How Your Dental Team Should Respond to Calls Asking About “Free” Dental Treatments

If your front desk or clinical team has received calls asking about “free dental implants,” “implant grants,” or other no-cost procedures, you’re not alone. Practices across the country are seeing an increase in these inquiries due to misleading third-party ads and lead-generation campaigns.

How your team responds in these moments matters. The goal is to educate the patient, protect trust, and keep the conversation calm and professional—without sounding defensive or dismissive.

Here’s how your front desk, doctors, and team should handle these calls effectively.

First: Understand What’s Really Happening

These calls are typically coming from patients who:

Saw an ad on social media or online claiming “free implants” or “dental grants”
Submitted their information to a third-party site
Were told (or assumed) your office was involved

These ads are not run by your practice and are not connected to legitimate dental providers. Patients are often confused, hopeful, and sometimes frustrated.

Empathy is key.

How the Front Desk Should Respond

Step 1: Acknowledge & Validate

Start by recognizing the patient’s question without reinforcing the false promise.

Example:

“I’m glad you called to ask about that.”

“I understand why you’d want to learn more—there’s been a lot of confusing information online.”

This immediately lowers defensiveness.

Step 2: Clarify the Reality (Calmly and Clearly)

Be direct, but professional and neutral.

Script Example:

“We’re not affiliated with any programs offering free dental implants. Unfortunately, there are third-party ads circulating online that are misleading and not connected to our office.”

Avoid using words like scam unless the patient does first.

Step 3: Rebuild Trust with Transparency

Reassure the patient that they’ve reached a legitimate practice.

Script Example:

“We believe in being very transparent about treatment and pricing. While dental implants aren’t free, we’re happy to explain real options and what might work best for you.”

Step 4: Offer a Productive Next Step

Redirect the conversation toward value.

Script Example:

“If you’d like, we can schedule a consultation where the doctor can evaluate your situation and review treatment options and financing.”

This turns confusion into opportunity—without pressure.

How Doctors Should Address It (If It Comes Up in Consultation)

Doctors should reinforce honesty and education, not frustration.

What to Say:

Acknowledge the patient’s research
Explain why “free implants” aren’t realistic
Emphasize quality, safety, and long-term outcomes

Example:

“I know you may have seen ads for free implants online. Unfortunately, those aren’t legitimate. Dental implants involve surgery, materials, and planning—so quality care always has real costs attached.”

This positions the doctor as a trusted expert, not a salesperson.

Internal Team Alignment Is Critical

Your entire team should be aligned on:

What language to use
What not to promise
How to redirect the conversation consistently

Best Practice:
Create a short internal script or cheat sheet so every team member responds the same way.

Inconsistent messaging can create confusion and reduce trust.

What NOT to Say

Avoid:

“That’s a scam” (unless patient uses the word first)
“We don’t do that” with no explanation
Sounding annoyed or dismissive
Blaming the patient for believing the ad

Remember: patients are seeking help—not trying to cause problems.

Turn Confusion Into Credibility

Handled correctly, these calls can actually increase trust. When patients hear calm, honest, and confident explanations, your practice stands out as ethical and professional—especially in a noisy, misleading online environment.

Transparency always wins.

If you’d like help creating patient-facing messaging, front desk scripts, or website notices addressing this issue, KickStart Dental Marketing is here to help.

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How Your Dental Team Should Respond to Calls Asking About “Free” Dental Treatments