How to handle missed calls at a dental office in Canada?

The most effective approach for Canadian dental offices is automatic SMS follow-up. When a patient calls and no one answers, an automated text is sent within 60 seconds: "Hi, you called [Clinic Name] — we missed your call. Reply here to book or ask a question." Studies show this recovers 60% of missed callers before they find another clinic. Other approaches include dedicated voicemail follow-up protocols, after-hours answering services, and patient portal booking — but none match the speed and conversion rate of immediate SMS response.