Why Your Phone Stopped Ringing: What Changed in How Patients Find Dentists – And What To Do About It

Wednesday, April 8, 2026
5:00 pm PST / 8:00 pm EST

New patient call volume is softer than it was 2–3 years ago at dental practices across the country. It’s not your front desk, your pricing, or your location. Something changed in how patients search. High-intent patients (people ready to book) are now asking ChatGPT, Google’s AI, and similar tools to recommend a dentist by name. They get a short list back. If your practice isn’t on it, those patients call someone else before they ever see your website.

This session covers what changed, when, and why it shows up as a call drop first. We’ll look at real data on how patients search in 2026, what AI tools actually use to decide which practices to recommend, and what solo practices can do about it right now — without rebuilding their website or doubling their ad spend. Every section ends with one specific thing you can do this week. This isn’t a technology seminar. It’s a new patient pipeline problem, and we’re going to fix it.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Explain what shifted in local dental search behavior between 2023 and 2026 and why the impact shows up as fewer inbound calls before anything else.
2. Identify the four things AI tools look at when deciding which dentist to recommend to a patient.
3. Recognize why corporate dental chains already have an advantage in AI recommendations and understand what you can do to close that gap.
4. Describe why most dental websites are invisible to AI for specific procedures and how to change that.

This webinar is free to attend. We offer 1 CE for DOCS Members and Trial Members who attend the live presentation.

If you are not yet a Member but would like to earn the 1 CE for attending, as well as experience the many benefits of DOCS Membership, consider joining as a Trial Member for only $1.* There is no obligation or risk; cancel anytime.

About the Presenter(s):

Patrick McDonald is a seasoned marketing strategist and former broadcast executive who now helps dental practices grow through clear, effective digital advertising. After leading one of the nation’s top-performing sales teams in local TV, Patrick transitioned into the digital world where he now works with dentists across the country to simplify marketing, generate better leads, and increase case value. He’s known for making complex marketing strategies easy to understand-  no fluff, no jargon, just results. Patrick currently serves as the Head of Strategic Growth with RAMP, a dental marketing agency focused on helping practices grow smarter.

 

*Trial Membership Offer is open to dentists who have not participated in the Trial Membership program within the past two (2) years. After 60 days, if not cancelled, the Trial Membership will upgrade to a Standard Membership at $59.95/mo for a one-year commitment. Refer to terms of service for details.

 

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DOCS Education is designated as an Approved PACE Program Provider by the Academy of General Dentistry. The formal continuing education programs of this program provider are accepted by the AGD for Fellowship/Mastership and membership maintenance credit. Approval does not imply acceptance by a state or provincial board of dentistry or AGD endorsement. The current term of approval extends from 09/17/2000 to 12/31/2026. Provider ID# 217651.