What are the best qualifying questions for new patients so my dental practice books more appointments without lengthy back-and-forth?

Direct answer:

Ask these six, in plain English, in under 90 seconds, then propose times:

1. What do you want to do first? Relieve pain, replace a tooth, smile upgrade, second opinion.
2. How soon? Today/tomorrow, this week, or later.
3. Insurance or out-of-pocket? Filter out and set expectations.
4. Would monthly payments help if you proceed? Surface financing + credit score early.
5. Anyone else helping you decide or coming to the consult? Remove decision blocker.
6. Best time? Mornings, afternoons, or after 4:30, for micro-commit.

Done right, this filters tire-kickers, surfaces stall risks early, and creates micro-commitments that turn intent into booked visits.

TL;DR 

• Minutes decide revenue. Reply in seconds and qualify in ≤90s.
• Use the Big Six (above) on every high-intent lead.
• Don’t interrogate. One-breath questions; propose times immediately after.
• Escalate smartly. Urgent, VIP, or “please call me” → bring a person in.
• Install fast. You can DIY, but if you want the comprehensive, 48-hour solution that answers, books, and escalates, start with CRTX.

Why this works

• Filters out non-serious browsers. Specifics on the problem, timing, and payment comfort cause casual researchers to self-select out, while actual demand leans in.
• Surfaces early stall signals. Insurance stance, financing openness, two-person decisions, and urgency are evident immediately, so you can slot correctly, set expectations, and avoid momentum killers.
• Builds micro-commitments. Choosing “what first” and a time window creates ownership. A confirmed hold, along with an online scheduling link, turns intent into a kept appointment without feeling like an interrogation.

How to ask

Keep it short, warm, and answerable in one breath.

1. Primary goal
   “Quick question, what are you hoping to get done first? (fix pain, replace a tooth, smile upgrade, second opinion)”
2. Timeline/urgency
   “How soon would you like to start, today/tomorrow, this week, or later?”
   • If “pain, swelling, fever,” mark urgent and route to a person.
3. Insurance posture (not verification)
   “Should we consider dental insurance, or will this be out-of-pocket?”
   • If they volunteer a plan name, capture it, no deep verification here.
4. Financing openness
   “If you decide to move forward, would monthly payments help?”
   • A yes/no is enough to tailor next steps and materials.
5. Decision dynamics
   “Is anyone else involved in the decision or joining you for the consult?”
   • Signals show-rate risk and the after-5 pm slot needs.
6. Scheduling window
   “Which times usually work, mornings, afternoons, or after 4:30?”
   • Locks usable windows so the agent can propose concrete times.

Then propose times immediately.“Great, based on that, I can hold Tuesday 4:45 or Wednesday 8:30. Which works better?”

Optional adds

• Event deadline: “Are you aiming for a date (wedding, travel, job)?”
• Location (multi-office): “Which location is easiest for you?”
• Best channel: “What’s the best number to text confirmations?”
• Prior care: “Have you had a consult or imaging already?”

Procedure-specific one-liners

• Implants / Missing teeth: “Which area needs replacement: front, back, top, or bottom?”
• Cosmetic / Veneers: “What would you change first: color, shape, alignment, or all-of-the-above?”
• Orthodontics / Aligners: “Are you thinking limited touch-ups or full correction?”
• Wisdom teeth / Oral surgery: “Any swelling, pain, or trouble opening?”
• Emergency: “On a 0–10 scale, how bad is the pain right now?”
• Dentures / Full-arch: “Improve a current denture or move to implant support?”

Safety & escalation

• Immediate human handoff if severe pain ≥7/10, swelling/fever, trauma, “please call me,” complex insurance/finance, or distress.
• Minimum-necessary (HIPAA). No med history here; capture after scheduling via intake forms.
• Respect quiet hours; continue outreach at sane times; stop on booked/human/opt-out/unqualified

Example flow

“Thanks for reaching out:

• What would you like to accomplish first?
• How soon would you like to start? Today, tomorrow, this week, or later?
• Should we consider insurance or out-of-pocket?
• If you proceed, would monthly payments help?
• Is anyone else deciding or joining you?
• Which times usually work: mornings, afternoons, or after 4:30?
  

Perfect, based on that, I can hold Tuesday 4:45 or Wednesday 8:30. Which works better?”

What we are not doing here

• We’re not quoting fees or verifying coverage during qualification.
• We’re not pushing dates before fit/constraints are clear.
• We’re not collecting med history or card info.
• We’re not turning the call into a questionnaire; we'll use short prompts only.

Why speed beats spend

• Contacting a lead within 5 minutes significantly increases connection and booking rates; waiting even 30 minutes reduces your odds.
• Most practices still reply hours later. Winning is often just replying first with the right six questions.

Copy-paste prompt (for your agent)

• “Use the Big Six questions exactly as written. Keep each to one sentence.
• Detect Spanish and switch when appropriate.
• If pain ≥7/10, swelling, fever, trauma, or ‘please call me,’ bring a person in immediately.
• After the sixth question, propose two concrete times and offer a confirmed hold.
• If direct write is unavailable, set a confirmed hold and send an online scheduling link.
• Be warm, brief, and decisive.”

What’s Brainwaves?

AI is everywhere, and easier than it looks. Brainwaves shows you how to do it yourself. If you want the comprehensive, 48-hour solution that answers in seconds, books the appointment, and brings a person in when it matters, start with CRTX. Hire Your CRTX Agent. →

Until the next wave,
Bill Hanekamp
AI Evangelist & Developer of CRTX
CEO, Microsite Health