Patient Attrition: The Silent Killer of Dental Practices...

In this episode of The No BS Dental Growth Podcast, Chris sits down with Dr. Lee Harris — a dentist, executive leader, and founder of Harris Dental Solutions — who has scaled practices, led one of the largest DSOs in the country, and now coaches dental teams nationwide.

While most practices focus heavily on new patient acquisition, Dr. Harris argues that patient retention is where the real battle is won. Losing patients silently drains your practice’s growth potential and profitability — and often, you don’t even realize it until it’s too late.

Together, Chris and Dr. Harris dive into the most common causes of patient attrition, practical ways to improve retention, and why every member of the dental team plays a role in keeping the “back door closed.”

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Why attrition is dentistry’s “silent killer” (and how to measure it).

The #1 mistake dentists make that drives patients away.

How front-desk interactions set the tone for retention.

Practical systems to track hygiene visits and recall effectiveness.

How to balance treatment planning without overwhelming patients.

The role of hygienists in building long-term loyalty.

Where AI fits into patient communication (and where it doesn’t).

Resources & Links

Learn more about Dr. Lee Harris and Harris Dental Solutions:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-harris-b4a3a06/

Website:

harrisdentalsolutions.com (Company)

Email

[email protected]

| Phone: (714) 293-2195

KickStart Dental Marketing: www.kickstartdental.com

📥 Free Resource:

🎁 Download the free PDF: “50 ChatGPT Prompts Every Dental Practice Should Steal”

Head to https://kickstartdental.com/aiprompts to get instant access!

Schedule a free strategy session with Kickstart Dental Marketing → Book Here.

https://kickstartdental.com/get-in-touch/

🛠️ Tools & Tips:

SmartFollow™ – Automated lead follow-up

CallGuard AI™ – Review & coach call performance

PatientLine™ – AI phone assistant for overflow and after-hours

💬 Let’s Talk Strategy:

👉 Book a free strategy session: https://kickstartdental.com/get-in-touch/

_________________________________________________________________________

Join Our Facebook Group!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/nobsdentalgrowth

Check us out!

https://kickstartdental.com/get-in-touch/

Follow us for daily tips, tricks and growth hacks for YOUR practice!

https://www.instagram.com/kickstartdental/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/kicsktart-dental-marketing _________________________________________________________________________

Want to work with KickStart Dental to GROW your dental practice?

Contact: [email protected]

Episode ideas? Guest Inquiries?

Contact: [email protected] _________________________________________________________________________