It depends on what each group needs. New patients benefit most from online booking, because they cannot call during the workday and need forms and insurance steps, while existing patients are easier to reach with a recall link. In GoHighLevel the practice can run separate calendars for each. The bottom line: most dental offices should open online booking to both, with different calendars, so each group sees only the visits it can take.
What the evidence says about new patients
A randomized study of 9,835 patients at an academic medical group, published in the American Journal of Medicine, found that the no show rate of new patients was significantly higher than established patients, 17.7 percent compared with 15.9 percent, and that no show rates overall were 13.6 percent with staff reminders, 17.3 percent with automated reminders, and 23.1 percent with no reminders. It is a medical setting, not a dental one, but the pattern suggests new patients need more reminders, not fewer bookings. The ADA Health Policy Institute's poll, reported by Becker's Dental, found that 82.7 percent of dentists cited late cancellations and no shows as a top barrier to full schedules.
Three ways to set it up
| Option | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Online booking for new patients only | Controls what is booked, and fits longer first visits | Existing patients still call to book |
| Online booking for everyone, with separate calendars | Fewer calls, and recall can be a link | Needs clear calendar names, and staff to watch the schedule |
| No online booking | Full control | Calls and no after hours booking |
What to set in each calendar
| Calendar | Length | Settings |
|---|---|---|
| New patient exam | 60 to 90 minutes, according to practice norms | Forms required, insurance question, longer buffer |
| Recall cleaning | 45 to 60 minutes | Link sent from the recall workflow |
| Emergency or limited exam | 20 to 30 minutes | Held slots for same day, released at a set time |
| Treatment visit | By procedure | Booked by staff, not online |
Build it in GoHighLevel
GoHighLevel's help pages describe calendars with round robin, collective, and class booking types, and a page on collecting payments in calendars, which a practice could use for a deposit on a long visit. Confirm what your plan and calendars support.
- Create the calendars in the table, with different lengths and buffers.
- Put the new patient calendar on the website, with a required form step and the privacy notice link.
- Send the recall calendar only through the recall workflow, as a one time link, so existing patients book the right visit.
- Hold two same day slots a day for emergencies, and release them at noon the day before.
- Add the reminder workflow from our no show guide, with an extra reminder for new patients.
- Review bookings monthly to see which calendar patients choose and where they stop.
What changes for the front desk
Online booking shifts work, it does not remove it. Calls about scheduling fall, and the front desk spends more time on the visits that the calendar cannot decide: a patient who says they have a toothache, a family that wants three appointments back to back, and a patient whose insurance needs checking before a long visit. The practice should decide in advance which of those the calendar may accept. A common rule is that the calendar accepts routine exams and cleanings, and anything with pain, a treatment plan, or more than one family member goes to a person.
A second effect is on reminders. A patient who books online at 10 p.m. has no conversation with the office, so the confirmation, the forms link, and the reminder schedule carry the whole relationship. Before online booking, the person on the phone could say that the first visit takes about an hour and a half and ask the patient to bring prior X rays. Now the message has to say it, which is why our new patient confirmation guide treats the booking confirmation as the main preparation step.
Worked example
For example, a practice that books 80 new patients a month at 90 minutes each uses 120 chair hours a month (80 times 1.5). Even a 17 percent no show rate loses about 20 of those hours (120 times 0.17), which is why held reminders and a waitlist matter most for the long first visit.
Mistakes to avoid
- One calendar for every visit type. Lengths differ.
- No forms with the new patient booking. The visit runs late.
- Letting patients book treatment visits online. Staff should book those.
- Fewer reminders for new patients. They miss more.
How this was handled before
New patients phoned during the workday and were given a time and a list of forms to fill out. Online booking changed the first step, and the question now is which visits patients should be able to book on their own.
What to measure after launch
Track online bookings by calendar, new patient no show rate, calls saved, and visits booked in the wrong calendar. Move to open booking for all only if the wrong calendar rate stays low.
Check before you switch it on
US text messages sent from a standard 10 digit number need A2P 10DLC registration. The HighLevel support portal says registration is required for texts to US recipients from 10 digit long code numbers and that toll free numbers do not require it. HighLevel's opt in guidelines also say a person cannot be forced to agree to text messages in order to submit a form, so keep the consent box optional. One compliance guide separates informational texts, which need documented consent, from marketing texts, which need prior express written consent. Ask your attorney which category your reminders fall into. Confirm with your privacy officer what the booking form may collect. This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
Do new patients miss more appointments?
In one randomized study of 9,835 medical patients, new patients had a 17.7 percent no show rate compared with 15.9 percent for established patients.
Should existing patients book online?
They can, from a recall link that offers the right visit type.
What do dentists say is the main scheduling barrier?
The ADA Health Policy Institute poll found 82.7 percent cited late cancellations and no shows.
Ready to try it yourself? Start a GoHighLevel account here.
You can also see this in action in our GoHighLevel capabilities demo.