Patient base grew 15.3% for Dawson Modern Dentistry.
Not just by acquiring new patients, but by retaining existing ones and reactivating overdue patients.
What 15.3% Patient Growth Means
If baseline patient base is 2,000 active patients:
15.3% growth = 306 additional active patients
This could come from:
- 440 new patients acquired (net gain minus patients lost to attrition)
- Overdue patients reactivated
- Existing patients retained and scheduled consistently
The Lifetime Value of Patient Growth
Each new patient is worth $20,000-50,000 in lifetime value (10 years of care at $2,000-5,000 annually).
306 new active patients = $6,120,000-15,300,000 in lifetime value
That is massive.
How Patient Growth Compounds
Year 1: Gain 306 patients
Year 2: Those 306 patients return for recall. Refer 15-20% of friends/family. Another 50-60 patients come from referrals.
Year 3: Patient base has grown 25%+
The Retention Component
Growing patient base is not just acquisition. It is retention.
Practices lose 10-20% of patients annually to attrition (patients move, switch dentists, etc.)
To grow patient base, you must acquire more than you lose.
If Dawson acquired 440 new patients but lost 300 to attrition, net growth is 140 patients (not 440).
The 15.3% growth reflects net growth after accounting for attrition.
How to Grow Patient Base
Acquisition: Better new patient call handling, answering phones, marketing
Retention: Better appointment confirmations, recall systems, patient communication
Reactivation: Call overdue patients, bring them back into the system
All three are necessary for sustainable growth.
The Economics of Patient Growth
Acquiring one new patient costs: $100-500 in marketing
Retaining existing patient costs: $10-50 in reminder calls and follow-up
Reactivating overdue patient costs: $20-100 in call time
Return from new patient: $500-1,000 first year, $20,000+ lifetime
Return from retained patient: Same as new patient (they are already there, just stay)
Return from reactivated patient: $5,000-10,000 (reduced lifetime value because years have passed)
Patient Base Health
Healthy patient base growth: 5-10% annually
Excellent patient base growth: 15%+
Declining patient base: Attrition exceeds acquisition
Stagnant patient base: Acquisition equals attrition
Dawson’s 15.3% is excellent.
Performance Metrics
Patient base: +15.3%
New patients added: 440
Overdue patients reactivated: 200-300 (estimated)
Patient retention rate: Likely improved (to show net growth)
FAQ
**Q: How do I calculate patient base growth?**
A: (Current active patients – previous year active patients) / previous year active patients
**Q: What is a good retention rate?**
A: 80-90% annual retention is good. Above 90% is excellent.
**Q: How do I improve patient retention?**
A: Better service, appointment confirmations, recall system, patient communication.
**Q: What is the lifetime value of a patient?**
A: Average $20,000-50,000 depending on practice and patient age.
**Q: Should I focus on acquisition or retention?**
A: Both. Acquisition without retention is expensive. Retention without acquisition leads to declining practice.