If a patient has been absent from the office for years, what will happen to their recall status?

When patients do not return to a dental office for an extended period, their recall status is typically reviewed, and they may be removed from the active patient management system. This process ensures that the dental practice can maintain an accurate and up-to-date patient database, which is crucial for effective appointment scheduling, follow-ups, and targeted patient communications.

Removing patients who have been absent for years helps the dental office focus on actively engaged patients, streamline operations, and allocate resources more efficiently. Additionally, it allows the practice to reassess its patient base and potentially reach out to re-engage previous patients, but generally, those who have not visited in a long time would not remain classified as active recalls.

The other outcomes mentioned—remaining in the system, receiving notifications, or obtaining discounts—do not align with standard practices for managing patient recall statuses when significant time has passed since the last visit. Active recall systems are designed to foster relationships with regular patients, and those who haven’t visited for years are typically removed from that list to focus on patients currently accessing care.