Practice management
No-show rate
The no-show rate is the share of booked appointments that patients miss without notice, usually shown as a percentage of appointments scheduled over a period.
To find the no-show rate, divide missed appointments by appointments booked in the same period. A systematic review of dental appointment no-shows in PMC found that all included studies were retrospective, with no-show rates ranging from 13.5 percent to 48 percent. The review also reports that patients with a prior no-show were more likely to miss later visits. The wide range shows that settings differ, so a practice should compare itself with its own past results first. Teams often track the rate by provider and appointment type. Responses include reminders and a clear cancellation policy. See also no-show.