How NPS in Healthcare Can Transform Your Patient Relationships

Your most valuable patients aren't the ones who quietly come for check-ups - they're the ones who enthusiastically refer friends and family.

You want to know not just who's satisfied, but who's actively championing your practice. But how do you measure something as abstract as patient loyalty? 

That’s where the Net Promoter Score (NPS) comes in — a simple yet powerful tool that can revolutionize how dental practices build and maintain patient relationships. 

By implementing NPS in healthcare, dental practices can identify areas for improvement, enhance the patient experience, and build enduring relationships. Let’s explore how NPS works in the healthcare context and set a new standard for patient care.

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What is NPS in the Healthcare Context?: Core NPS Components

Net Promoter Score is a widely used metric for measuring customer loyalty and satisfaction, but in healthcare, it takes on a deeper meaning. It’s not just about whether patients are satisfied — it’s about whether they trust you enough to recommend your practice to others. 

The use of NPS in healthcare has grown because it provides clear insights into what patients value most, helping dental practices with a structured way to assess and improve the patient experience. 

The Ultimate Question

“How likely are you to recommend our clinic to a friend or family member?” 

This question is a direct measure of patient loyalty. In healthcare, a recommendation isn’t just about liking a service — it’s about trust, confidence, and a positive experience.

For dental practices, it’s a way to determine if patients feel cared for, respected, and satisfied with their treatment.

Asking this question gives you actionable insights into how patients view your practice. It’s a straightforward way to assess whether you’re meeting their expectations. With NPS in healthcare, you have a powerful tool to measure patient satisfaction and loyalty in a way that drives meaningful change and improvement.

Let’s dive more into how to use NPS in healthcare to help your practice grow.

Patient Classification

Once patients answer the ultimate question, they’re classified into three categories: Promoters, Passives, and Detractors. 

• Promoters are your biggest advocates — patients who are highly satisfied and likely to recommend your practice. 

• Passives are neutral; they’re satisfied but not enthusiastic enough to promote your services. 

• Detractors, on the other hand, are dissatisfied patients who may actively discourage others from visiting your practice.

Promoters can help grow your practice through word-of-mouth referrals, while Detractors highlight areas where you need to improve. Passives, though less vocal, represent an opportunity to turn neutral patients into loyal advocates. 

NPS analyzes this, as a proven method for patient loyalty measurement, helping practices identify specifically Promoters who are likely to recommend their services.

Score Calculation

Calculating your NPS is quite straightforward.

Subtract the percentage of Detractors from the percentage of Promoters — it’s as simple as that! The result is your NPS, a score that ranges from -100 to 100.

A positive score indicates more Promoters than Detractors, while a negative score signals trouble.

One of the greatest strengths of NPS in healthcare is its ability to track patient satisfaction trends and help practices stay competitive. Patient experience scoring through NPS gives practices a clear, measurable way to track satisfaction over time, which also serves as a benchmark for improvement.

Follow-Up Question

“What is the primary reason for your score?” 

This open-ended question allows patients to share their thoughts in their own words, which can reveal a lot about their experience.

For example, a Promoter might praise your friendly staff, while a Detractor might mention long wait times. These comments give you actionable information to address specific issues and make the patient experience even better.

Healthcare customer feedback gathered through Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys is one of the best ways to understand what patients truly value about their care. It’s a great way to focus on what matters most and plan meaningful improvements.

Related: How to Improve Patient Perspective Experience in Your Dental Office

Benefits of Healthcare-Specific NPS

Sure, having surveys can be helpful. But why specifically is NPS in healthcare an important metric to measure, beyond just the simple survey results of whether a patient is happy or not?

• NPS helps you identify pain points in the patient journey. It helps uncover common frustrations like scheduling problems, uncomfortable procedures, or unfriendly staff. This also gives you the insights you need to fix these issues and create a better experience for your patients.

• NPS fosters patient loyalty. When patients feel heard and see that their feedback leads to real changes, they’re more likely to stay with your practice and recommend it to others. This loyalty translates into higher retention rates and more referrals, which are critical for growth.

• NPS provides a measurable way to track patient satisfaction over time. Unlike vague impressions or anecdotal feedback, NPS gives you clear, actionable data to help you make smarter decisions and stay ahead of the competition.

When combined with other healthcare patient satisfaction metrics, NPS gives dental practices a full picture of how patients feel about their care—and how they can keep improving.

Traditional vs. Healthcare-Adapted NPS

You might know NPS as a tool used in industries like retail and tech, but it has been reimagined for healthcare to meet the unique needs of patients. In traditional settings, NPS focuses on transactional satisfaction — how happy customers are with a product or service.

In healthcare, however, the stakes are higher. It’s not just about satisfaction; it’s about trust, quality of care, and overall experience patients have.

Healthcare-adapted NPS digs deeper. It looks at things like patient comfort, how well providers communicate, and even the patient’s emotional well-being. 

For dental practices, this means creating surveys that ask about specific experiences — like how comfortable a patient felt during a procedure or whether the staff explained treatment options clearly.

Related: Performance Review Examples: How to Evaluate Dental Staff

How to Implement NPS in Your Healthcare Practice

Implementing NPS in healthcare, especially in your dental practice, is a straightforward process that starts with asking the right questions at the right time.

Successful medical NPS implementation involves choosing the right survey methods and timing to ensure meaningful responses. With a few simple steps, you can start gathering valuable feedback and using it to improve patient care. 

Survey Timing and Frequency

Timing is everything when it comes to NPS surveys. 

The best time to ask patients for feedback is shortly after their visit, while the experience is still fresh in their minds. For example, you might send a survey via email or text within 24 hours of an appointment.

It’s also important to find the right balance in survey frequency.

Surveying patients too often can feel intrusive, while waiting too long can result in outdated feedback. Aim to survey patients regularly but not excessively — perhaps once every six months or after major procedures. 

Question Customization Strategies

While the ultimate question is standard, you can customize your NPS survey to reflect your practice’s unique services. 

For example, you might ask, “How likely are you to recommend our dental practice to a friend or family member?” You can also include optional questions about specific aspects of the patient experience, such as wait times, staff friendliness, or product satisfaction.

Keep your survey concise and easy to complete. Patients are more likely to respond if the process is quick and straightforward.

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Response Collection Methods

A well-designed medical practice NPS system allows dentists to collect, analyze, and act on patient feedback efficiently. There are several ways to collect NPS responses, from email surveys to in-office tablets. 

Choose methods that are convenient for your patients and easy for your staff to manage.  Digital tools can streamline the process, making it simple to gather and analyze feedback.

A simple survey platform will do just fine! Here are some you can use:

• SurveyMoney

• SurveySparrow

• Qualtrics

• SatisMeter

• Delighted

How to Use NPS to Improve Patient Care

Collecting NPS data is just the first step. 

To truly transform your practice, you need to act on the feedback you receive.

Service Quality Enhancement

Patient feedback systems like NPS are essential for helping dental practices understand and respond to patient concerns so they can then take actionable steps toward improving the patient experience.

Healthcare satisfaction surveys, such as those based on NPS, are invaluable for identifying areas where patient care can improve. These reveal areas where your service quality falls short and must be improved.

For example, if patients frequently mention long wait times, you can take steps to streamline scheduling and reduce delays.

Staff Training Opportunities

Patient feedback often highlights gaps in staff performance or communication. 

Use this information to develop targeted training programs that improve patient interactions. 

For instance, if patients mention feeling rushed during appointments, you can train staff to spend more time explaining procedures and answering questions.

Process Optimization Strategies

NPS can also uncover inefficiencies in your practice’s operations.

Whether it’s a confusing billing process or a lack of follow-up communication, these issues can impact patient satisfaction. 

Use feedback to identify and address these problems, creating a more seamless experience for your patients.

Related: Client Communication Strategies That Build Patient Trust

Transform Your Patient Relationships with NPS and Great-Tasting Products

NPS is a tool for building stronger, more meaningful patient relationships. By understanding what your patients value and acting on their feedback, you can create a practice that stands out for its exceptional care and patient-centered approach.

At Wonderful Dental, we share your commitment to enhancing patient experiences. Our fluoride varnish and prophy paste are formulated to make dental visits more enjoyable, with superior flavors and high-quality ingredients that patients love. 

Take the leap toward building stronger patient relationships. Start using NPS today, and let Wonderful Dental help you deliver the outstanding care your patients deserve!