If you don’t have a structured retainer program, you could be leaving significant money on the table while missing an opportunity to make long-term retention easier for the people you treat.
In this Five Minute Friday, I’m talking about something every orthodontic practice should have: a retainer program. Clear retainers don’t last forever, and whether they last six months or five years, your patients are eventually going to need replacements. The question is whether you’ve built a system that makes getting those replacements simple, predictable, and beneficial for everyone involved.
💬Quotes
“If you don't have a retainer program for your patients, number one, you're letting yourself down. You're leaving money on the table because there's a lot of money to be made there. And best of all, you're helping your patients.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger
“You need to have a retainer program for your patients, and if you don't have one, I need to know why.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger
🎯 Key Takeaways
- Intro: Why every orthodontic practice needs a retainer program (00:00)
- Creating a program that serves patients AND generates revenue (00:39)
- Why patients will inevitably need replacement retainers (01:10)
- The different retainer program models I’ve tried over the years (01:39)
- How retainer programs can create meaningful additional revenue (02:00)
- Where to start if you don't currently have a program (02:47)
- How Orthopreneurs RD practices share strategies like these (02:55)
- The surprisingly large financial opportunity behind retainers (03:08)
- Final takeaway: If you don't have a retainer program, get one (03:27)
🟦 Additional Resources
I’ve seen firsthand how something as simple as a well-designed retainer program can simultaneously improve the patient experience and create meaningful additional revenue for an orthodontic practice.
If you don’t currently have one, start doing your homework. Look at the different programs available, ask other orthodontists what’s working for them, and find a model that makes sense for your practice and your patients. And if you want to have deeper conversations about strategies like this with other practice owners, reach out to me about Orthopreneurs RD. Geographic exclusivity means not everyone can join, but you won’t know until you apply.
Whatever model you choose, the important thing is simple: have a retainer program.
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