Take a small deposit and watch no-shows drop
New patients pay a refundable deposit by link when they book, credited against their first visit.
Practices on Reddit report no-shows falling from ~15% to ~5% after enforcing deposits and fees.
The problem
First-visit no-shows are the most common and the most costly: a full new-patient slot blocked, then empty.
Pain point we researched: r/Dentistry: "How do you minimize no-shows / last-min cancellation?"
What it could earn or save you
Rough estimate- Time
- About 1 hour a week chasing no-shows
- Money
- Illustrative: recovering 3 no-shows a week at $150 each = about $450 a week
How we got this: Assumes a 10 to 15% new-patient no-show rate falling by half. Your numbers will differ. Your results depend on your business; this is an illustrative estimate, not a guarantee.
How to switch it on
- 1
Decide the amount (e.g. 25 to 50) and the cancellation window (24 to 48 hours).
- 2
Create a payment link in Stripe or use Weave/NexHealth payments.
- 3
Send the link automatically in the booking confirmation.
- 4
Add the policy to your website and booking form in plain words.
Tools you can use
- Stripe Payment LinksVisit site (opens in new tab)
Shareable payment links and deposits without a website.
- WeaveVisit site (opens in new tab)
Healthcare texting, reminders, reviews, payments and phones in one inbox.
- NexHealthVisit site (opens in new tab)
Online booking, reminders, waitlist and digital forms synced with dental and medical systems.
Tool links are plain links for now. Some may later become affiliate links, which will always be labelled. Check each tool’s current pricing on its site.
Template and prompt
Template:
Template:
Thanks for booking with {practice}! To hold your new-patient appointment on {date}, please pay a {amount} deposit here: {link}. It comes off your first bill, and is fully refundable if you change plans 48 hours ahead.AI prompt (generic text only, no personal data):
Write a friendly, non-pushy cancellation and deposit policy for a dental practice in 4 short sentences.