Text messaging is gaining traction in dental clinics across the U.S. because it’s convenient, preferred, read, and HIPAA-compliant when done right. Dental offices use SMS to confirm appointments, book cleanings, request patient reviews, and more.
If you’re looking for ways to leverage SMS in your dental practice and wording for what to text your patients, you’re in the right place. You’ll leave this article knowing why SMS is a growing business communication channel and with customizable dental office text messaging templates to copy.
Benefits of texting for dental offices
Text messaging for dentists is advantageous for several core reasons. Let’s look at some of the top reasons dental offices should embrace SMS.
- Get on the preferred channel. Texting is a preferred method of communication. Research shows that 90 percent of customers prefer texting over a phone call with any business, and 50 percent of patients want to receive texts from their healthcare providers.
- Cut no-shows. Appointment reminder texts have been shown to cut no-shows by as much as 38 percent. A simple reminder can go a long way in helping your clinic retain a significant amount of revenue.
- Streamline booking and rescheduling. The easier it is for patients to schedule and reschedule an appointment, the better it is for patient satisfaction. Texting provides a simple and convenient way for patients to request an appointment and reschedule.
- Fill last-minute appointments. One of the top benefits of SMS is its immediacy. The majority of text messages are read within three minutes of receipt, making it an optimal channel to fill last-minute open appointments.
- Share time-sensitive information. If you need to get in touch with patients quickly, text messages are an excellent channel for these time-sensitive notifications. For example, if you need to reschedule appointments or share clinical hour changes, a text helps you do this in an efficient manner.
- Payment collection improvements. If you need to collect payment from patients or confirm insurance information, you can do so quickly via text. With a text message you can request payment via a secure link, encourage patients to upload a credit card prior to their appointment, or confirm their insurance is accurate.
55 Dental Office Text Messaging Templates
Here are 50 dental texting templates to use for various patient outreach scenarios.
Dental appointment reminders
One of the top use cases for dental SMS is for sending appointment reminders. Here are a few templates to help you reduce no-shows by reminding patients of their appointments.
1. Hi [Name], this is [Dental Office]. We wanted to remind you of your appointment on [Date] at [Time]. We look forward to seeing you next week!
2. Your friends at [Dental Office] just want to remind you of your appointment on [Date] and [Time]. Please call us at [Phone Number] if you need to cancel or reschedule.
3. [Dental Office]: This is a friendly reminder of your upcoming appointment with [Dentist Name] at [Date] and [Time]. Please reply R if you need to reschedule.
4. We’ll see you soon, [Name]. Your appointment at [Dental Office] is next week on [Date] at [Time]. Text us back if you need to reschedule.
5. Hi [Name]. Your appointment at [Dental Office] is TODAY at [Time]. See you later!
Dental appointment confirmations
Appointment confirmation texts help you request a response from patients to confirm they received your text and acknowledge their upcoming appointment.
1. Hi [Name]. Your appointment with [Dental Office] is [Date] at [Time]. Please confirm your appointment by replying C. You can also reschedule by replying R.
2. Hi this is [Name] from [Dental Office]. Can you please confirm your appointment for [Date] and [Time] by replying CONFIRM. Thank you!
3. You have an appointment with [Dental Office] on [Date] and [Time]. Reply C to confirm and hold your appointment time.
4. We plan to see you next week at [Dental Office] for your appointment. Please reply CONFIRM so we know you’re still coming.
5. It’s almost time… Reply C to confirm your upcoming appointment at [Dental Office] for [Date] and [Time]. You can also call us at [Phone Number] if you need to reschedule!
Reschedule dentist appointment
Sometimes, you will need to reschedule appointments due to schedule changes or staff emergencies. Use one of these templates to help you in these scenarios.
1. Hi [Name]. This is [Name] from [Dental Office]. We need to reschedule your appointment on [Date] at [Time]. Please call us at [Phone Number] to find the best time.
2. [Dental Office]: Hi [Name], due to an unforeseen emergency, we need to reschedule your appointment for [Date] at [Time]. Could you instead come in on [Date] at [Time]?
3. [Name], this is [Dental Office]. We’re sorry, but we must reschedule your appointment for [Date] at [Time]. You can pick a new time using this link: [Link]
4. [Dental Office] here. Due to [Reason], we need to reschedule your appointment on [Date] at [Time]. Please call us to pick a new time.
5. Hi [Name]. This is [Name] from [Dental Office]. We need to reschedule your appointment on [Date] at [Time]. I’m sorry for the inconvenience.
Prompt to schedule an appointment
Use a text message to prompt patients to schedule their six-month cleaning, dental fillings, or other follow up appointments.
1. [Dental Office]: Hey [Name]! It looks like it’s time for your [Dental Service]. Ready to book now? You can schedule online using this link: [Link].
2. Hi [Name], this is [Dental Office]! You’re due for your [Dental Service]. We have a few openings this week if you want to schedule your appointment. Reply YES to view our openings.
3. Oh, hey, [Name], [Dental Office] here. It looks like you need to schedule your [Dental Service] appointment. Ready to book today? Reply YES to get a call from us!
4. Hey [Name], this is [Name] from [Dental Office]. It seems like we need to get you on the schedule for [Dental Service]. Can you come in on [Date] at [Time]?
5. Hey [Name]. It’s time to schedule [Dental Service]! Ready to book? You can head to our link online [Link]
New patient lead follow-up
If you have a website that encourages patients to reach out to learn more or schedule an appointment, use a text message to quickly get in touch with them while they are a warm lead for your practice.
1. Hi [Name], thanks for your interest in [Dental Office]. We received your online inquiry and will call you shortly to discuss your insurance questions!
2. Hi [Name]! Thanks for filling out our online questionnaire. We do accept [Insurance Type]. Would you like to schedule an appointment?
3. Hi [Name], thanks for filling out our online form! Our scheduling assistant will reach out in a few minutes to get your first appointment scheduled.
4. Hi [Name], thanks for your interest in [Dental Office]. We would love to discuss your dental care needs. Are you available for a quick call today?
5. Hi [Name]! This is [Name] from [Dental Office]. Thanks for submitting a question. We accept most major insurances, can you share which one you currently have?
No-show appointment template
The reality is that missed appointments happen. Instead of losing out on that revenue, use a text message to encourage customers to reschedule after their no-show.
1. [Dental Office]: Sorry we missed you today, [Name]. You can reschedule your appointment by calling us at [Phone Number].
2. Hi [Name], we missed you at the appointment today. As per our cancellation policy, you’ll see a [Amount] charge on your credit card. If you want to reschedule, please call us at [Phone Number].
3. [Dental Office]: Hi [Name], we missed you at your [Dental Service] appointment today. Your dental health is our top priority. Reply R to this message to reschedule.
4. [Dental Office]: Hey [Name]. We had you on the books, but you didn’t make it. That’s okay, things happen. If you want to reschedule, call us at [Phone Number].
5. Hi [Name]. We noticed we missed you today at your appointment. Reply to this text or call us to reschedule.
Last-minute scheduling template
A quick text message can help you fill last-minute appointment openings. Instead of having a gap in your schedule, use one of these templates to see if another patient can come in.
1. Hey [Name], we have a last-minute opening for [Dental Service] at [Time] today. Would you be interested in coming in? Reply YES to claim. (First come first serve.)
2. [Dental Office]: Hi [Name], we had a cancellation and now have availability tomorrow at [Time] for [Dental Service]. Let us know if you’d like to book it!
3. [Dental Office]: Want to come in for [Dental Service] sooner? We just had a cancellation at [Time] today and [Time] tomorrow. Are you interested in either?
4. Hi [Name]. We have a last-minute appointment available today at [Time]. Are you interested in taking it? Reply YES or NO.
5. Hi [Name]! This is [Name] at [Dental Office]. We have an opening tomorrow for a [Dental Service]. We have [Time] and [Time]. If you’re interested, please let me know as soon as you can!
Waitlist open appointment templates
New patients often have to wait a few months to get an appointment, especially in certain communities. Use one of these templates to let a new patient know they are next up on the waitlist for an open appointment.
1. Great news, [Name]! An appointment at [Dental Office] has become available on [Date] at [Time]. Reply YES to claim it!
2. [Dental Office]: Hi [Name]! We now have an opening for [Dental Service] on [Date] at [Time]. Do you want it? Reply YES to book it.
3. Hi [Name]! This is [Name] from [Company]. You’re next on the waitlist. Keep an eye out from texts from us about new time slots opening!
4. Hi [Name]. This is a confirmation that you’ve been added to [Dental Office’s] waitlist to get notified about open appointments. You’ll receive messages soon.
5. Heads up, [Name]. A few appointment slots at [Dental Office] just opened up. We have availability on [Date] at [Time], [Date] at [Time], or [Date] at [Time]. Let us know what you prefer!
Promotional text templates
Some dental offices run promotions via text. Here are a few SMS marketing templates for dental offices.
1. New patient special! [Dental Office] is offering [Dental Service] for [Amount] without insurance. Book your appointment today: [Link]
2. Bridal special! [Dental Office] is offering whitening services for just [Amount] for all brides to be. Ready to book your appointment?
3. Hi [Name], [Dental Office] is now offering [Dental Service]. You can learn more and book your appointment here: [Link]
4. Hi [Name]! Thanks for being a valued patient at [Dental Office]. You can get [X%] off your next appointment with code [Code].
5. It’s officially Dental Care month! We’re offering a special on [Dental Product]. You can get yours for just [Amount] all of [Month].
Patient feedback request
Texts are a great way to collect feedback or reviews from your patients. You can use it to collect CSAT surveys, request Google Reviews, or just follow up about their experience post-appointment.
1. Hi [Name]. We hope you had a great care experience at [Dental Office] today! Would you leave us a quick review? [Link]
2. Thanks for visiting us at [Dental Office]! How would you rate your experience today on a scale of 1-5? (1 Poor, 5 Excellent)
3. Hi [Name]! We’re always seeking ways to improve. How was your recent visit? Please reply with any feedback.
4. Hi [Name]! We hope you had a great experience at [Dental Office]. Reviews help us significantly. Would you mind leaving one for us here? [Link]
5. Hi [Name]. Thanks for visiting us at [Dental Clinic] today. Could you take a moment to share your thoughts on your appointment here? [Link]
Pre-appointment information
Use one of these text templates to encourage patients to confirm information or fill out a form prior to their appointment to save time at the check-in counter.
1. [Dental Office]: Hi [Name]! We’ll see you tomorrow for your appointment. Before you arrive, can you please fill out this intake form: [Link]
2. Hi [Name]! We’ll see you this week. Can you confirm if your insurance is still with [Insurer Name]? Thank you!
3. Hi [Name]. We’ll see you tomorrow at [Time]. Please arrive 10 minutes before your appointment time to check in.
4. Hi [Name]. We’ll see you tomorrow at [Dental Office]. Please fill out this form prior to your appointment: [Link]
5. Hi [Name], [Dental Office] here. This is just a reminder to avoid [Topic] for [X] hours before your appointment. See you tomorrow.
Communicate how your patients want with Textline’s HIPAA-compliant SMS platform
Textline is the industry’s go-to HIPAA-compliant SMS platform, offering dental offices the ability to text their patients without worry. Textline is packed with security enhancements and features that make texting easy. For example, Textline offers technological safeguards like encryption, data redaction, and multi-factor authentication, as well as messaging tools like mass texting, scheduled messages, and automations.
Ready to start communicating with patients on their preferred channel? Request a demo of Textline’s HIPAA-compliant SMS platform today.
