Why Online Scheduling for Dentists Beats Appointment Request Forms
Want to hear an unsurprising take? Booking a dental appointment shouldn’t feel harder than ordering dinner. Today’s patients live in an on-demand world where they can reserve a table, schedule a haircut, or order groceries in just a few taps on their phone. Yet when it comes to dental care, too many practices are still relying on outdated systems like phone calls and appointment request forms that slow patients down.
That friction—extra steps, long waits, or uncertainty—can be the difference between a patient booking with your practice or giving up and going elsewhere.
One family dental practice in Oklahoma City decided to change that. After struggling with the limitations of an appointment request form, they switched to My Social Practice’s Online Scheduler. The results were telling: faster bookings, more new patients, and stronger revenue, all within the first month.
The Problem With Appointment Requests
On the surface, an “appointment request form” might seem like online scheduling. A patient fills out their information, chooses a preferred time, and clicks submit. But the trouble is, nothing is actually confirmed. The request just sits in the office inbox until a team member can follow up, usually during business hours.
For the patient, that means uncertainty. Did the request go through? Will their preferred time work? When will they hear back? When the average person expects convenience and instant results from services that used to take time to utilize, waiting for a phone call or email feels outdated and inconvenient.
For the dental team, it means more work. Staff members spend valuable time tracking down patients, leaving voicemails, and playing phone tag to finalize something that should (and could!) take seconds.
This Oklahoma City family practice experienced those challenges firsthand. Over six months of using an appointment request form, these were some of their key metrics:
- 45 appointments booked
- 18 new patients
- $11,110 in revenue generated
Not bad, but the process was slow, clunky, and labor-intensive. The practice suspected they were missing out on opportunities, especially from patients browsing after hours or during busy workdays when picking up the phone wasn’t realistic.
The Switch to True Online Scheduling
In search of a better solution, this real Oklahoma City practice implemented My Social Practice’s Online Scheduler. Unlike an appointment request form, this tool gives patients what they really want: the ability to see availability in real time, select the one that works best, and confirm it instantly. No waiting, no phone tag, and no uncertainty.
The impact was immediate. In just one month, the practice saw:
- 47 appointments booked (more than the previous six months combined)
- 22 new patients (a 22% jump in conversions compared to the request form)
- $10,320 in revenue generated (nearly equal to six months of request-form results)
Instead of patients hesitating or dropping off mid-process, they followed through and booked. The office team also noticed the difference, with fewer scheduling calls and more time during the day to focus on patients in the chair.
What took months to achieve with a request form was surpassed in weeks with the Online Scheduler for dentists.
Why the Results Changed With the Online Scheduler
So why did this Oklahoma City practice see such a dramatic difference? It comes down to one word we mentioned earlier: friction.
With an appointment request form, patients are left hanging. They don’t know if their preferred time is available, then they’re waiting for a call back, and often they never complete the process. Every extra step creates a drop-off point where the practice loses potential patients.
The Online Scheduler removes those barriers. Here’s how:
- Instant confirmation – Patients see available times and book in under a minute.
- 24/7 access – Nearly two-thirds of appointments are scheduled outside of 9–5 hours. An online scheduler keeps the practice “open” even when the office is closed.
- Simplicity – No downloads, no logins, no waiting. Just tap, pick, and confirm.
- Staff efficiency – Instead of spending up to half their day fielding scheduling calls, front desk teams can focus on conversations that actually build patient relationships.
The result? Patients get the autonomy and convenience they’ve come to expect from modern apps like Uber or OpenTable, and the practice reaps the rewards in new patients, revenue growth, and happier staff. Good times ensue.
The Bigger Picture
This Oklahoma City practice’s results aren’t just a lucky break. These numbers reflect what today’s patients expect from every healthcare provider. Modern consumers live in a mobile-first world, and dentistry is no exception.
Consider the bigger trends:
- 70% of millennials prefer scheduling online rather than by phone.
- 64% of appointments are booked outside of standard office hours.
- Nearly 1 in 5 patients abandon the booking process if it feels too difficult or takes too long.
In other words, convenience is no longer a nice-to-have feature… It’s actually the standard. Patients don’t want to “request” an appointment; they want to book one.
For practices, this shift represents both a challenge and an opportunity. Sticking with outdated systems like appointment request forms can leave growth on the table. But by adopting a true online scheduler, dental teams can reduce friction, meet patients where they are, and position themselves as modern, patient-focused providers.
This Oklahoma City practice proved it: with the right tool, one month of frictionless scheduling outperforms six months of “requests.”
From Requests to Real Results
For patients, convenience is everything. When booking a dental appointment is as easy as ordering takeout, they’re far more likely to follow through. For practices, that means fewer missed opportunities, less stress on the front desk, and more new patients walking through the door.
This Oklahoma City family practice saw it firsthand. After six months of struggling with an appointment request form, they switched to My Social Practice’s Online Scheduler and in just one month, they surpassed their previous results in appointments, new patients, and revenue.
The takeaway is simple. Friction slows growth. Frictionless scheduling accelerates it.
If your practice is ready to move beyond appointment requests and give patients the seamless experience they expect, it’s time to try the Online Scheduler.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is an online scheduler different from an appointment request form?
An appointment request form only collects patient information and preferred times—someone from your office still has to follow up to confirm. An online scheduler, on the other hand, shows real-time availability, lets patients choose their time, and instantly confirms the appointment. It eliminates the back-and-forth and reduces patient drop-off.
Will an online scheduler work with my practice management software?
Yes. The My Social Practice Online Scheduler integrates seamlessly with major dental PMS platforms like Dentrix, Eaglesoft, and Open Dental. That means your calendar stays accurate in real time, preventing double-booking and ensuring everything syncs automatically.
Do patients really want to book dental appointments online?
Absolutely. Studies show that 70% of millennials prefer online booking and 64% of appointments are scheduled outside of business hours. Patients are already used to booking rides, food, and services online, so they expect the same convenience from their dental provider.
Will online scheduling reduce calls to my front desk?
Yes, and that’s a good thing. With fewer scheduling calls, your team spends less time on repetitive tasks and more time building real patient relationships, handling in-office needs, and improving case acceptance. Many practices find their staff morale improves once the phone lines are freed up.
How quickly can my practice get started with the Online Scheduler?
Most practices are up and running in about a week. The setup process is simple: we connect to your PMS, help you set your preferences, and then your scheduler is live. From there, patients can start booking right away, 24/7.
About the Author: Megan Nielsen is an SEO strategist and the Grand Overlord of copywriting at My Social Practice. My Social Practice is a dental marketing company that offers a full suite of dental marketing services to thousands of dental practices throughout the United States and Canada.
