How to keep your dental diary smiling (and Dr. Grumpy happy) during the summer slump

Wave goodbye to empty dental chairs this summer—bring smiles back from the beach!

Just for once on a Friday morning, may I be less than my usual serious?

(One of the delegates at our workshop in Bristol yesterday told her boss that she thought I looked grumpy!)

It’s the summer—that annual spectacle of empty diary spaces that make dental teams nervously pace around reception like actors waiting for the curtain to rise and Principals raise their stress levels (a.k.a. Dr. Grumpy - maybe we are all a bit stressed at the moment).

But fear not!

While patients have their eyes on sandy beaches, music festivals, sport and BBQs, let’s charm their wandering thoughts back to teeth, gums and super smiles for all of those selfies and shorts.

Imagine this: rather than your nurses staring into "empty chairs and empty places", imagining how much better life would be stacking shelves, remind your loyal flock that summer smiles start in your chair—perhaps with a gentle nudge that says, "Don’t be that person who only notices their yellow teeth in Ibiza selfies!"

Lean into seasonal humour; run a fun campaign called "Beach-Ready Smile".

Subtlety is key here—patients aren’t booking "Botox at the beach bar", but they might be tempted by a timely whitening offer or a "get your gums as tight as your summer shorts" periodontal health check.

Get your team involved—an engaging video featuring your hygienist holding a toothbrush like a microphone, singing about plaque-free holidays, will go down a storm. Well - it will get a response anyway.....🥹

The right patients love authenticity (and the sight of professionals not taking themselves too seriously).

Summer doesn’t have to mean gappy appointment books.

Make use of your patient database; gently remind them via witty posts, blogs, newsletters and videos that sunburnt noses are forgivable, but neglected teeth aren’t.

Offer last-minute spots to loyal patients who are at home — presenting them as exclusive "VIP summer slots," because everyone loves feeling special, especially when they’re avoiding work meetings.

Remember, your job this season is not to chase patients down the high street brandishing appointment cards; it’s simply about staying front-of-mind with gentle, humorous reminders of their sparkling obligations.

Keep it light, keep it fun, and keep those diaries full.

Summer white space—be gone!

Photo courtesy of Gratisography