Why Waiting to Modernize May Be Costing You More Than You Think
The Shift Has Already Happened
If you believe patient loyalty is built on clinical care alone, it’s time to reconsider.
Across every generation, expectations for a better patient experience are rising. From Gen Z to Baby Boomers, patients want convenience, transparency and speed. They expect it in healthcare, and they expect it in dentistry.
According to recent industry research, 60% of patients say they would choose a new provider for a better digital experience and 41% of patients confirmed they have left or have considered leaving a dental provider because of poor digital tools. These decisions are not about care quality but about how easy you make it to do business with you.
What Every Patient Now Expects
It’s not just tech-savvy millennials who want a seamless experience.
Data from the Pew Research Center shows that more than 75% of Americans over the age of 65 are now online, and over 60% own smartphones. The AARP reports that 73% of adults aged 50 and older prefer to manage their healthcare digitally when given the option.
That means your senior patients want the same conveniences as your younger ones.
Here’s what they’re expecting:
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Online appointment scheduling, anytime
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Clear cost estimates and insurance information before treatment
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Text and email appointment reminders
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Streamlined, paperless check-ins
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Secure, flexible digital payment options
The Pain You Can’t See
When your technology lags behind patient expectations, the impact shows up in ways you might not immediately associate with tech.
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Longer check-in lines at the front desk
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High no-show rates
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Delayed insurance payments
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Fewer after-hours bookings
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Slower new patient acquisition
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Increased front office stress and burnout
These are symptoms of a broken workflow, and they cost you more than time. They affect revenue, morale and patient retention.
Staffing Challenges Are Amplifying the Pressure
Even if you have great people, chances are you’re asking them to do more with less. Staffing shortages are hitting practices hard—especially when inefficient systems slow things down.
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91% of practices are struggling to hire qualified hygienists
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40% are actively recruiting on a monthly basis
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10% reduction in practice capacity is being attributed to open positions
Even more telling? While hygienist wages have risen about 20% since the early 2000s, inflation-adjusted earnings have actually declined. That means today's hygienists often feel like they're doing more for less—fueling dissatisfaction, burnout, and higher turnover across the industry.
When your team is already stretched, outdated systems turn every task into a time drain. That creates stress, increases turnover and pulls focus away from patient care.
Technology alone can’t solve staffing shortages, but it can dramatically reduce the burden on the team you have. The right tools increase capacity, speed up check-ins, automate reminders and allow you to do more with less.
Imagine What You Could Be Booking While You Sleep
One of the most overlooked opportunities in a dental office is after-hours appointment booking. With online scheduling, modern practices using Curve Dental's® cloud-based, all-in-one practice management solution are increasing new patient appointments by up to 25%, many of them booked overnight or on weekends when no one is answering the phone.
Automated workflows like insurance verification, appointment confirmations, and payment collection reduce manual work and let your team focus on patient care.
Practices that modernize aren’t just operating more efficiently, they’re growing faster.
Summer Is the Best Time to Get Ahead
Summer tends to be quieter for many practices. That makes it the ideal season to plan for something better before Q4 ramps up. Most practices wait until the end of the year to consider change, and by then it’s too late to implement anything meaningful.
Practices that plan now will hit 2026 stronger, with fewer bottlenecks and a system that works for both staff and patients.
Curve Dental is offering a free business evaluation* this summer to help forward-thinking practices evaluate their current setup. This isn’t just a walkthrough, it’s a data-driven consultation that highlights inefficiencies and opportunities.
What You’ll Receive
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Current system review
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Full A/R aging analysis including 30, 60 and 90-day trends
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Adjustment summary and CDT code review over the past 12 months
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Production breakdown by provider
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Assessment of operational bottlenecks and inefficiencies
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Modernization readiness checklist
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ROI estimate for platform upgrade
Are You Ready to Compete in This New Landscape?
Your patients aren’t waiting for you to catch up. They’re comparing your experience to everything else in their digital lives, from Amazon to virtual care. If your tech doesn’t meet their expectations, someone else’s will.
You don’t need to overhaul everything overnight. But you do need to start. This summer is your best opportunity to take that first step and future-proof your practice.
Schedule your free business evaluation* today. Limited spots available.
*Limited to the first 25 practices that complete a demo
Robin Bowling
Author
Robin Bowling is the Chief Marketing Officer at Curve Dental, a leading dental software company. With over 20 years of experience in healthcare technology and SaaS, she brings deep industry insight into the innovations transforming how dental practices operate. Robin is passionate about advancing modern, scalable solutions that empower dental teams, improve patient care, and drive growth across the industry. She holds an MBA in Organizational Leadership and is currently pursuing a doctorate in Strategic Leadership.