When should I start preparing for the year-end benefits deadline?

Begin campaign setup in early November. Website and profile updates in mid-October. Capacity planning as soon as you decide to run the campaign.

Does this checklist apply to non-dental clinics?

Yes. Physiotherapy, chiropractic, massage therapy, naturopathic, and other allied-health clinics share the same calendar-year benefits reset. The checklist applies with minor adjustments.

How much revenue can the year-end window generate?

A mid-sized practice running the full campaign typically sees 40-80 additional appointments in November-December, worth $8,000-$16,000 in additional revenue.

What's the most important thing on this checklist?

The four-message SMS campaign to your existing patient list. It's the highest-ROI marketing activity a clinic can run all year, and it costs almost nothing beyond a few hours of setup.

Should I also plan for January?

Yes. The January benefits-reset is the companion window - new coverage opens and patients who just lost unused benefits are motivated to book early. Start the January campaign before December ends.

Campaigns • 7 min read

Your End-of-Year Dental Marketing Checklist: November-December 2026

By Pranesh Rohilla - Founder & Director, MyClaimReady MarketingSeptember 16, 2026

A complete, actionable checklist for dental and healthcare clinics preparing for the year-end benefits deadline - from campaigns and capacity planning to reviews and year-end reporting.

Why November and December are your highest-ROI marketing window

For most employer plans, unused dental and paramedical coverage expires December 31 and does not roll over. That deadline drives more booking urgency than any other event in the clinic calendar - and the clinics that prepare for it systematically outperform those that treat it as business as usual.

This checklist covers everything: the campaign setup, the website and profile updates, the capacity planning, and the year-end review that sets up January. Work through it in early November and you will have the busiest December your clinic has had.

The campaign checklist

Deploy the four-message benefits-deadline campaign: first touch November 1, follow-ups through mid-December. SMS where you have consent, email otherwise. Every message CASL-compliant with sender ID and opt-out.

Add a 'Use Your Benefits Before They Expire' banner or page to your website. Mirror the message on your Google Business Profile with weekly posts through the window.

Website and profile updates

Confirm your direct-billing carriers are listed on your homepage and GBP. Update your hours for the holiday period. Add any seasonal services (holiday whitening specials, year-end comprehensive exams). Verify your NAP is consistent across your site, GBP, and directories.

Capacity planning

Open additional blocks in the first three weeks of December for campaign responders. Hold the final week before the holidays for follow-ups and overflow. Pre-verify benefits for every booked patient so you can confirm their out-of-pocket cost before they arrive - this prevents no-shows and builds trust.

Year-end review and January setup

After the December rush: pull your numbers (bookings, revenue, campaign response rate). Capture reviews from the higher visit volume. Then pivot to the January benefits-reset campaign - new coverage opens January 1 and patients who just saw what they lost are primed to book early.

If you want help planning your end-of-year campaign, reach out through the contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Need help running your benefits-deadline campaign?

We build the landing pages, SMS sequences, and direct-billing messaging that turn the November-December window into your busiest booking period of the year.

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