Why You Should Be Sending Your New Patients a Welcome Email

Giving your new patients the best experience at your dental practice starts long before they set foot in the building. Every time they make contact; whether through your marketing, over the phone, through email, or in person; you should be earning their trust and building your relationship. The first major step in patient communication is when they choose your dental practice and set up their first appointment, and a new patient welcome email is a great opportunity to lay the groundwork for a long relationship.

A welcome email doesn’t have to replace a new patient welcome packet that is mailed to them. Simply adding it to your new patients on boarding process has many benefits. Here are just a few reasons to start sending:

It’s immediate

Soon after they make their first appointment, when you’re still top of mind, is the best time to send their welcome. They are more likely to open and read the email, and they’ll appreciate the timeliness of the information.

Easy access to what they need

Include the date & time of their first appointment, links to new patient forms, and any other information they may need when you first meet. Through their phone they’ll be able to add the appointment straight to their calendar, and add the practice information to their contacts if they choose.

They can learn more

With a welcome email, you can share links to the content on your website, and help your new patient learn more while earning their trust before they set foot in your office. Link to your teams’ bios, frequently asked questions, and helpful articles about their oral health. You can even share more about your story, so they can learn not only what you do, but why you do it. Linking to a video of yourself welcoming them to the practice will get them used to hearing you speak will comfort them and make them less nervous for their first appointment.

It’s easy to share

If they have a friend or family member that comes to mind, it’s easy for them to forward an email or send a link to them and make an introduction.

A personalized and well thought out welcome email is a great way to start off a new patient relationship on the right foot. Take the time to craft your email and add this to your communication strategy to start seeing its benefits.

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