How to Build an Expiring Dental Insurance Benefits Campaign

An expiring dental insurance benefits campaign is a timed set of reminders that prompts patients to use their remaining coverage before it resets. Most dental plans run on a calendar year, so that reset date is typically December 31.

Many of your patients may have unused dental insurance benefits that will expire soon. According to the nonprofit Employee Benefits Research Institute, more than 40% of workers with FSAs forfeited some of their contributions by not using up all their funds by the spending deadline. A well-timed expiring dental insurance benefits reminder campaign helps patients make the most of their insurance while also helping your practice fill its schedule during the busy fall and holiday months.

Here’s how to build one in five steps using your patient engagement system.

Step 1: Identify eligible patients

Which patients have unused dental insurance benefits?

Start by identifying which patients have unused dental benefits that are set to expire at the end of the year. Most dental insurance plans typically reset on January 1. Here are some patient groups you can target:

• ‍Patients who haven't completed all their covered cleanings and exams.
• Patients with pending or incomplete treatment plans that can be covered or partially covered by their insurance and/or FSA or HSA funds.  
• Patients who haven’t visited your practice in six months or more who have not reached their yearly insurance maximum.

Tip: Your patient engagement system can usually filter for this automatically. Some systems like RevenueWell have advanced filtering options for insurance that make it easy to pull patient lists. You can use filters like patients who have expiring insurance benefits in the next (x) months and have a remaining benefits balance of ($) amount and/or by insurance carrier.

Step 2: Create a compelling message

What should an expiring benefits message say?

Once you’ve identified your patients, it’s time to craft messaging that motivates them to act. Your message should highlight these four items:‍

• Urgency: Let patients know that their unused dental insurance will expire at the end of the year, and that FSA funds don’t roll over.  
• Benefits: Remind them that they’ve already paid for their insurance and/or contributed to their FSA and/or HSA accounts so they should take advantage of what they’ve put money into. You can also add a sentence about taking care of their oral health since it does impact their overall wellness.  ‍
• Treatments: Name specific treatments they should come in for such as a cleaning and/or a proposed treatment plan.  ‍
• Call to action (CTA): Encourage patients to book an appointment before the year ends. Include a CTA button that says “Book Now” in your emails that takes them directly to your online scheduling tool, if available.  

Here’s a sample message you can use or edit. "Time is running out! Don’t let your dental insurance benefits go to waste. Book your appointment today and use your remaining benefits before they expire on December 31st!"  

Tip: Name the exact deadline, not just "soon." That will motivate your patients to act before their calendar fills up with holiday plans.

Step 3: Choose your marketing channels

What channels work best for an expiring benefits campaign?

Reaching patients through more than one channel increases the odds your message lands. Here are some ways you can spread the word.  

• Email marketing: Send personalized emails to the patient segments you’ve identified who have unused benefits or could benefit from this communication. Segment your list using some of the examples in step 1.‍
• Text reminders: Use texting for a quick reminder to patients who haven’t responded to emails or calls or in conjunction with your email marketing. Texts have a 98% open rate and can prompt immediate action.  ‍
• Phone calls: For patients who prefer phone calls and/or those with outstanding treatment plans, a personal phone call can be an effective way to convey the importance of using their benefits. ‍
• Social media: Use Facebook and/or Instagram to create posts that remind patients that their benefits might be expiring soon and enforce the urgency to book before the holiday season. ‍
• Direct mail: A postcard can be an additional touchpoint for patients who may have missed your text or email. Why direct mail? Some of your patients may prefer it, be less tech savvy, or may not have regular online access so this is still a good way to keep patients informed. ‍
• Website: You can add a banner and/or pop up about expiring benefits on your website like your homepage with a CTA to where they can book an appointment online.  ‍
• Office TV: If you have a smart TV service like RevenueWell TV, you can use it to promote your campaigns, like an expiring benefits reminder.  ‍
• Countertop displays: If your front office countertop has space, you can add a small sign reminding patients to use their remaining insurance benefits before they expire. This is a good way to spark a conversation at the front desk.  

In your patient profiles, be sure those patients you’re contacting have indicated they prefer receiving communications via email, text, phone, and/or direct mail. That way you’re not bombarding them with messages and you’re more likely to get a response through the channels they engage with. You don't want to be marked as spam.

Tip: If your practice has a blog, write a short post about why it’s important for patients to use their benefits before they expire. Include a CTA that makes it easy for them to schedule an appointment directly from that post. Cross-promote it on social channels and in your emails, like a newsletter.

Step 4: Set up and automate your campaign schedule

When should you send an expiring benefits campaign?

Timing drives results here. Start reaching out to patients near the end of summer and/or end of Q3 or early Q4 and maintain regular follow-ups to ensure your message is seen and patients schedule an appointment. Remember, the rule of 7. For many patients, it can take up to 7 messages to resonate. Here’s one way to approach it using a patient engagement system.

• First round (end of summer/early fall): Send out your first email and/or direct mail piece that benefits are expiring. ‍
• Second round (October): Increase the frequency of your messaging. For example, you can send 1 email each week, do 1-2 social media posts each week, and send 1 text reminder each week. This message should be a little more urgent than the first round of communications. Encourage patients to make their appointments sooner rather than later. Drive home the point that they’ll have a better chance of getting one that works for their schedule instead of having to shuffle around activities and other appointments to accommodate their dental one.‍
• Last round (early-to-mid November): Send out final reminders urging patients to book now to avoid losing unused funds or not taking advantage of services that are covered. Include your holiday closure dates so patients can plan around them. Send a couple of emails and/ or texts to drive home the message.‍

Space these out so patients aren't getting multiple messages on the same day. That's what drives unsubscribes, no the reminder itself.

Tip: Some patient engagement systems have a ready-made expiring dental insurance benefits template you can use instead of building it from scratch.

Step 5: Monitor and analyze results

How do you know if the campaign is working?

To make sure your expiring benefits reminder campaign is effective, you’ll need to track its success. Some key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor include:

• Appointment bookings: Track the number of appointments scheduled directly from your campaign.‍
• Open and response rates: Measure how many patients opened your emails or clicked on the “Book Now” link. ‍
• Conversions from calls or texts: Track the number of patients who responded to phone calls or text messages.‍

You don’t have to monitor this manually. Your patient engagement system can track campaign metrics, and some systems have a more advanced analytics tool to help understand if your campaigns are influencing important practice metrics like production and case acceptance.  

Tip: Keep a record of the patients who didn’t schedule appointments based on your campaign so you can follow up with personalized reminders in the new year. This message can remind patients to use their funds earlier in the year to avoid losing money and delaying care. 

Once the campaign is over, follow up with a thank-you message to those who scheduled appointments from this campaign, and remind them of the benefit of regular checkups throughout the year. Encourage them to schedule their appointments earlier in the year, especially if some of your patients wait until the last minute to make appointments. An expiring benefits campaign is one “seasonal” campaign to always include in your patient communication activities to help fill your schedule during a hectic season for many people. The key is to plan early, figure out what went well and what could be improved, and apply it to next year’s campaign, and you can use these steps to build an effective campaign.  

Next Recommended Read: How to Build Dental Marketing Campaigns That Retain Patients

Frequently asked questions

When should I start an expiring dental insurance benefits campaign?

Begin with a soft reminder at the end of summer or the start of fall, then increase frequency through October and send final urgency-driven reminders by early-to-mid November. Give patients enough runway to book before December 31st without competing with the busiest holiday weeks.

How many messages does an expiring benefits campaign typically need?

Plan for multiple touchpoints across email, text, and at least one other channel. Marketing research on customer response (the “rule of 7”) suggests it can take up to seven messages before a patient acts, so a single email is rarely enough.