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How to systematize patient recall and regular check-up follow-up for dental clinics using EMOROCO CRM Lite

Hello, this is Matsubara, CRM Evangelist.

"We're sending out reminders for regular checkups, but very few patients are coming in."

"Patients who come for their first consultation stop coming back once their treatment is finished."

"Every time the staff changes, I feel like my relationship with the patients is reset."

This is a phrase I hear repeatedly from the director and reception staff of dental clinics.

The recall rate (the rate at which patients return for regular checkups) of a dental clinic is one of the most important indicators for clinic management.
The more patients who come back regularly for checkups after completing their treatment, the more stable our revenue base becomes, and the better the working environment for our staff becomes.

However, what all clinics where recalls don't work have in common is that they can "send patients" but they can't "cultivate relationships with patients."

This article explains how to use EMOROCO CRM Lite to systematize recall management and regular check-up follow-up for dental clinics.

Why do dental clinics need CRM 4.0?

Patient management in dental clinics is a typical example of CRM 4.0.

[The relationship structure between dental clinics and their patients]

First visit
　↓
Treatment (cavities, periodontal disease, orthodontics, etc.)
　↓
Treatment completed
　↓ ← Many patients drop out at this point.
Regular health checkups (every 3 months and every 6 months)
　↓
Long-term primary care patients (continuation of preventive dental care)
　↓
Introduction to family and acquaintances

Increasing the number of patients who transition to regular checkups after completing treatment is the biggest business challenge for dental clinics.

From "managing" to "nurturing relationships":

Traditionally, patient management in dental clinics involved "record keeping of treatments."
When and what treatment was given, and when the next visit should be—this is "record keeping (SoR)" management.

CRM 4.0 aims for "Emotional Resonance (SoI)".
"What are this patient's feelings about their dental health right now?" and "Are we providing value that they feel each time they visit?"—Designing relationships at this level is essential for increasing recall rates.

Field Design – 10 Fields Specialized for Dental Clinics

Add the following fields to EMOROCO CRM Lite.

field name Types Message
emotional temperature Selection Red = Hot / Orange = Warm / Blue = Cool / Light Blue = Cold
Last visit date Date Most recent visit date (starting point of the entire workflow)
Next recommended visit date Date Next recommended date set by the dental hygienist
Recall Status Selection Not sent / Sent / Booked / Visit completed / No response
Treatment phase Selection Initial consultation / Undergoing treatment / Treatment completed / Transition to regular check-ups / Inactive
Main treatment details Multiple selections allowed Cavity treatment / Periodontal disease / Orthodontics / Implants / Whitening / Prevention / Others
Dental hygienist in charge text Name of the primary dental hygienist
Reason for visiting the hospital Selection Referral / Search / Neighborhood / Flyer / Social Media / Other
Family visit Selection Patient only / Family members can come / Referral possible
Narrative text Examples include: "I'm not good with dentists and get nervous," and "I understand the importance of regular checkups."

Workflow Design – 6 Key Points for Recall Management

Workflow ①: Recall notification 3 months after completion of treatment (most important)

Trigger: 90 days after the treatment phase is changed to "treatment complete"

Action 1: Create a task for the reception staff.
It has been three months since {Patient Name}'s treatment was completed.
　Please send me a reminder for my regular health checkup.
　
　Last visit date: {Last visit date}
　Treatment details: {Main treatment details}
　Dental hygienist in charge: {Dental hygienist in charge}
　
　Please write a letter or send a LINE message saying, "It's been 3 months."
　We'll send you a notice asking, "How about a regular check-up?"
　"We will not engage in any sales pitches."

Action ②: Automatically update recall status to "Not sent".

The three months after the completion of treatment is the most likely time for a successful recall.
It's important to deliver the product not "immediately after treatment ends," but when patients start to feel like "a little time has passed."

Workflow ②: Follow-up 30 days after no recall response

Trigger: Recall status = 30 days have passed since "Sent".
　　　　　× Treatment phase does not equal "transition to regular check-ups"

Action: Create a task for the reception staff.
"30 days have passed since we sent the recall notice for {Patient Name}."
　There are no reservations yet.
　
　Please contact us by phone or LINE.
　Start with the question, "How are you feeling?"
　Don't put pressure on them.
　Please update your emotional temperature in a cool way.

Workflow ③: Alert for dormant patients who have not visited the clinic for 6 months.

Trigger: 180 days have passed since the last visit.
　　　　　× Treatment phase does not equal "transition to regular check-ups"

Action: Create a task for the reception staff.
"Six months have passed since {Patient Name}'s last visit."
　As a dormant patient, please maintain a cool and composed emotional state.
　
　Last visit date: {Last visit date}
　Treatment details: {Main treatment details}
　
　Rather than urging them to come back, ask "How are you doing?"
　I recommend starting with a brief contact."

Workflow ④: Next appointment notification for patients transitioning to regular checkups (3 months or 6 months)

Trigger ①: 90 days after the last visit
　　　　　　× Treatment phase = "Transition to regular check-ups"
　　　　　　× The dental hygienist recommends a "3-month cycle"

Trigger ②: 180 days after the last visit
　　　　　　× Treatment phase = "Transition to regular check-ups"
　　　　　　× The dental hygienist recommends a "6-month cycle"

Action: Create a task for the reception staff.
"It's time for {Patient Name}'s next scheduled check-up."
　Please send me the information.
　
　Dental hygienist in charge: {Dental hygienist in charge}
　Last visit date: {Last visit date}”

Workflow 5: Birthday follow-up (to increase relationship level)

Trigger: One week before the patient's birthday (annually)

Action: Create a task for the assigned dental hygienist or staff member.
"Patient's birthday is approaching."
　
　A simple "Happy Birthday"
　Please send it via LINE or by letter.
　Let's not talk about teeth at all.
　This contact will be the first step in bringing your emotional temperature back to a worm-like state."

A dental clinic sending a birthday message is quite unexpected. Many patients remember the experience of receiving a birthday message from their dentist.
This reinforces the perception of having a "family dentist."

Workflow ⑥: Follow-up care for patients who discontinue treatment

Trigger: Treatment phase = "Currently undergoing treatment" × 60 days have passed since the last visit.

Action: Create a task for the assigned staff member.
"Patient Name may discontinue treatment."
　60 days have passed since your last visit.
　
　Last visit date: {Last visit date}
　Treatment details: {Main treatment details}
　
　"How is the treatment progressing?"
　Please send a gentle confirmation message.
　"Never use accusatory language."

The application of emotional temperature—a definition for dental clinics

In dental clinics, emotional temperature is defined as "the level of emotional connection with the patient" and is applied according to the following criteria.

🔴 Hot
- They make their own appointments for regular health checkups.
- They introduced me to their family and acquaintances.
• I enjoy chatting with my assigned dental hygienist every time I visit the clinic.
• They have a high awareness of preventive dentistry and proactively seek consultations.

🟠 Warm
- If you send a recall notice, they will make an appointment for you.
• Regularly visiting the clinic (within the last six months)
- I have a stable relationship with my assigned dental hygienist.
• They are interested in dental health, but not voluntarily.

🔵 Cool
- Lack of response to recall notices
- Patients tend to stop coming to the clinic after completing treatment.
- Seems to dislike dentists or is hesitant to visit the clinic.
I feel a bit distant since the staff member in charge changed.

🩵 Cold
• More than 6 months have passed since the last visit.
- No response to recall notice
They only come if there are urgent symptoms.

Dashboard Design – The screen that the hospital director and reception staff check every morning.

Dashboard for Clinic Director (Monthly Business Review)

View 1: Emotional Temperature Distribution (All Patients)
　→ The most important indicator correlated with the recall rate
　→ Months with an increase in patients with a "cool" or lower rating are a leading indicator of a decrease in the number of clinic visits.

View ②: Number of patients by treatment phase
　→ Ratio of patients undergoing treatment / transitioning to regular check-ups / inactive
　→ Monthly monitoring of the transition rate to regular health checkups.

View 3: Conversion rate of recall mailing, appointment scheduling, and patient visits.
　→ Percentage of people who converted from this month's recall notice to a reservation

Dashboard for reception staff (checked every morning)

View ①: Today's Task List
　→ Recall response tasks automatically generated from the workflow

View 2: List of patients with a recall status of "no response".
　→ You can see at a glance which patients have high follow-up priority.

View 3: No appointments scheduled for this week or next week.
　　　　　List of patients transitioning to regular health checkups
　→ Proactively identify patients who require assistance.

A Transformation Story: The Story of a Dental Clinic That Increased Its Recall Rate from 38% to 67%

*This is a fictional story based on industry realities and implementation patterns from multiple companies.

This story takes place at a general dental clinic in the suburbs of a city (1 dentist, 3 dental hygienists, 2 receptionists, and approximately 1,200 registered patients).

Challenges before implementation:

The average number of new patients per month was 30. The recall rate after treatment completion was 38%. The transition to regular check-ups had not taken hold, and the clinic continued to rely on emergency patients for its operations.
Patient information is shared among staff only through whiteboards and memo sections in paper medical records.

"Patients that the doctor remembers come in regularly. However, when the assigned dental hygienist changes, or when the doctor is busy, follow-up care is interrupted."

Discoveries made on the first day of implementing EMOROCO CRM Lite:

When we set the emotional temperature for 1,200 patients:

Hot: 89 people (7%)
Warm: 312 people (26%)
Cool: 487 people (41%)
Cold: 312 people (26%)

Total of those rated Cool or lower: 799 people (67%)

"67% were 'cool' or lower. To be honest, I thought it would be around 20%."
"Only 26% of our patients were coming in regularly," (Clinic Director)

Changes after 6 months:

index Before implementation 6 months later
Recall rate (after completion of treatment) 38 % 67 %
Percentage of people with an emotional temperature below "cool" 67 % 41 %
Monthly number of patients visiting for regular health checkups Average 82 items Average 134 (+63%)
Number of referrals from new patients (monthly) Average 3 items Average 8 items
Staff's "failure to follow up" Multiple times a month Almost zero

The biggest change was that "the relationship with patients continued even when staff members changed."

"When a new dental hygienist joined the team, her profile included the line, 'I don't like going to the dentist and get nervous every time.'"
After reading that and changing my first words, the patient gave me a look that said, "You understand me."
"This made me the happiest," (Dental hygienist in charge)

Summary: From "sending out recall notices" to "nurturing relationships"

Many dental clinics that have low recall rates are able to "send out recall notices."
However, we haven't been able to "cultivate relationships with our patients."

The changes that EMOROCO CRM Lite brings to dental clinics are not simply about the frequency of sending recall postcards or SMS messages.
This means that the organization will have data on "what condition this patient is currently in" and "when and how to contact them to encourage them to come to the hospital."

Start by setting the emotional temperature for all patients.
The initial discovery of "what percentage of patients are below 'cool'" will fundamentally change a dental clinic's recall strategy.

Click here for a 30-day free trial of EMOROCO CRM Lite.
Digitalization and AI Implementation Subsidy 2026 Compatible Tool Number: DL07-0022934
Product Info:https://www.emoroco.com/

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Person who wrote this article
Shinsuke Matsubara

Arcus Japan Representative Director / CRM Consultant
Click here for detailed profile
He has worked as a system engineer, architect, and consultant at Accenture and other companies, an evangelist at Infragistics (Microsoft MVP for Dynamics CRM (now Microsoft MVP for Business Solutions)), and a solutions specialist at Microsoft (in charge of Dynamics CRM products).He currently leads a service team specializing in CRM, supporting CRM implementation and business launches for companies of all sizes.At the same time, he works as a CRM evangelist, spreading the idea of "true" CRM through events and article contributions.
Having learned CRM at Accenture, and having advocated and globally popularized CRM 2.0 (platform-based CRM) at Microsoft, he is a legitimate successor to CRM and the longest-serving active CRM expert (CRM consultant/CRM doctor), having received an award at Worldwide.
Since then, as a leading expert in CRM who advocates CRM 3.0 (Personalized CRM) and CRM 4.0 (Creative CRM), he has been interviewed and received numerous awards both domestically and internationally from publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, TIME, WORLDCOM, Mainichi Shimbun (Weekly Economist), and Nippon Cultural Broadcasting. He has also been selected as a representative company of the Kansai business community by "Keizaikai" for four consecutive years.
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