In this episode, Jesse tackles one of the biggest profit leaks in dental practices - poor patient retention. Drawing on decades of experience and his book Retention: How to Plug the #1 Profit Leak in Your Dental Practice, Jesse breaks down the real cost of patient attrition, and why throwing more money at marketing won't solve the problem.

You'll learn how to build a retention-focused practice that deepens trust, boosts referrals, and supports sustainable growth. Whether you're just starting out or scaling up, this episode offers practical strategies to help you keep the patients you’ve worked so hard to attract.

In this episode:

• [00:00] Why dentists often trade time for money, and how to break the cycle
• [04:33] The real impact of patient loss on profits and growth
• [05:55] A retention case study from a growing practice in Ballarat
• [06:15] Why retention gives you confidence to scale
• [07:06] The Know-Like-Trust factor and how it boosts case acceptance
• [08:55] The financial value of a retained patient over three years
• [09:44] How referrals and reviews flow from great retention
• [10:50] The 3 biggest leakage points in patient retention
• [11:44] 4-Step framework for patient retention
• [21:13] Human-to-human connection as a competitive edge in the AI age
• [22:53] Why patients stay - and it’s not your crown margins.

Resources and Links:

• Jesse’s book: Retention – How to Plug the #1 Profit Leak in Your Dental Practice
• Listen to Jesse’s episode with Adam Bradford on community marketing

• Join the free Savvy Dentist Facebook Group
• Follow Dr Jesse Green on LinkedIn
• Visit Savvy Dentist website

Mentioned in this episode:

Transformational Training for Dental Practice Teams

If you want to grow your practice, you need a high-performing team - but training takes time, effort, and resources you often don’t have. That’s why we created the Savvy Dentist Team Training Bundle - a 12-month program packed with five powerful courses, including our Practice Manager Masterclass, Front Desk All Stars, Hygiene & Therapy Heroes, Treatment Coordinator Training, and the Million Dollar Dentist course.

Team Training Bundle Sept 25