{"id":30712,"date":"2026-04-30T08:36:53","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T13:36:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aae.org\/specialty\/?page_id=30712"},"modified":"2026-04-30T13:55:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T18:55:29","slug":"referral-patterns","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.aae.org\/specialty\/practice-management\/managing-a-practice\/referral-patterns\/","title":{"rendered":"Referral Patterns"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t<p>Member Resource<\/p>\n<h2>\n\t\t\t2026 Referral Patterns Survey Report\t<\/h2>\n\t<p>Explore new insights into how general dentists make referral decisions, what strengthens endodontic referral relationships, and how the specialty can continue advancing patient care.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aae.org\/specialty\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/AAE-Referral-Patterns-Survey-2026-Summary-1.pdf\"  target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"    rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAccess the Report\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t<p>About the Survey<\/p>\n<h2>\n\t\t\tUnderstanding the Referral Landscape\t<\/h2>\n\t<p>The American Association of Endodontists commissioned the 2026 Referral Patterns Survey to better understand when, how, and why general dentists refer patients to endodontists.<\/p>\n<p>Based on responses from 919 endodontists and general dentists, the report shows that referrals remain central to endodontic practice and that general dentists continue to view endodontists as trusted partners in delivering quality dental care.<\/p>\n<figure itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aae.org\/specialty\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/1.jpg\" alt=\"1\" height=\"1080\" width=\"1620\" title=\"1\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t<\/figure>\n\t<p>Key findings<\/p>\n<h2>\n\t\t\tReferral Insights at a Glance\t<\/h2>\n\t<h2>90%<\/h2>\n<h3>\n\t\t\tReferral-Driven-Care\t<\/h3>\n\t<p>Endodontists report that referrals from general dentists account for nearly all of the root canal patients they typically treat.<\/p>\n\t<h2>53%<\/h2>\n<h3>\n\t\t\tMore Cases Referred\t<\/h3>\n\t<p>General dentists report referring 53% of patients who need root canal treatment, up from 43% in 2012.<\/p>\n\t<h2>92%<\/h2>\n<h3>\n\t\t\tPositive Perceptions\t<\/h3>\n\t<p>Most general dentists report a very or extremely positive perception of endodontists.<\/p>\n\t<p>Referral Decisions<\/p>\n<h2>\n\t\t\tWhat Influences Referrals?\t<\/h2>\n\t<p>General dentists place the greatest importance on clinical complexity, confidence in performing the procedure, prior experience with the endodontist, patient satisfaction, and quality of care.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Outstanding skill and expertise<\/li>\n<li>Previous work performed to the dentist&#8217;s satisfaction<\/li>\n<li>Positive patient experiences<\/li>\n<li>A calming, caring manner with patients<\/li>\n<li>Timely communication and follow-up<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aae.org\/specialty\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/2.jpg\"  target=\"_self\" itemprop=\"url\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aae.org\/specialty\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/2.jpg\" alt=\"2\" height=\"1080\" width=\"1620\" title=\"2\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/figure>\n\t<p>Practice Growth<\/p>\n<h2>\n\t\t\tBuilding Stronger Referral Relationships\t<\/h2>\n\t<p>The survey reinforces that strong referral relationships are built through trust, communication, clinical excellence, and a shared commitment to patient-centered care.<\/p>\n<h3>\n\t\t\tCommunicate Quickly\t<\/h3>\n\t<p>Sending reports and images in a timely manner following treatment is one of the most effective ways to strengthen referral partnerships.<\/p>\n<h3>\n\t\t\tReturn Patients\t<\/h3>\n\t<p>Referring patients back to the general dentist for restorative care supports continuity and builds long-term trust.<\/p>\n<h3>\n\t\t\tBe Accessible\t<\/h3>\n\t<p>General dentists value endodontists who are available for questions, second opinions, and timely patient scheduling.<\/p>\n\t<p>Market Trends<\/p>\n<h2>\n\t\t\tWhat the Findings Mean for the Specialty\t<\/h2>\n\t<p>The report points to a referral market that is stable but evolving. Larger group practices, geographic differences, patient access, insurance dynamics, and DSO growth are all shaping how referrals happen.<\/p>\n<p>For AAE members, the findings offer practical insight into how to position their practices, strengthen outreach, and support general dentists in making confident referral decisions.<\/p>\n<figure itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aae.org\/specialty\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/3.jpg\" alt=\"3\" height=\"1080\" width=\"1620\" title=\"3\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t<\/figure>\n<h2>\n\t\t\tAccess the 2026 Referral Patterns Survey Report\t<\/h2>\n\t<p>Review the full findings and discover actionable insights to help strengthen referral relationships and advance patient care.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aae.org\/specialty\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/AAE-Referral-Patterns-Survey-2026-Summary-1.pdf\"  target=\"_self\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAccess the Report\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t<p>For the full report or questions, contact\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:communications@aae.org\">communications@aae.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Member Resource 2026 Referral Patterns Survey Report Explore new insights into how general dentists make referral decisions, what strengthens endodontic referral relationships, and how the specialty can continue advancing patient&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":867,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-full-width.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-30712","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - 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