DISCOUNT DEATH SPIRAL:
How Smart Orthodontists Are Getting 5 to 10+ New Starts Each Month With This 'Unconventional' Calendar System...
STOP!
Yesterday your consult calendar was packed.
Today feels like a ghost town.
Summer was incredible...
Then October hits and suddenly you're staring at empty chairs. 👀
Because as an Orthodontist you've lived this rollercoaster. 😓
The unpredictable ups and downs are SO frustrating.
And when things do slow down...
What's the go-to solution everyone suggests?
"Just offer a bigger discount."
So you join the crowd and offer something like this...👇
But Here's The Big Problem With Discounts...
I studied over 200+ Ortho Practices across the country...
What I found will shock you...
It SHOCKED me!
Every single practice was doing the same dumb thing!
Every! Single! One!
They all offered THE SAME EXACT discount... 🤯
➡️ $500 off treatment!
➡️ $1,000 off braces!
➡️ Even $2,000 off!
I took a screenshot of all the screenshots... since I had SO many. 👇
Here's The Worst Part...
It's not even working!
84% of Orthodontic practices say their MAIN SOURCE of new patients is referrals.
But they also say that not having enough new patient starts is their biggest challenge.
Think about that.
If referrals are your main source of new patients... but your consult calendar isn't full... what does that tell you? 🤔
You have no way to get new patients when you need them.
So what do you do when things inevitably slow down?
You offer a discount... just like every other practice out there!
Which means you're not just competing with the practice down the street anymore...
You're racing to the bottom with the biggest discount! 📉
And here's the part that'll make you sick:
Discounts are actually scaring away the patients you want most. 🫣
When parents see your "$2,000 off" discount...
What does that make them think?
"For goodness sakes, how expensive is treatment if they can take two grand off!?"
Here's How To Fix It: Seasonal Promotions
Instead of offering discounts, Smart Practices are creating campaigns tied to specific times of the year... when parents are ALREADY spending money:
✅ Back-to-school
✅ Spring break
✅ Tax refunds
✅ New Year's
✅ Black Friday
✅ Use It or Lose It (dental benefits expiring)
These work even better when the offer includes a TANGIBLE gift as an incentive for starting treatment.
For example:
Take a look at this back-to-school promotion offering a free Nintendo Switch and $200 Target Gift card.
This campaign works because parents are already in a buying season.
The timing feels natural. 🐐
Your "$2,000 off" discount could run in January, July, or October...
But since it has no bearing on what's going on in their lives right now...
It doesn't give them any incentive to take action today.
Mini Case Study:
Dr. Lopez: From 3 Empty Weeks… to 11 Starts in 10 Days
She was tired of playing "discount chicken" with every practice in her zip code.
One well-timed campaign — synced to back-to-school season — flipped her calendar from ghost town to waitlist.
"3 weeks with ZERO consults. We launched a $200 Target‑card + Nintendo Switch promo during back‑to‑school and got 14 consults in 10 days—and 11 new full‑fee starts."
— Dr. Maria Lopez, Smile Bright Ortho, Phoenix, AZ
That's not luck. That's sales psychology.
Seasonal Campaign Calendar
| Season | Headline | Incentive | Emotional Trigger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back-to-School (Aug–Sep) | Send Your Child Back with a Smile and a Switch! | Nintendo Switch + $200 Target card | High spend mindset |
| Tax Refund (Feb–Apr) | Treat Yourself: Smile Financing Made Easy | $200 Amazon card + financing | Flush with refund cash |
| New Year (Jan) | New Year, New Smile | Fitbit or Apple Watch | Aspirational transformation |
| Spring Break (Mar–Apr) | Smiles for Family Photos | $150 photo voucher | Family-time momentum |
| Black Friday (Nov) | No Discount, Just a Gift | $250 gift pack | Shopping urgency |
| Use It or Lose It (Nov–Dec) | Don't Let Dental Benefits Expire | Free electric toothbrush + HSA/FSA bonus | Fear of loss, urgency |
Here's How You Can Get 5-10+ New Starts Every Month
If you'd be interested in our team running these types of seasonal promotions for your practice throughout the year so that:
✅ You can get 5-10+ new starts every single month
✅ You can stop having to discount your treatment
✅ You can stop relying on referrals
Then apply below.
📅 Last Run: July 2025 — 14 Consults, 11 Starts
Dr. Lopez's back‑to‑school promo launched July 5 — by July 15 her schedule was full.
If your calendar looks empty today, this could be your October turnaround.
We launch your first seasonal campaign within 7 days of approval.
⚠️ We only partner with 1 practice per city. First come, first locked in.