Open days are a great way to attract orthodontic patients – David Nelkin shares a systematic approach with eight simple steps to achieve a 100% conversion rate.
I just reviewed the results from an Invisalign open house we held with a client:
- 18 consultation positions
- £87,000 in treatment commitments
- 100% take rate.
Six months earlier, the same practice had an open day with only four conversions. What changed? A systematic approach was followed.
Here’s the framework that turns open days from expensive experiments into revenue-generating engines.
“Get the rarity from day one: limited slots, countdown timers and day-only deals”
Plan it like a conversion event, not a clinic day
Start planning at least six to eight weeks ahead. Block out your entire calendar – no routine appointments, just open day patients.
Choose a time when your target demographic can attend without work conflicts. Saturdays or weekday evenings tend to work well.
Improve churn from day one: limited slots, countdown timers and day-only deals aren’t just marketing tactics – they’re decision-making tools that move patients from interest to engagement.
Design a patient journey that flows to yes
Warmly welcome patients. Their journey begins with your treatment coordinator (TCO) in a comfortable, non-clinical, relationship-building environment. At this initial stage, the TCO will also take photos and scans. This seamless process allows for a more personalized and efficient clinical assessment later.
The patient will then meet with the clinician for a detailed treatment discussion. Show before and after examples to show possible results. The patient then returns to the TCO to discuss financial options and make a commitment.
Every patient leaves with confirmed next steps – either a treatment start date or a specific follow-up appointment booked.
Prepare your team for conversion success
Hold a planning meeting six weeks in advance that covers the patient’s journey, responsibilities and goals. Run weekly buckets, query tracking and campaign performance.
During the week of the event, rehearse patient experience and challenging role play scenarios. Consider staff motivation – when your team has a personal investment in success, conversion rates can improve significantly.
Call each patient the day before and send a Whatsapp the morning of the event expressing excitement.
Market to existing patients first
Your patient base often provides the highest conversion rates. Use email, Whatsapp and SMS campaigns, as well as referral incentives for previous Invisalign patients to fill positions before you start paid advertising.
For new patients, run targeted Meta and Google campaigns. they work best together. Use this opportunity to reconnect cold wires. Open days are perfect for bringing dormant prospects back into your conversion process.
Don’t forget to include video testimonials – social proof from patients with similar concerns builds trust more effectively than generic marketing.
“Remember: 10 niche candidates will always beat 20 casual browsers”
To meet the conditions of each investigation
Qualifying calls with each candidate should last 15 to 20 minutes. Understand incentives, review treatment suitability, discuss estimated costs and financing options, and confirm genuine follow-up commitment.
Remember: 10 qualified leads will always beat 20 casual browsers.
Take care before and after
Before the event
Send Whatsapp sequences, personalized video messages and clear instructions on what to expect, what to bring and how to find your internship.
After the event
Call uncommitted patients within 48 hours while the experience is fresh. Start cultivating followings with testimonials, financial reminders and friendly check-ins.
Major dental investments usually take weeks or months to decide. Patients who don’t engage right away aren’t missed opportunities, but if you prepare in the right way, they’ll come to your open day with a different mindset, ready to start their journey.
“Continuous improvement comes from treating every event as a learning opportunity”
Track everything for continuous improvement
Track query sources, impression rates, same-day conversions and seven-day follow-up conversions. Understanding which marketing channels delivered the highest quality leads optimizes future events.
Take group debriefs within a week. Celebrate successes, identify improvements and document changes for next time.
Continuous improvement comes from treating every event as a learning opportunity.
Avoid conversion killers
The most common failures:
- Ineligible questions (poor participation, inappropriate perspectives)
- Failure to receive deposits (weak commitment, cancellations)
- Insufficient existing patient marketing (missed high converting opportunities)
- No systematic follow-up with uncommitted patients.
The essence
At Xcelerator Dental, we’ve seen practices achieve these results consistently by treating open days as conversion systems rather than extended consultation sessions.
When executed systematically, orthodontic (Invisalign or not) open days become reliable revenue generators rather than expensive experiments.
Transformation is about recognizing that success comes from conversion optimization alongside clinical excellence.
You need to work both together to maximize your results.
Xcelerator Dental is a specialty dental marketing company that helps practices grow through digital marketing focused on converting new patients.
Learn more about Xcelerator Dental.
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