What Is Demandforce?
Demandforce is a patient communication and marketing platform designed to help dental practices (and other healthcare businesses) attract new patients, retain existing ones, and manage their online reputation. The software automates appointment reminders, sends email and text campaigns, manages online reviews, and provides basic analytics on marketing performance.
The company has a notable corporate history. It was founded in 2003 in San Francisco, acquired by Intuit (makers of QuickBooks and TurboTax) in 2012 for $423.5 million, and then divested to Internet Brands in 2016. Internet Brands is a massive web conglomerate that also owns WebMD, Healthgrades, and dozens of other healthcare web properties. The acquisition by Internet Brands was supposed to bring synergies — access to WebMD's traffic, Healthgrades listings, etc. — but users report limited evidence of those synergies materializing in the product.
Who It's For
- Practices needing basic appointment reminders and recall automation who don't need a sophisticated platform
- Existing Demandforce customers who are satisfied with the status quo
- Practices that value the Internet Brands/WebMD ecosystem for directory listings and SEO
Not ideal for: practices wanting cutting-edge patient engagement features, two-way texting, VoIP phone integration, or practices that are price-sensitive about their marketing spend.
Key Features
Automated Appointment Reminders
Sends email and text reminders to patients before appointments. This is table-stakes functionality in 2026, but Demandforce does it reliably. Reminders can be customized by appointment type and timing.
Email Marketing Campaigns
Pre-built and customizable email campaigns for patient reactivation, seasonal promotions, and newsletter-style communications. Template library included. The email tools are functional but not as sophisticated as dedicated email marketing platforms.
Online Reputation Management
Monitors reviews across Google, Yelp, and other platforms. Sends automated review requests to patients after visits. Provides a dashboard for tracking review trends. This is one of Demandforce's stronger features — the automated review solicitation does help practices build their online presence.
Online Scheduling
Patients can book appointments directly from the practice website or Demandforce-hosted profile page. Integration quality varies by PMS — some integrations are seamless, others require manual sync.
Two-Way Texting
Relatively recent addition that allows practices to text patients directly from the platform. This was a long-requested feature that Demandforce was slow to implement compared to competitors like Weave and Solutionreach.
Reporting & Analytics
Basic dashboard showing email open rates, appointment confirmation rates, review trends, and patient reactivation metrics. The analytics are adequate but not deep — don't expect the granular ROI tracking you'd get from a dedicated marketing analytics tool.
Pros
- Established platform with 20+ years of operation and a large installed base
- Reliable appointment reminders — the core functionality works well
- Automated review solicitation genuinely helps build online reputation
- Internet Brands ecosystem provides some SEO and directory listing benefits
- Broad PMS integration support — connects with most major dental practice management systems
Cons
- Price-to-value ratio is poor — users consistently report paying too much for what they get
- Innovation has stalled — competitors have leapfrogged Demandforce on features like VoIP, webchat, and text-to-pay
- Customer support gets mixed reviews — some report slow response times and difficulty reaching live help
- Contract rigidity — annual contracts with difficult cancellation processes are a common complaint
- UI/UX feels dated compared to newer platforms designed for modern workflows
- Limited two-way texting — the feature exists but was added late and feels bolted on