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Real practices. Real results.

Dental Practices That Got
Their Patients Back

Every case study below is a real dental practice that uploaded a patient list, launched a SmileBack AI campaign, and watched their calendar fill up. No shortcuts. No gimmicks. Just recovered revenue.

496+Patients recovered across featured practices
$140k+Revenue recovered in featured stories
32%Average SMS reply rate
28%Average booking rate
Jump to:Martinez Family DentalLakeside Dental GroupSunrise Pediatric DentistryCoastal Smiles DentalHeritage Dental AssociatesBay Area Orthodontics
CM

Martinez Family Dental

General & Family Dentistry · Houston, TX

$11,750
recovered in 3 weeks
47
Patients recovered
in 3 weeks
$11,750
Revenue recovered
from inactive patients
31%
Reply rate
vs 4% industry avg for phone
4 min
Setup time
from CSV to live campaign

The challenge

Dr. Martinez had been running his Houston practice for 11 years. By early 2024 he realised his front desk was spending 2 hours a day chasing overdue patients by phone — calls that mostly went to voicemail. He had over 600 patients who hadn't been in for 6–18 months and zero bandwidth to reach them.

How they used it

He uploaded his Dentrix patient export on a Tuesday afternoon — 4 minutes of setup. SmileBack AI identified 630 overdue patients, wrote personalised 3-touch SMS sequences for each one, and launched the first wave that evening. By Thursday morning, replies were flowing in.

The result

47 confirmed bookings in the first 3 weeks. Revenue of $11,750 from a segment of patients who had effectively gone dark. His front desk now spends 15 minutes a day in the SmileBack inbox instead of 2 hours on the phone.

“

“I've been in dentistry for 11 years and this is genuinely the first software that made me think — why did I wait so long? The messages sound like they're coming from my team. Patients respond. Appointments get booked. It's that simple.”

— Dr. Carlos Martinez·Martinez Family Dental
General dentistryDentrixSMSHouston TX
LG

Lakeside Dental Group

Multi-location Group Practice · Chicago, IL

$33,500
recovered in 6 weeks
134
Patients recovered
across 3 locations
$33,500
Revenue recovered
in 6 weeks
$4,000/mo
Recall service replaced
cost eliminated
3
Locations managed
from one inbox

The challenge

Lakeside Dental Group operates three locations across Chicago. Their combined patient database had nearly 1,900 overdue patients spread across locations, and their office managers had no consistent recall process — each location did it differently, or not at all. A consultant quoted them $4,000/month for a dedicated recall service.

How they used it

They segmented their patient list by location and launched three simultaneous SmileBack AI campaigns — one per location — each with customised messaging reflecting the practice's local name. The unified inbox let their central scheduler see all incoming replies across locations in one place.

The result

134 patients rebooked across all three locations in six weeks. That's $33,500 in recovered revenue at an average visit value of $250. They cancelled the $4,000/month recall service after 30 days.

“

“We were spending $4,000 a month on a recall service that gave us maybe 20 bookings. SmileBack AI gave us 134 in six weeks on the Growth plan. The math isn't even close.”

— Dr. Aisha Ngozi & Dr. James Whitfield·Lakeside Dental Group
Multi-locationEaglesoftSMS + EmailChicago IL
MC

Sunrise Pediatric Dentistry

Pediatric Dentistry · Phoenix, AZ

$22,250
recovered in 5 weeks
89
Patients recovered
children re-engaged
$22,250
Revenue recovered
in 5 weeks
38%
Reply rate
with personalised tone
89+
Families re-engaged
often brought siblings

The challenge

Pediatric practices face a unique recall challenge: you're messaging parents, not patients directly. Dr. Chen's team found generic dental recall templates completely ineffective — parents didn't respond because the messages felt like junk mail. Her practice had 340 children overdue for cleanings or sealants.

How they used it

SmileBack AI's tone customisation was the key. Dr. Chen set her brand voice to 'Warm' and wrote a custom prompt emphasising her pediatric focus. The AI-generated messages addressed parents by name, referenced their child's last visit, and mentioned the specific treatment that was due — feeling personal rather than automated.

The result

89 children's appointments booked in 5 weeks — a 34% booking rate from replies. For a pediatric practice, where each family appointment often leads to sibling bookings as well, this translated to $22,250 in direct revenue and dozens of families re-engaged with the practice.

“

“Every other recall tool sent the same cookie-cutter message. SmileBack writes messages that sound like they came from my front desk — mentioning the child's name, the treatment that's due. Parents actually respond because it feels personal. Our reply rate is 38%, which I didn't think was possible.”

— Dr. Mei-Lin Chen·Sunrise Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric dentistryCurve DentalSMSPhoenix AZ
RP

Coastal Smiles Dental

Cosmetic & Restorative Dentistry · San Diego, CA

$18,300
recovered in 4 weeks
61
Patients recovered
in 4 weeks
$18,300
Revenue recovered
at $300 avg visit
85%
Chair utilisation
Wed + Fri from 40%
18×
Monthly ROI
vs plan cost

The challenge

Dr. Park's cosmetic-focused San Diego practice had a higher average visit value than most — but also a longer patient lifecycle gap. Patients would complete a cosmetic treatment and then drop off the radar for years. He had 710 patients overdue and an associate dentist whose chair sat half-empty on Wednesdays and Fridays.

How they used it

SmileBack AI campaigns targeted patients overdue by 12–18 months — the sweet spot for cosmetic patients who'd completed a treatment but hadn't scheduled maintenance. The AI segmented by treatment history and wrote messages highlighting the importance of maintaining their cosmetic work.

The result

61 patients rebooked in 4 weeks, filling Dr. Park's associate's previously quiet days. At a $300 average visit value, that's $18,300 in recovered revenue. Wednesday and Friday schedules are now running at 85% capacity.

“

“My associate's empty Wednesdays were costing me real money. SmileBack filled them in a month. The ROI on even the most expensive plan is laughable — I made it back in the first week.”

— Dr. Ryan Park·Coastal Smiles Dental
Cosmetic dentistryDentrixSMS + EmailSan Diego CA
PO

Heritage Dental Associates

General Dentistry · Nashville, TN

$28,000
recovered in 8 weeks
112
Patients recovered
in 8 weeks
$28,000
Revenue recovered
from inactive list
30 min
Monthly routine
generates $8k–$12k/mo
6× more
vs. recall coordinator
bookings at lower cost

The challenge

Heritage Dental Associates had been growing for 15 years. Their patient database ballooned to 4,500 but so did their inactive segment — nearly 1,000 patients overdue. Dr. Osei-Bonsu tried hiring a part-time recall coordinator. The coordinator lasted 6 weeks and produced 18 bookings before quitting.

How they used it

She launched SmileBack AI as a test — "I'll give it one month." The first campaign targeted patients overdue 6–12 months, using email plus SMS. She was particularly impressed by how the AI handled opt-outs and incorrect numbers automatically, keeping the patient data clean without any manual work.

The result

112 bookings in 8 weeks. $28,000 in recovered revenue. Her practice administrator now runs monthly recall campaigns on the first Monday of every month — a 30-minute routine that consistently generates $8,000–$12,000 in bookings each cycle.

“

“I hired a recall coordinator. She lasted 6 weeks and gave me 18 bookings before she quit. SmileBack gives me 112 in 8 weeks and doesn't call in sick. My only regret is I didn't start sooner.”

— Dr. Patricia Osei-Bonsu·Heritage Dental Associates
General dentistryEaglesoftSMS + EmailNashville TN
SK

Bay Area Orthodontics

Orthodontics · San Jose, CA

$26,500
recovered in 4 weeks
53
Patients recovered
in 4 weeks
$26,500
Revenue recovered
at $500 avg visit
36%
Reply rate
clinically-framed messages
8
Phase 2 conversions
additional treatment starts

The challenge

Dr. Khanna's orthodontic practice had 420 patients overdue for retention checks and phase 2 consultations. In ortho, missing recall appointments can mean a patient's teeth shift — creating both a clinical and revenue problem. His front desk was overwhelmed managing active treatment patients and couldn't consistently chase overdue recall patients.

How they used it

SmileBack AI campaigns for Dr. Khanna's ortho patients led with clinical relevance: messages that reminded patients their retention results could slip without check-ups. This clinically-framed urgency (rather than promotional language) resonated strongly with ortho patients who'd invested thousands in treatment.

The result

53 patients rebooked in 4 weeks. Given ortho's higher visit value of $500, that's $26,500 in recovered revenue. Several patients who came in for retention checks converted to phase 2 treatment, multiplying the downstream value further.

“

“Ortho recall is different — patients have invested thousands in their treatment, so messages about maintaining that investment hit differently. SmileBack's AI understood that. The booking rate was 31%, which is extraordinary for orthodontics.”

— Dr. Sanjay Khanna·Bay Area Orthodontics
OrthodonticsCurve DentalSMS + EmailSan Jose CA

The process behind every case study

01

Upload your patient list

Export a CSV from Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Curve, or any PMS. SmileBack maps columns automatically. Average setup: 4 minutes.

02

AI writes personalised campaigns

SmileBack AI segments your patients and writes a 3-touch SMS + email sequence for each one. Messages sound human because they're written for each individual.

03

Replies become bookings

All responses flow into one inbox. AI categorises interest, opt-outs, and questions. Your front desk converts interested patients to confirmed bookings.

Common questions from dental practices

How quickly do dental practices see results with SmileBack AI?

Most practices see their first confirmed bookings within 48–72 hours of launching a campaign. The fastest result in our case studies was 12 bookings within the first 24 hours of campaign launch. Typical practices hit 20–30 bookings in the first two weeks.

What types of dental practices see the best results?

General and family dentistry practices with 1,000–5,000 patients see the highest absolute numbers. Specialty practices like orthodontics and pediatric dentistry see higher reply rates (30–40%) because their messages are clinically specific. Multi-location groups recover the most total revenue.

Does SmileBack AI work with Dentrix, Eaglesoft, and Curve Dental?

Yes — SmileBack AI works with any dental PMS that can export a CSV. This includes Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Curve Dental, Carestream, Planmeca, Open Dental, and any custom system. If it has patient names, phones, and dates, it works.

How is SmileBack AI different from a human recall coordinator?

A recall coordinator typically makes 40–60 calls per day, reaching 15–20% of patients via voicemail. SmileBack AI delivers personalised SMS messages to hundreds of patients simultaneously, achieves 90%+ delivery rates, and typically generates 3–6× more bookings per month at a fraction of the cost. See the Heritage Dental case study for a direct comparison.

Is patient data safe with SmileBack AI?

Yes. SmileBack AI is HIPAA-compliant. Patient data is stored encrypted, never sold or shared, and is only used to generate outreach within your practice. All campaigns include opt-out handling to stay compliant with TCPA.

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