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RevUp Dental
RevUp Dental
Is your dental practice stuck growing? It's not your dental skills holding you back, it's what's happening under the hood. RevUp shows you where you're losing patients and fixes it with proven systems, training and marketing that makes you money.
Blog By:
Nick Fotache
Nick Fotache

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How a dental receptionist should answer the price question

9/25/2026 5:30:00 AM   |   Comments: 0   |   Views: 41
When a new patient calls a dental practice asking about a procedure, they'll inevitably ask, "How much does it cost?" And that question can put your receptionist in a difficult spot.

Usually, one of two things happens. The receptionist gives the price right away, and then the patient doesn't really know what else to say, so the conversation kind of just ends. Or the receptionist says something like, "Well, I can't give you a price over the phone. You'll need to come in for a consultation with the dentist, and then you'll know how much it costs."

But for the patient, that creates the impression that they're about to get swindled. So they say something like, "Yeah, I'll think about it," and move on to the next practice down the street.

How to answer the cost question is one of the most common things dental receptionists have to deal with and it's also one of the biggest reasons practices lose patients before they ever walk through the door.

Do Not Lead With a Price

So a patient asks, "How much does a dental implant cost?" Let's say the receptionist answers, "It's around $5,000 per tooth."

But the receptionist doesn't really know the patient's situation in detail. What if the patient needs additional treatment first, like a bone graft or an extraction? 

So the patient comes in, and they find out that getting the implant is actually going to cost them more than what they were told. That creates a bad first impression. Now they feel like they were misled, or like the practice used a low number just to get them through the door. And even if the new price is completely fair, they're already starting to wonder what else they weren't told. 

There is another problem with immediately giving a price. Once the patient gets the number they asked for, they have little reason to continue the conversation. They may simply say, “Okay, thanks,” hang up and call another practice.

Instead of treating the question like a request for a number, use it as the beginning of a conversation. 

"You Have to Come In for a Consultation" Scares Patients Away

Other times, the receptionist says, "You'll have to come in for a consultation first, because I can't give you a price over the phone."

And this makes sense from the dentist's point of view, every patient is different. Who knows what other issues they might have that need to be taken care of first? So the practice can't really give them a price.

But the patient doesn't see it that way. They asked a simple question and didn't get an answer so they start wondering why. Is it actually super expensive? Am I going to get pressured into something once I'm in the chair? Is the price going to change?

That makes the patient hesitant and the natural reaction is, "Yeah, I'm going to call another practice and see what they say."

Start by Asking a Few Questions

Here's how to answer the price question as a dental receptionist: "Sure, I can help with that. Can I ask you a couple of questions so I can better assist you?"

First of all, the receptionist takes control of the conversation and the patient feels like, "Oh, they actually care about my situation. They want to learn more so they can do a better job for me."

That's especially true if they've already called other dental offices and just got a quote. This already feels like a step above, like this dental practice is different, in a good way.

For a patient asking about an implant, useful questions might include:

  • How long has the tooth been missing?

  • Have you had an implant consultation before?

  • Do you know whether you have experienced bone loss in that area? 

Someone calling about an emergency may need to be asked how severe the pain is and how long it has been happening. Someone interested in dentures may be asked whether they currently wear them and what their experience has been.

You can get the full list of questions your staff can ask patients here.

Give a Price Range, Not a Fixed Number

Once you've asked some discovery questions and have a better understanding of their situation, you can start addressing the patient's concerns and educating them.

Because when a patient asks about price, it's usually not just about the number. Maybe they're worried about whether their insurance is going to cover it. Or they want to know if you offer payment options.

So after you understand their situation, answer by giving them a range. For example, "A dental implant is usually somewhere between $3,500 and $5,000, but there are a few factors that can affect that." Then explain what those factors are, like whether they need a bone graft, if a tooth has to be extracted first, or what type of crown goes on top.

If you offer payment options or financing, explain those too. The idea is to give them all the information you can, so they can see you're genuinely trying to help them get the clearest picture possible.

What this does is build trust with the patient. And when patients trust your front desk staff, that's when they want to book.

Move Naturally Toward the Next Step

Once the receptionist understands what the patient needs, has addressed the price question as clearly as possible and has responded to the patient's concerns, the conversation can move toward booking.

This should not feel like a sudden sales pitch. If the patient needs a consultation before an exact cost can be determined, explain what happens during that visit and offer available appointment options. If the patient has mentioned something specific, such as dental anxiety or a difficult schedule, explain how the practice can accommodate that concern when relevant.

The goal is to make the next step clear and easy. If your front desk staff needs more help with scripts they can use on the phone we actually analyzed a ton of dental calls and put together a list of the best dental phone scripts your receptionist can start using right away. 
Category: Marketing, Practice Management, HR and Accounting
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