Why 50% of Dental Referrals Get Lost — And How to Fix It in Minutes

 For most dental practices, referrals are essential. Whether it’s periodontal treatment, oral surgery, endodontics, or orthodontics — patients need timely specialist care to maintain oral health.

But here’s the problem:

Studies show that nearly 50% of specialist referrals never get completed.

Not because patients don’t want treatment.
Not because dentists aren’t doing their job.
But because the referral workflow itself is broken.

Where the Referral Process Breaks

Let’s look at what typically happens:

  1. A patient is referred to a specialist.

  2. They receive a paper slip or verbal instructions.

  3. They leave the office.

  4. Life gets busy.

  5. The referral disappears — and treatment never happens.

Meanwhile, your practice is left wondering:

  • Did the patient go?

  • Did the specialist complete treatment?

  • Should we schedule the follow-up?

There’s no visibility. No confirmation. No loop back.

The result:

  • Patients delay or skip needed treatment

  • Restoration, preventive, and hygiene planning becomes disrupted

  • Specialists and general dentists lose continuity

  • Practices miss out on completed treatment and follow-up visits

This is more than an operational issue — it’s a patient care issue.

Why Paper Referrals Don’t Work Anymore

Today’s patients don’t operate through paper reminders and call lists. Their schedules are digital. Their communication is mobile. Their expectations are instant.

A paper slip simply cannot:

  • Remind them to schedule

  • Provide appointment instructions

  • Confirm attendance

  • Communicate updates between providers

  • Trigger recall or follow-up appointments

Without automation and visibility, referrals fall apart.

The Modern Solution: Connected Referral Workflows

This is where CareHigh transforms the process.

Instead of sending referrals into a black box, CareHigh creates a simple, shared workflow that keeps everyone in sync:

How CareHigh Works

StageWhat HappensBenefit
Referral SentPatient receives a digital referral instantlyNo lost paperwork
Patient Follow-UpAutomated reminders guide the patient to scheduleHigher referral completion rates
Specialist Treatment StatusSpecialists update progress in real-timeNo guessing or follow-up calls
Return VisitPatient is reminded to return to your practiceContinuity of care restored

No additional staff tasks.
No complicated software learning curve.
No guesswork.

Just clarity and care.

What This Means for Your Practice

With CareHigh, your team can:

✔ Increase completed referrals
✔ Strengthen specialist relationships
✔ Improve patient outcomes
✔ Ensure patients return for recall and follow-up
✔ Reduce the frustration of chasing updates

This doesn’t just improve efficiency —
It improves health.

Setup Takes Less Than 5 Minutes

There’s no downtime.
No onboarding complexity.
No disruption to your workflow.

CareHigh simply fits into what you already do — and makes it better.

See CareHigh in Action

If you want to finally eliminate referral uncertainty and improve continuity of care:

→ Request a quick demo
No pressure. No sales push. Just a walkthrough.

Comment “DEMO” or reach out directly.

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