Lapsed Patient Reactivation

What triggers this workflow: Lapsed patient reactivation is a quarterly or semi-annual campaign, not a daily process. The trigger is a decision to run a reactivation effort, which ideally happens on a defined schedule (for example: January and July each year) rather than ad hoc.

Suppression before outreach: Before any outreach begins, apply suppression rules to the inactive list. Remove patients who are deceased (flag in the PMS if known), patients who have formally transferred their records to another practice, and patients who have been dismissed for behavioral reasons. [EXPERT REVIEW: The practice should confirm with counsel whether any specific obligations govern patient communication for lapsed patients, particularly in states with specific patient abandonment or notification requirements.] Contacting suppressed patients is a liability and a waste of effort.

Cohort segmentation: Divide the remaining inactive list into three cohorts by months since last visit:

• Cohort A (12-18 months): Recently lapsed. Relationship likely intact. Highest expected conversion.
• Cohort B (18-24 months): Moderately lapsed. May have found another provider or simply drifted.
• Cohort C (24-36+ months): Long lapsed. Lower expected conversion, but the population is large enough that even a modest conversion rate produces meaningful results.

Script design by cohort:

Cohort A messaging can be warm and direct: “We haven’t seen you in a while and wanted to reach out. We’d love to welcome you back.” No explanation of why they haven’t been in is necessary.

Cohort B messaging may acknowledge the gap more directly: “It’s been a couple of years since your last visit. We want you to know we’re still here and would welcome the chance to see you.” Offering a path back that requires minimal friction (easy booking, no judgment) is important.

Cohort C messaging should make it easy to return without implying that the gap needs explanation. Keep the tone neutral: “We have your records on file and wanted to reach out in case you’re looking for a dental home.”

None of these scripts reference any clinical information from the patient’s prior visits. They are relationship-forward outreach, not clinical reminders.

The contact sequence: Each patient receives a maximum of three contact attempts across the campaign window:

• Attempt 1: Text (or email if text not available)
• Attempt 2: Phone call, 5-7 days after attempt 1 with no response
• Attempt 3: Final text or call, 5-7 days after attempt 2 with no response

After three unanswered attempts, the patient is marked non-responsive for this cycle. They can be included in the next campaign cycle.

Logging and measurement: Log every contact attempt: date, channel, cohort, outcome. Outcomes should be coded: booked appointment, responded but declined, responded and interested but not yet booked (follow up), no response. At the end of the campaign window, calculate the conversion rate by cohort: appointments booked divided by patients contacted. This number informs how to allocate effort in the next cycle.