A focused 3-wave acquisition playbook for orthodontic practices. Drive complimentary consultations from neighborhood prospects, then convert with a clear treatment plan.
Start FreeOrthodontic practices grow on free consultation volume. Parents and adults research for months before scheduling, then choose the first practice that lands a credible piece of mail in their hand. A 3-wave neighborhood postcard campaign aimed at families with kids age 7–12 (or self-conscious adults age 35–55) puts your practice in the consideration set when the decision finally tips. The free consult is the wedge; the case start is the close.
3 waves over 7 weeks, with a front-desk call after waves 1 and 2
"Wondering if it's time for braces?" Photo of recent results, clear benefit (straighter smile, confidence, oral health), QR straight to a 30-second consult booking flow. Friendly tone. You're inviting, not selling. The front-desk call lands about 5 business days after delivery (the default; you can set 1 to 10): "Saw you got our card: want to grab a complimentary 30-minute consult with Dr. Patel? She has Thursday at 4 open."
Mailed 28 days after Wave 1 to everyone still in the sequence. Leads with the $0-down financing math and clear-aligner imagery, in a different visual from Wave 1, because cost is a common reason people delay orthodontics. The second call, about 5 business days after delivery, references the card and offers financing pre-approval at the consult.
21 days after Wave 2. An adult-orthodontics-led final reminder: clear aligners are discreet, and the free consultation has no expiration. Postcard only, in a soft tone, because two calls is enough for this category.
Wave timing, copy direction, and front-desk call scripts come pre-configured. You only customize the photo, doctor name, and practice branding.
Two paths: buy a list by ZIP code in the app (Contacts, then Find a mailing list; the count is free and you confirm the total before your wallet is charged), or upload a referral list (existing patients' friends and family). PostKnock supports both. CSV upload auto-maps the columns.
Postcards print and drop into USPS within 1–2 business days. QR scans are tracked as link clicks. The Wave 1 follow-up call is queued about 5 business days after delivery (the default; you can set 1 to 10), and Wave 2 schedules itself 28 days after Wave 1.
Pre-loaded scripts handle parents' common objections (timing, cost, treatment type, age of child). Log each call's outcome in PostKnock, then book the consult in your practice software.
A typical orthodontic practice running a 1,500-prospect neighborhood campaign. Here's the math on a 3-wave consult-acquisition campaign:
~38:1 ROI on the first cycle alone, before referrals from converted families.
Run your own numbers in the ROI calculator.
Free to explore. You only pay when you're ready to send. 30-day money-back guarantee on your first annual plan.
Single-wave postcard campaigns · Unlimited contacts · From $1.04/piece
Everything in Free + calls, sequencing · From $0.91/piece
Per-piece pricing includes printing + USPS First-Class postage. Full pricing details →
Drop in your branding, photo, and offer. The Design Studio handles the rest.
Try the Design Studio →Free consultation acquisition is the highest-ROI launch playbook, but PostKnock also has an adult clear aligner promo and a retainer replacement playbook. See the full lineup on the orthodontics hub.
See all Orthodontics campaigns →There's no anniversary date for an acquisition campaign. Mail when you have chair capacity, ideally 4–8 weeks before your slowest consult month. Many ortho practices run two campaigns a year: late summer (back-to-school) and mid-winter (post-holiday).
The consultation itself is the offer. Resist adding "$500 off" stacked on top. It cheapens the consult and trains parents to chase deals. "Complimentary 30-minute consult, no obligation" is the strongest version, paired with a clear photo of recent results.
No. Treatment pricing varies wildly by case complexity. The card's job is to surface interest and book the consult; the consult's job is to present pricing in person with a treatment plan. Pricing on the postcard kills the conversion.
Yes. "Dr. Patel has been straightening smiles in [neighborhood] since 2014" outperforms a generic practice name. The doctor's bio adds clinical credibility, especially in a market crowded with corporate ortho chains.
Yes. Many practices run two parallel campaigns: one targeting families with kids 7–12 (early phase, Phase 1), another targeting self-conscious adults 35–55 (Invisalign, accelerated treatment). Different photos, different copy, different mailing zones.
Stop competing on price with the chains. Start the 3-wave acquisition cadence that puts your practice in the consideration set before parents shop around.
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