailored to the practice’s specific needs.
Time-Consuming Reporting: Generating reports often requires significant time and effort, detracting from other critical tasks.
Limited Report Types: Some systems only allow a narrow range of reports, limiting the ability to fully analyze practice performance.
Unmonitored Accounts Receivable: Overdue payments reduce cash flow, making it harder to manage daily operations.
Missed Revenue Opportunities: Delays in insurance reimbursements and low treatment acceptance rates leave money on the table.
Operational Inefficiencies: Inadequate tracking of chair utilization, hygiene productivity, and patient retention hinders growth.
Without real-time and actionable insights, these challenges snowball. Overdue accounts lead to cash flow issues, delaying investments in new equipment or marketing. Limited report visibility means missed trends, such as declining patient retention, which could have been addressed through better engagement strategies. Ultimately, the lack of clear data makes it difficult to take proactive steps, leading to slower growth and increased stress for practice owners.
Business Analytics: A Crucial Element for Growth
For dental practices, gaining visibility into financial and operational metrics is essential to address inefficiencies and unlock growth potential. Business analytics allow practices to identify trends, track performance, and make data-driven decisions that lead to measurable improvements. By analyzing metrics such as accounts receivable, production trends, and patient retention rates, dentists can gain a clearer understanding of their practice’s health and focus on areas for improvement.
Accounts Receivable (A/R) Aging Report: Track outstanding payments grouped by the amount of time they’ve been overdue. This enables practices to manage cash flow and follow up on overdue accounts proactively.
Billed vs. Planned Production: Compare billed versus planned treatments to identify missed billing opportunities or inefficiencies in treatment acceptance.
Production by Treatment Type: Analyze production data by procedure type to focus on high-margin treatments and improve patient education.
Practice Performance Dashboard: ClearDent Cloud’s customizable, real-time dashboard provides a high-level view of production, recalls, chair utilization, and other critical metrics. This ensures decision-makers have actionable insights at their fingertips.
ClearInsight Advanced Analytics: With ClearInsight, practices can uncover hidden revenue, track operational efficiencies, and monitor metrics like hygiene reappointment rates, patient attrition, and billing per provider.
The Pain-Free Practice
Imagine this: It’s the start of a new quarter, and you review your practice’s performance metrics. Instantly, you see a real-time snapshot of your financial and operational health. A/R is down because overdue accounts were proactively addressed last month. Your production trends highlight which procedures are driving revenue, and you notice a spike in treatment acceptance for Invisalign after launching a targeted campaign.
But the benefits go beyond financials. With a clear understanding of your metrics, you’re able to make strategic decisions—tweaking your patient engagement strategy, refining social media campaigns, and adjusting your marketing and website content to target high-value treatments. Online booking data helps you identify peak scheduling times and optimize staff availability, improving efficiency and patient satisfaction.
Thanks to this visibility, you’ve been able to empower your team and optimize operations – without having to spend much, if any money. Additionally, you’ve aligned your expenses with projected revenue, ensuring your practice runs smoothly and profitably. Your practice isn’t just maintaining its profitability—it’s thriving and setting the stage for sustainable growth.
Attract and Retain Patients with ClearDent
In today’s competitive dental landscape, understanding your business “by the numbers” is essential for growth. ClearDent provides the tools you need to stay informed, streamline operations, and focus on delivering exceptional patient care. By leveraging ClearDent’s business analytics solutions, you can turn data into actionable insights, ensuring your practice remains profitable and prepared for the future.
Your practice is thriving in many areas: the marketing efforts are paying off, new patients are consistently walking through the door, and glowing online reviews reflect your dedication to patient care. Yet, as you review the monthly reports, a concerning trend catches your eye. Despite the influx of new patients and the loyalty of existing ones, treatment plan acceptance rates are lower than expected. Additionally, hygiene recall appointments are declining, leaving significant gaps in the schedule.
You notice a pattern: new patients who initially express interest in comprehensive care do not follow through with their treatment plans. Meanwhile, long-time patients are missing and/or delaying their hygiene recalls, disrupting your ability to maintain relationships and keep their oral health on track. These missed opportunities not only affect your schedule but also have a noticeable impact on revenue and patient retention. It’s clear that while attracting patients has been successful, ensuring they stay engaged and commit to their care requires a different approach.
The Business Impact of Missed Treatment Plans and Recalls
To illustrate the impact of low treatment plan acceptance rates and missed recalls on your business, we’ve outlined their potential effects on the practice as a whole:
Reduced Revenue: Every missed treatment or hygiene recall is revenue that doesn’t make it into your practice.
Missed Opportunities for Growth: Hygiene recall appointments are a gateway to identifying additional treatment needs and strengthening patient relationships.
Higher Costs for Patient Acquisition to Fill Gaps: It costs significantly more to attract new patients to fill empty spots than to retain and engage existing ones.
Weakened Patient Relationships: Lack of engagement can lead patients to feel undervalued, increasing the risk of losing them to competitors.
Understanding the Challenges: Recalls and Treatment Plans
Missed Hygiene Recalls
Missed hygiene recalls are often the result of several things including a lack of efficient tools, processes, and a disciplined approach to follow-ups. Practices that rely solely on phone outreach often end up playing long games of phone tag, have limited availability during office hours, and overwhelm the staff who have many other tasks they need to focus on.
Another challenge for practices is quickly and efficiently identifying which patients are due for recalls within specific windows of time – to optimize the effort required to reach out.
Without regular visits or the ability to share important information with patients through digital channels, patients often don’t see the full value of regular hygiene visits because they are not aware of the long-term health benefits, like preventing gum disease or tooth decay, or the potential risks of skipping them. This lack of understanding can make the effort, time, or cost involved in scheduling these visits feel unnecessary to them.
These challenges, if left unaddressed, lead to inconsistent recall rates, gaps in patient care, and a strained relationship between the practice and its patients.
Low Treatment Plan Acceptance Rates
Low treatment plan acceptance rates often result from challenges in a practice’s ability to clearly communicate the importance of treatment, addressing patient concerns, and offering personalized solutions. Patients may struggle to grasp the urgency of treatment if it is not explained in relatable terms, or they may feel overwhelmed by technical jargon that confuses rather than informs.
Patients often have concerns about cost, time, or potential discomfort that go unaddressed, leading to hesitation or rejection of treatment plans. Many patients are also unaware of the long-term consequences of delaying care, as practices may not effectively convey this information.
Finally, the absence of a structured follow-up system or tools to re-engage patients with unscheduled treatments can result in missed opportunities. By improving communication strategies, addressing concerns proactively, and implementing effective follow-up processes, practices can build trust, enhance understanding, and increase treatment acceptance rates.
Revenue Implications
Imagine this:
Let’s say that for every 25 treatment plans presented, approximately 40% of patients never return for their recommended care. For example:
20 outstanding treatments × $750 average treatment fee = $15,000 in lost revenue per month.
Annualized, this equals $180,000 in potential revenue left on the table.
Without regular follow-ups, patients may deprioritize their dental care, leading to consistently low treatment acceptance rates. Research shows that implementing a structured follow-up system can increase acceptance rates by 15-20%, turning missed opportunities into completed treatments and strengthening patient relationships.
Turning Missed Opportunities into Growth
Being proactive in addressing these challenges is essential, focusing on managing both treatment plans and recalls in a systematic and efficient way:
Increase Hygiene Recall Rates
Leverage Recall Manager
ClearDent’s Recall Manager helps practices identify patients with missed recalls and follow up systematically.
Automated Recall Reminders
Send automated scheduled text and email reminders for overdue recalls through your patient engagement software like ClearConnect—ensuring patients are reminded to book their appointments.
Include links to online booking, enabling patients to schedule at their convenience and reduce phone tag. This not only improves patient satisfaction by offering flexibility but also reduces the administrative workload for your staff, allowing them to focus on other critical tasks.
Maximize Recall Appointments
Use hygiene visits as an opportunity to discuss overdue treatment plans. Understand patients’ barriers and offer solutions to help them follow through.
Engage Patients with Educational Content
Share newsletters or social media updates about the importance of regular hygiene visits to maintain oral health and prevent costly treatments later.
Boost Treatment Plan Acceptance Rates
Clear, Straight-Forward Proposals:
Provide patients with detailed, written treatment plans, including costs and benefits.
Use visual aids like x-rays or digital imaging —making the need for treatment more obvious and memorable.
Proactive Follow-Ups:
Leverage ClearDent’s Treatment Plan Manager to easily track unscheduled treatments and set up and send automated reminders.
Assign a team member or establish workflows to ensure consistent follow-ups.
Address Financial Concerns:
Offer flexible payment plans, assistance navigating insurance coverage, and financing options through Contract Billing tools, making it easier for patients to commit to their care.
Train staff to confidently discuss financial options and alleviate any questions or concerns patients may have.
Educate Patients:
Use email newsletter campaigns to explain the long-term consequences of delayed treatment, such as tooth loss or increased costs.
Use chairside software with visual aids to help patients understand the urgency of their care.
A Proactive Approach to Growth
Focusing on treatment plan acceptance and recall rates is critical for the long-term success of your practice. By addressing these challenges, you can increase revenue by converting missed opportunities into scheduled appointments. Additionally, you can strengthen patient relationships and loyalty through proactive engagement, while streamlining workflows to reduce the administrative burden on your staff. ClearDent has the tools you need to maximize profitability and continue to grow your practice.
Don’t let missed treatment plans and recalls hold your practice back. Request a demo today and discover how ClearDent can help your practice thrive.
How ClearDent’s Online Booking Nearly Eliminates No-Shows for Ellerslie Dental
About
Located in Edmonton, Ellerslie Dental has been serving the community for 16 years, focusing on providing a relaxed dental experience for their patients while offering a comprehensive list of services, including dental veneers, fillings, sealants, crowns, bonding, bridges, root canals, extractions, and much more. Ellerslie Dental prides itself on its holistic approach to patient care, ensuring that patients are well taken care of from the moment they book their appointments until they leave the chair.
Meet the Manager
At the forefront of delivering top-notch patient experiences is Sheena Nicholl, the office manager at Ellerslie Dental. With over 10 years of experience in the dental industry and a background in client and customer engagement, Sheena is always looking for ways to deliver exceptional patient care in a smarter, more efficient and simpler way.
See How Online Booking Nearly Eliminates No-Shows for Ellerslie Dental
All the features you love from ClearDent On-Prem, now enhanced with the accessibility and growth tools of the Cloud.
Before switching to an integratedsolution, Sheena struggled with the inefficiencies of a disjointed software setup. They were using a third-party patient engagement system for patient communication, including texting and recall reminders, which forced her to switch back and forth between different platforms. “We’d have to leave ClearDent and then go into this other systemand put in all the information. It was a lot of back and forth.” Sheena recalled.A time-consuming process prone to errors, Sheena and her team would have multiple windows open simultaneouslyso that they could manually cross-check patient details to ensure the data was entered correctly across platforms.
In addition, Sheena spent a lot of time playing phone tag with patients, which added even more time to the process. This inefficient procedure became even more frustrating when managing appointment bookings, as the system only allowed patients to request a time rather than book it directly. Sheena and her staff had to manually block off times when unavailable, adding unnecessary work and risking double-bookings. Moreover, critical information was often “lost in translation” between systems, further complicating the workflow. The constant back-and-forth not only wasted time but also made it difficult to maintain a seamless experience for both staff and patients.
The Solution
Sheena decided to contact ClearDent and make the switch to ClearDent’s integrated online booking system. The decision came after researching alternatives and confirming that ClearDent’s solution could streamline communication and eliminate the need for multiple platforms. “I put my foot down and said that I didn’t want to deal with this other system” Sheena explained. As they began the early preview program with ClearDent’s Online Booking, Sheena realized how much her team appreciated the system, particularly how everything worked flawlessly—from how the booking system integrates with the scheduler to the implementation of the Online Booking link on their website.
ClearDent’s Online Booking system allowed Ellerslie Dental to stay within one platform, with all their patient information accessible in one place. With everything seamlessly synced between ClearDent and Online Booking, any adjustments to the schedule, such as blocking off times or setting appointment exceptions, could now be made quickly and effortlessly. Communication with patients also improved significantly, as they were able to send welcome texts, intake forms, and other information directly through ClearDent’s system.
The Results
Since implementing ClearDent’s online booking system, Ellerslie Dental has experienced significant improvements in both efficiency and patient satisfaction. Many of Ellerslie Dental’s patients have irregular work schedules or live in remote areas without reliable access to cell service, but they now have the convenience of booking appointments online at any time—whether it’s midnight or mid-day. Sheena highlighted that this arrangement is perfect for patients, as they are empowered to book appointments at a time that works for them. Sheena also found that patients are more committed to their appointments, which has reduced the number of cancellations and no-shows, as patients are more likely to honour appointments they booked themselves.
Additionally, the integration of ClearConnect, ClearDent’s patient engagement add-on, has further enhanced communication with patients. “It’s super easy, I shoot them a welcome text saying like, ‘Hey, so glad you could book with us.’” Sheena explained. “It’s so easy to let them know we’re looking forward to seeing them, and we also send intake forms ahead of time via text or the patient portal, so we’re prepared before they arrive.” Sheena was able to automate recall messages to include the Online Booking link, making it easy for patients to book appointments at their convenience and saving staff from having to make manual follow-up calls. This seamless communication has contributed to a smoother workflow, reducing the back-and-forth that previously complicated the booking and onboarding process. The practice has even seen an increase of 1 to 2 new patients per week, thanks to the ease of online booking combined with ClearConnect’s ability to engage patients before their appointments.
“I honestly would have appreciated this system ten years ago when I just started in the dental industry,” Sheena commented, reflecting on how much easier their operations have become with ClearDent’s Online Booking. The seamless, real-time integration with ClearDent has saved Ellerslie Dental significant time, and both existing and new patients appreciate how accessible and convenient the Online Booking system is. The ability to book appointments anytime, without needing to call the clinic, has not only improved patient satisfaction but also streamlined the practice’s workflow, allowing the team to focus on providing excellent care.
“I honestly would have appreciated this system ten years ago when I just started in the dental industry”
How ClearDent’s Integrated Online Booking Transformed Promontory Heights Dental’s Efficiency and Patient Experience
About
Promontory Heights Dental is a boutique, family-owned dental clinic located in Chilliwack, British Columbia. Committed to delivering exceptional dental care with a modern touch, the clinic offers a comprehensive range of services, including general dentistry, surgery, implants, Invisalign, Botox, and more. Their goal is to provide each patient with high-quality care in a relaxed and trusted environment, fostering relationships built on respect, trust, and a proactive commitment to dental health.
Meet the Team
Dr. Jehan Casey
With 16 years of experience, Dr. Casey has owned Promontory Heights Dental for the past two years. She is passionate about providing high-quality dental care and continually invests in ongoing education and modern dental technologies to enhance patient experiences.
Natalie D’Alesandro
With 17 years in the dental field, Natalie serves as both a Certified Dental Assistant and Reception Coordinator. Her dual expertise bridges clinical and administrative functions. Natalie’s commitment to patient care and operational efficiency contributes significantly to the welcoming atmosphere and smooth operations of the clinic.
See How Online Booking Increased Efficiency and New Patient Growth for Promontory Heights Dental
All the features you love from ClearDent, now enhanced with integrated online booking and seamless patient communication.
Before integrating ClearDent’s online booking system, Promontory Heights Dental faced several challenges that hindered their efficiency and made it harder for patients to access their services. Dr. Casey found that most online booking solutions did not integrate directly with their existing ClearDent software. This lack of integration would have required staff to manually transfer patient bookings from the online platform to the scheduler, leading to wasted time and potential errors. Dr. Casey recalled thinking, “That’s such a waste of time. Really, ClearDent should be doing this.”
In the mean time, patients were unable to book appointments outside of office hours, resulting in missed opportunities and frustrating “phone tag” situations. This was particularly inconvenient for patients who remembered to schedule appointments late in the evening and for those who worked during weekdays. Furthermore, Promontory did not want to have to rely on multiple software systems for recalls, messaging, and scheduling as it would further complicate workflows and increasethe likelihood of glitches and inefficiencies, which Dr. Casey had seen at other practices. She wanted her team to focus on learning one software and utilize all of its features and functionality for maximum efficiency.
The Solution
The turning point came when Dr. Casey received an email announcing ClearDent’s new integrated online booking system just before the Pacific Dental Conference in 2024. Excited about a solution that would seamlessly integrate with their existing software, she immediately reached out to ClearDent. “I was very, very excited when I heard ClearDent was doing this because I knew that would increase our efficiency and patient bookings” Dr. Casey said.
The setup process was smooth and user-friendly. Natalie noted, “The setup was actually quite easy. With the ClearDent software, everything is very manageable.” There were minimal errors, and any necessary adjustments were quickly addressed during the beta testing phase. The integrated system allowed patients to book appointments directly into the scheduler in real-time, eliminating the need for manual data entry and avoiding double-bookings. This ensured that appointment slots were filled efficiently, even outside of regular office hours.
Additionally, incorporating ClearMessaging in ClearConnect enabled instant communication with patients through text messages. Staff could confirm appointments, request additional information, and send personalized messages. Natalie explained, “It’s nice that we can just go in, right-click, and send a text message right away.” The unified platform not only streamlined administrative tasks but also enhanced the overall patient experience by making communication more efficient and personalized.
The Results
Since implementing ClearDent’s Online Booking and messaging system with ClearConnect, Promontory Heights Dental has experienced significant improvements in efficiency, patient satisfaction, and schedule optimization. Natalie shared, “When we finish in the evening, sometimes we’ll have an opening, and we’ll come in in the morning and see that the opening has been booked.” This automation both reduced the workload and helped to fill the schedulewithout extra effort.
Patients appreciated the ability to book appointments at any time, especially outside of office hours. Dr. Casey emphasized, “It’s really valuable, especially for people who work during the week.” The convenience of choosing appointment times that suited them led to a significant reduction in cancellations. Natalie explained, “The cancellations for those patients that book the appointments online are actually very minimal because they book for the date that they knowworks for them.”
The practice also saw an increase in new patient bookings, averaging a few new patients each week through the online system. Marketing efforts, including QR codes on flyers and social media promotion, could now point potential patients to a place where they could actually schedule an appointment, driving even more new patient growth. Patients expressed appreciation for the new system, finding it easy to use and in line with other online booking experiences in healthcare. “They’re very appreciative that we have introduced this system for them,” noted Natalie.
In addition to the new online booking tools, improved communication through ClearMessaging allowed the team to quickly send personalized texts, gather necessary information, and confirm appointments. The ability to view text message histories ensured that all staff members were up-to-date on patient communications, reducing confusion and enhancing preparedness. Natalie said, “We have a template, and they get back to us right away.”
By using ClearDent’s integrated practice management management and patient engagement solutions, Promontory eliminated the need for multiple software subscriptions, resulting in significant cost savings and better overall efficiencies. Dr. Casey highlighted, “It saves money for me as a business owner because then you’re not utilizing several subscriptions. It’s all in one.”
Conclusion
The integration of ClearDent’s Online Booking and ClearConnect systems has transformed Promontory Heights Dental’s operations, enhancing both efficiency and patient satisfaction while driving practice growth through new patient acquisition. By embracing these tools, Dr. Casey and her team have streamlined appointment scheduling, improved communication, and provided patients with the convenience of booking appointments at their leisure.
Dr. Casey offers this advice to other dental practices:
“If you have a software solution, utilize every feature in it because it will improve processes and efficiency in the practice. It’s all about efficiency. And finding a program that provides all these services in one has been great.”
Promontory Heights‘ experience shows the significant advantages of embracing integrated dental software solutions. The practice has not only improved its operational efficiency but also enhanced the overall patient experience, setting a benchmark for modern dental care.
"If you have a software solution, utilize every feature in it because it will improve processes and efficiency in the practice."
It’s the end of the month, and your team is busy analyzing the practice’s financial performance. Despite efforts to acquire new patients—investing in online ads, running social media campaigns, and sending promotional emails—something isn’t adding up. Revenue is stagnating, and when you dive deeper into the numbers, you notice that current patients are churning more than normal. While new patients are coming in, more and more of your existing patients are becoming inactive, meaning all your efforts are just plugging the hole instead if growing the business.
This scenario paints a troubling picture: existing patients are slipping through the cracks. Most patients only visit once or twice a year, making it critical to maintain relationships between visits and stay top of mind. Without consistent engagement, they drift away, often to other practices that better meet their scheduling, financial, or personal needs. Worse, these lapses in engagement can lead to missed referrals from satisfied patients, further impacting growth.
Your efforts to grow the practice are being undermined by the silent churn of what should be loyal patients. Building strong, engaged relationships with existing patients is the key to reversing this trend.
Practice Pain Point: Retaining Existing Patients
Retaining patients is a challenge faced by many dental practices, and losing patients is costly. Studies show that dental practices lose 15-20% of their patients every year, and it costs significantly more to acquire a new patient than to retain an existing one. Here are some reasons why patients leave:
Limited Scheduling Options: Patients struggle to find appointment times that fit their busy schedules.
High Treatment Costs: Without flexible payment plans or promotional offers, treatment can seem out of reach for some patients.
Lack of Engagement: Patients are not kept informed about their oral health needs, promotional activities, or updates that help to build relationships with the practice.
Poor Patient Experience: Dissatisfaction with service quality leads patients to look elsewhere.
When patients leave, chairs are empty, referrals decline, and marketing costs increase trying to attract replacements. Preventing this churn requires consistent engagement and proactive communication strategies.
ClearDent Solutions for Patient Retention
Strengthening relationships with patients is essential to retaining them. By delivering better service, engaging marketing strategies, and personalized communication, practices can foster loyalty and lasting connections. ClearDent offers innovative tools to streamline this process and ensure your practice stays top-of-mind for your patients:
Communicate Marketing Activities with Bulk Newsletters: ClearDent’s Bulk Newsletter feature allows practices to easily send newsletters tailored to their audience. Whether it’s practice announcements, promotional offers, or oral hygiene tips, this tool lets you set criteria to target specific groups of patients effectively. By sharing relevant and engaging content, practices can build stronger relationships, keep patients informed, and encourage loyalty and referrals.
Increase Visibility Through Digital Marketing: Use email campaigns, blogs, websites, and online booking to maintain patient relationships. These tools and services ensure patients stay informed about the practice’s activities and offerings and have an easy, seamless way to book their appointments.
Maintain Relationships by Following Up on Treatment Plans: With ClearDent’s Manage All Patients tool, practices can easily identify inactive patients or those with unfinished treatments. Send personalized messages to remind them of their care plan or inform them of promotions that could reignite their interest.
Show Patients You Truly Care: Personalize interactions by remembering details about patients and their concerns. ClearDent’s Patient Portal enables practices to collect and review patient information before appointments, streamlining conversations and ensuring personalized care. If a patient hesitates on a treatment plan due to financial constraints, ClearDent’s tools can help the practice offer flexible payment options or promotions tailored to their needs.
Gather Feedback with Patient Surveys: ClearDent makes it easy to collect valuable patient feedback through surveys. By regularly soliciting feedback on their experience, practices can identify areas for improvement, address concerns proactively, and demonstrate that they value their patients’ opinions. This helps build trust, enhance service quality, and improve overall patient satisfaction.
The Pain-Free Practice
Imagine this common scenario: A long-time patient visits your office for a routine cleaning. During the appointment, you notice an evolving issue with their alignment and jaw strain and recommend Invisalign. The patient expresses interest but isn’t ready to commit. Months later, your practice launches a promotional campaign for Invisalign. Using ClearDent’s Manage All Patients tools, you quickly identify all the patients who previously showed interest in Invisalign and send them a targeted email or text message about the promotion using the Bulk Newsletter. For those still unsure, you include links to a blog post on your website that educates them about the benefits of Invisalign. The email also includes a button for online booking, allowing them to schedule an appointment in just a few clicks.
This seamless integration of patient data, targeted marketing, and online booking keeps the patient engaged, informed, and more likely to choose your practice for their treatment.
Attract and Retain Patients with ClearDent
In today’s competitive landscape, retaining existing patients is just as important as acquiring new ones, if not more important. ClearDent provides the tools practices need to build strong relationships, deliver personalized care, and keep patients coming back. From engaging newsletters to seamless online booking and personalized follow-ups, ClearDent helps you foster loyalty and create raving fans who are more likely to refer others.
It’s the start of a new month, and you’re pulling reports to review the practice’s performance. As you scan through the numbers, a worrying trend emerges – new patient bookings are on the decline.
While your practice has successfully retained many loyal patients, attracting new ones has been a challenge due to factors like limited online visibility, competition from other practices, and difficulty converting website visitors into booked appointments. The reliance on inbound phone inquiries leads to frustrating rounds of phone tag, causing potential new patients to disappear. Unfilled slots in the schedule are becoming more common, directly impacting revenue.
Despite investing in things like online ads, social media campaigns, and email marketing, the return on those investments isn’t meeting expectations.
It’s clear that something needs to change. The balance between attracting new patients and retaining loyal ones is “off”, and practice growth is starting to stall.
A Leaky Patient Funnel and Missed Growth Opportunities
Striking the right balance between attracting new patients and retaining existing ones is a common challenge for dental practices. Today, 43% of patients search for dentists online, meaning practices with outdated websites or weak SEO risk losing new patients to competitors. With new practices emerging regularly, standing out is increasingly difficult. The problem is made worse by:
Increased competition: Patients have plenty of options, making it harder for practices to differentiate themselves.
Modern patient expectations: People now expect seamless, hassle-free experiences, like the ability to book appointments online and easily find important treatment information on a well-designed website.
Poor marketing ROI due to fragmented patient journeys: Even with substantial marketing investments, practices can see low returns if there is a disconnect between their marketing messages and the patients’ ability to easily respond and engage with you.
An inconvenient booking process: When patients can’t call during office hours, they get frustrated and go elsewhere.
Unfilled appointment slots: Holes in the schedule indicate inefficiencies in patient retention and recall efforts.
These factors combine to create a leaky patient funnel, where potential new patient leads slip away, schedules remain unfilled, and marketing efforts fail to deliver the desired results.
Here’s a great example of a leaky funnel. Statistics suggest that 33% of inbound calls go to voicemail, and 87% of potential new patients don’t leave a message or book an appointment. To make matters worse, most practices only attempt to follow-up on calls 1 to 2 two times on average—despite it generally taking 6 to 9 calls to reach someone. This means that valuable leads are lost every single day, marketing dollars are wasted, and schedules remain unfilled.
Your Practice’s Competitive Edge
ClearDent provides a comprehensive solution to these challenges through its Online Booking and ClearConnect tools, along with Digital Marketing partnerships. We enable practices to attract new patients, retain existing ones, and deliver the seamless experiences modern patients demand. Here’s what you can do with ClearDent’s patient engagement solutions:
Stand Out in a Competitive Market:
Digital Marketing: Build a strong online presence with ClearDent’s marketing services, including SEO optimization, analytics, and professional website design. In partnership with Social Ordeals, we deliver digital marketing services uniquely designed for dental practices.
Social Media Marketing: Use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to engage with your targeted audience. With tailored ads and compelling content, practices can showcase their services, highlight patient success stories, and connect with the right audience to drive new patient bookings.
Encourage Positive Reviews: Automated follow-ups prompt satisfied patients to leave reviews on platforms like Google, boosting your reputation.
Engage Effectively: Use newsletters to share practice updates, educational content, and promotions that resonate with both new and existing patients.
Provide Seamless Patient Experiences:
Online Booking: Patients can book appointments instantly through your website or social media, with real-time integration that eliminates scheduling errors that occur when staff have to move appointments from one system to another.
Patient Portal: Allow patients to complete forms and review documents digitally, reducing administrative barriers and improving convenience.
Two-Way Texting: Avoid frustrating phone tag by enabling patients to confirm or reschedule appointments via text.
Maximize Patient Acquisition Opportunities:
Data-Driven Campaigns: Use ClearDent’s reporting tools to target the right audience and track the success of your marketing efforts.
Fill Schedule Gaps: Identify and re-engage overdue or unconfirmed patients with automated reminders and recalls.
Capture After-Hours Opportunities: Online booking ensures you never miss a patient inquiry, even outside of office hours.
Balance Retention and Attraction:
Automated Recalls and Reminders: Keep loyal patients engaged with minimal effort, increasing retention and long-term revenue.
Proactive Outreach: Use ClearConnect’s mass messaging capabilities to remind patients of expiring benefits, share new offerings, or follow up on treatments.
Real Results with ClearDent
Promontory Heights Dental in Chilliwack, British Columbia, faced some challenges including inefficient booking processes and limited marketing impact before implementing ClearDent’s integrated solutions. Dr. Jehan Casey recognized that their booking process was inefficient, leading to unfilled appointment slots and frustrated patients unable to book times outside of office hours. Promontory Heights leveraged ClearDent’s online booking tool and were able to fill gaps in the schedule even after hours, while reducing the administrative burden on staff.
Promontory Heights also enhanced their online presence to attract new patients. By optimizing their website for SEO, encouraging positive reviews, and using QR codes in their marketing materials to link directly to their online booking system, they saw a steady influx of new patients. Through these marketing activities that linked directly to their online booking system, Promontory Heights’ marketing investments translated seamlessly into scheduled appointments. As Dr. Casey noted, the ability to integrate marketing and booking in one platform saved both time and money while significantly boosting growth.
Attract and Retain Patients with ClearDent
In an industry where competition is fierce and patient expectations are high, ClearDent’s tools provide the edge your practice needs to get and stay ahead. From building a strong online presence to delivering seamless booking and communication experiences, ClearDent helps you stand out while keeping your current patients engaged. Just like Promontory Heights Dental, you can turn inefficiencies into opportunities and create a patient experience that fosters loyalty and growth.
At ClearDent, we partner with Social Ordeals, experts in digital marketing for dentistry, to offer a comprehensive online marketing solution. Social Ordeals has developed a platform and services that help dental practices monitor, manage, and build their online reputations and brands. From building or refreshing your website, to search engine optimization, to digital advertising and more, Social Ordeals coupled with ClearDent’s patient engagement solutions is a win-win for today’s modern dental practice. Get a FREE Digital Audit Report for your practice.
ClearVault Saves the Day for LifePath Wellness International
About
LifePath Wellness International, based in Chestermere, Alberta, is one of the largest clinics in the region, featuring over 300 dental and wellness services, 20 operatories, and a team of more than 50 dedicated providers and staff. With a commitment to comprehensive family care led by Practice Director Craig Hayes and a team of experienced professionals, LifePathservesas a cornerstone of the community. Since its founding, LifePath has focused on creating a welcoming, reliable, and comfortable environment for its patients.
The Problem
In the fast-paced environment of comprehensive wellness practices, data integrity is non-negotiable. LifePath Wellness encountered a major issue when their primary fee guides, with hundreds of critical modifications, were lost from their ClearDent system. The issue occurred when the previous year’s fee guides were accidentally selected and inadvertently altered all code prices. Without these guides, the practice’s ability to perform procedures, bill accurately, and maintain operations was severely jeopardized.
The stakes were high: the absence of the fee guide would result in operational downtime, revenue loss, and significant stress for both the team and their patients. Quick recovery was essential.
The Solution
Fortunately, LifePath Wellness had subscribed to ClearVault, a robust cloud-based backup solution designed to ensure secure, compliant, and reliable data management. Thanks to ClearVault’sautomated daily backups and stringent compliance with Canadian privacy laws,ClearDent’s support team was able to swiftly restore the lost data with just one call. Within a few hours, the team had everything back up and running, minimizing disruptions and ensuring the practice could continue serving patients without significant delays or lost revenue. The solution’s comprehensive backup system and audit trail not only facilitated the recovery of the fee guide but also enabled the team to identify and address the root cause of the issue efficiently.
Why ClearVault Was Critical
ClearVault’s built-in backup solution ensured that LifePath Wellness avoided the catastrophic consequences of prolonged downtime:
Immediate Recovery: Daily automated backups enabled ClearDent to restore the lost data with minimal disruption.
Compliance and Security: ClearVault adheres to Canadian privacy laws, encrypting and storing all data within Canada.
Proactive Safeguards: With a 3-2-1 (+1) backup strategy, including offsite cloud storage, ClearVault mitigated the risk of operational paralysis.
Why Backing up Your Data Matters
Craig Hayes and his team at LifePath Wellness were spared the stress and financial implications of losing critical data because of ClearVault. This incident highlights a universal truth for practices: Data is the new gold. Losing it could mean losing your ability to operate and generate revenue. Buildings can burn down, offices can flood, and accidents happen—but ClearVault ensures that your practice’s data is always secure and recoverable.
For practices like LifePath Wellness, ClearVault is not just a backup solution—it’s a security blanket, safeguarding operations and patient care.
Take the first step toward complete data security today.
