Introduction
Dental texting is the modern way for dental practices to communicate with their patients using text messages. It goes beyond traditional phone calls and emails, offering a more direct, immediate, and convenient way to stay connected. Dental texting helps reduce missed calls and increase call volume. It also helps dental practices adhere to standards such as HIPAA compliance and allows you to send messages to your patients securely, along with sending marketing messages and building long-lasting relationships. It’s like having a super-efficient, always-on communication channel.
What is Dental Texting?
Dental text messaging services are a modern way for dental practices to communicate with their patients using text messages. It goes beyond traditional phone calls and emails, offering a more direct, immediate, and convenient way to stay connected. Dental texting helps reduce missed calls and increase call volume. It also helps dental practices adhere to standards such as HIPAA compliance and allows you to send messages to your patients securely, along with sending marketing messages and building long-lasting relationships. It’s like having a super-efficient, always-on communication channel.
Why Should Dental Practices Use Dental Texting?
Reduce phone calls
When it comes to dental practices, there is a different issue of attending phone calls now and then, but with dental office texting services, you can now get rid of constant phone calls and also manage each and every patient seamlessly. Be it any issue, from online appointments, scheduling, and payment to reminders and reviews, with the best dental texting software, everything can be done with ease.
Improve patient response time
For dental practices, prompt responses from patients matter a lot for efficiently managing the schedule and reducing no-shows. For smoother operations, dental office text messaging is considered to be the fastest way to get a response compared to calls or emails. Most people are likely to respond to text messages promptly. For dental professionals, it means quicker confirmations or rescheduling of appointments, faster responses to reminders, and timely feedback from patients.
Improve efficiency and productivity
Dental office texting reduces many manual tasks, which include appointment reminders, follow-up messages, and payment notifications, which in turn reduces the workload of the staff and allows them to concentrate on other, more critical tasks. By minimizing manual labour and other communication-related distractions, dental practices can operate more efficiently and productively.
Achieve better results
Text messaging for dentists helps in improving overall results for them, and it is a win-win situation for both patients as well as practice. Effective communication by harnessing the power of texting increased patient engagement and satisfaction, as patients appreciated convenience and promptness, which also results in higher appointment attendance rates, better adherence to treatment plans, and more positive reviews. Research suggests that 80% of people trust reviews online, it also enables easy form sharing and collection, seamless payment collection, and integration with PMS very handy.
Easy form sharing
A dental office texting platform can automate manual tasks, including easy form sharing. Instead of patients filling out endless paperwork in the waiting room, they can now conveniently receive forms via text, which saves time and allows them to fill them out at their own pace and convenience.
Seamless payment collection
With dental texting, say a big yes to seamless payment collection, as it ensures sending a friendly text reminder to pay their fee or bill right then and there. It makes things quick and easy, which also means no more awkward moments at the front desk.
Integration with PMS
Last, but not least, it is indeed the best thing about dental office texting that the platform can be integrated with your current patient management systems seamlessly without any hassle. It’s like having your entire practice management toolkit right in your pocket!
Comparing Texting vs Email vs Phone
Use Cases Of Dental Texting
Send appointment reminders
In today’s fast-paced world, our mobile phones keep us updated on every aspect of our daily lives. The same is true for dental patients when it comes to scheduling appointments, as it would be way easier if they were reminded of their appointments and confirmations. Dental texting makes it seamless by automating the entire process, which not only helps in reminding patients but also excels in rescheduling, confirming, and cancelling. With dental texting by your side, you can focus on patient care way more efficiently.
Address customer queries
With dental office texting software, dental practices can address customer queries in a broader manner without spending too much time on it as patients often have questions that don’t need a full phone call. Dental texting lets them text a dentist with their query and get a prompt response. Whether it’s about treatment details, insurance information, or post-visit care, you can handle it all quickly and efficiently. It’s a great way to keep your phone lines free and your patients happy.
Patient followups
It is important to follow up after the patient visits to retain the patient and understand their experience, but in most cases, it can be time-consuming with extra effort. This is where dental text messaging service comes in handy. Now, you can send customised follow-up messages to find out how your patients are doing, check on their recovery, and make them feel valued. Yes, it is a small gesture, but it shows that their dental practice cares for them and helps in building long-lasting relationships.
Collect feedback and reviews
Knowing how you are doing in your practice and understanding the pain points of the patients is as important as following up. Dental texting makes it super easy to collect feedback and reviews from your patients. After each visit, you can send a quick text asking about their experience, thoughts, or a review. It is a simple way, but it makes a great difference in your online reputation. Happy patients sharing their positive experiences? With dental texting, say a big yes, please!
Send marketing messages
When it comes to automated texting in a few clicks, one can not forget about marketing, as it is a very efficient way to promote your practices. You can send a quick text to your patients, informing them of a new service or any new offer. It is a direct and efficient way to keep your patients informed about new offers and services, which also helps drive more appointments and keep your schedule full. Dental texting indeed makes texting for dentists very handy and effortless.
Send text message alerts
Suppose it’s the day before an appointment, and your patient gets a friendly ping on their phone reminding them of their upcoming dental visit. It’s like a gentle nudge in the right direction, making sure they don’t forget to show off their pearly whites to you! With the dental office, say a big yes to reduced no-shows, as it is not going to forget to send text messages alert to your patients.
Follow-up on missed calls
Imagine a patient who calls your office but doesn’t leave a message or doesn’t get through. But a dental text messaging service can save the day! You can send a friendly message asking if there is anything you can do to assist them, which not only shows you’re attentive but also encourages them to engage with you again.
Request Reviews
Reviews are indeed a golden nugget for any dental practice, and dental office texting is an efficient way to gently nudge happy patients to leave you a review. You might send a review request asking happy patients to share feedback or reviews of the services and their experiences, which not only increases the reputation but also helps practices improve their services.
Dental Texting Templates For Dental Professionals
Curious about where to begin? Here are some SMS templates you can easily copy and use to communicate with your patients.
Welcome Message Template
Hello {{firstName}}, this is <<Dental Practice Name>>. We’ve received your prescription from your provider. Please call us at <contact number> to fill your prescription. We look forward to assisting you!
Hello {{firstName}}! This is <<Dental Practice Name>>. Your provider has sent us your prescription. Please visit www.ABC.com/ship to complete your order online. Have your insurance or claim information ready. You can also call us at <contact number> to fill out your prescription. We look forward to helping you!
Outstanding Balance SMS Template
Hello {{firstName}}, our records show an outstanding balance of {{Balance Amount}} with <<Dental Practice Name>>. Please contact us within 30 days to settle your account with our Patient Support team. We are available from 6 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Friday, at <contact number>, or you can pay online at: <link>.
Wellness Text Template
Hello {{firstName}}, this is <<Dental Practice Name>> checking in to see how your treatment is progressing. Contact us for any reason by following this link: https://www.ABC.com/contact/. Thank you.
Follow-Up Template
Hello {{firstName}}, this is <<Dental Practice Name>> checking in to see how your treatment is going. Contact us for any reason by following this link: https://www.ABC.com/contact/. Thank you.
Appointment Reminder Template
Hi [Patient’s Name], this is <<Dental Practice Name>>. Your appointment is just around the corner on [Date] at [Time]. Should you need to modify your appointment or have any queries, don’t hesitate to reach out at [Clinic Phone Number]. We’re eager to assist you during your visit!
Survey text template
Hello {{firstName}},
We are reaching out regarding your treatment with the <<Dental Practice Name>> . If you’d like to complete a brief treatment feedback survey: https://www.ABC.com/patientsurvey/ If there is anything you need, please feel free to call us at <Contact Number> M-F from 7 AM-5 PM. Regards.
Insurance information required in the SMS template
Hello {{firstName}},
Our records show that we are missing some insurance information in your file at {{Dental Practice Name}}. Please update your details here: https://tinyurl.com/ABCInfo. If you have any questions or need further assistance, our patient support team is available Monday to Friday from 6 AM to 6 PM at {{contact number}}. Thank you!
Recall
Hello {{firstname}},
it’s been 6 months since your last dental appointment. Regular checkups will help you achieve optimal oral health. Reply with B to book an appointment this week.”
Missed call SMS template
Hello {{firstName}},
We are reaching out from <<Dental Practice Name >> as we have missed a few calls from you – our apologies. Is there a specific time of day that works best to contact you to avoid future missed calls? We can be reached from 7 AM to 5 PM at <ContactNumber> or [email protected]. Regards.
Best Practices for Dental Office Text Messaging
Obtaining consent
Obtaining consent becomes important when it comes to sending text messages to patients, which can be done during the registration process or via a consent form, particularly for communication purposes. Consent is a critical part, as it ensures the privacy of the patients is respected. Not only this, obtaining consent also helps in building trust and loyalty.
Personalising messages
If you want to keep your patients engaged and updated, then personalising messages will keep you going, as it increases patient satisfaction. Using patients’ names and giving specific details about their appointments and treatment plans makes them feel more relevant. It also shows that the practice pays attention to their specific needs, which results in improving patient loyalty and response rates; hence, giving a personal touch to messages becomes very important.
Maintaining professionalism
Maintaining professionalism is yet another factor that forms part of best practices. It is very important to maintain professionalism in dental office text messaging. It can be of any kind, whether using proper grammar and spelling, addressing patients respectfully, or ensuring that the tone is appropriate for a medical practice, as professionalism enhances the credibility and trustworthiness of the dental office.
Timing and frequency
Well, dentist office texting is indeed very effective when it comes to keeping patients updated with their reminders, appointments, scheduling, and a lot more, but the timing and frequency of text messages are crucial to avoid any annoying or overwhelming patients. The appropriate timing, such as during business hours and not too early in the morning or late at night, is very important. Apart from this, frequency should also be managed to keep patients informed without becoming intrusive.
Utilizing multimedia content
Sometimes simple texts can be confusing, hence, adding images, videos, and links to the texts can make them way more engaging. Imagine sending a quick video on proper brushing techniques or a photo of the latest safety protocols. It’s a great way to explain complex information in a simple, visual way and keeps our patients interested and informed about their dental health.
Start dental texting with Emitrr
Now let me tell you about the best dental office text messaging service, Emitrr, and how it’s shaking up dental texting! Emitrr, which is specially designed to cater to dental practices, includes a range of features, including two-way texting, sending appointment reminders and confirmations, updating confirmation status, and easily accessing dental patient data in Emitrr. Not only this, it can connect with over 500+ EHRs, thereby making your operations as seamless as ever. It’s like having a virtual receptionist who works 24/7, making sure your schedule stays filled without the usual back-and-forth.
Scheduling appointments
Emitrr is not just communication software; it’s way more than that. It doesn’t just send out reminders, it helps your patients schedule appointments directly through text messages. Imagine your patient receives a text, clicks a link, and voila! They’ve booked their next dental check-up without even picking up the phone.
Reminders and confirmations
Emitrr says a big no to missed appointments as it sends timely reminders to ensure your patients remember their scheduled visits. And once they confirm, you’ll get notified too. Emitrr makes communication seamless, which keeps everyone on track.
Review requests
Understanding the pain points in your service and building a robust online reputation is very important, and Emitrr understands this as well; hence, to help you, it sends polite nudges to happy patients, asking them to leave a review after their visit. Positive reviews mean more smiles walking through your door!
Secure text messaging
Privacy is one of the crucial aspects when it comes to trust, and we also understand this. To ensure this, we have made sure that all messages on our platform are encrypted and secure, so your patients can communicate sensitive information with peace of mind, which increases trust among the patients as well as reliability.
500+ Integration Options
Emitrr also has over 500 integration options, which means you have a wide range of possibilities to connect your dental practice management software with various other tools and platforms. It also has the capability of connecting with your existing CRM seamlessly, which also ensures that you can carry on your day-to-day tasks smoothly without any issues.
Top-notch customer support
You can go for software after taking into consideration its price and features but one most important things which is quite underrated is having a robust customer support team, as they are the ones who are going to solve the issues that you face while using the software. With Emitrr, forget about the miserable customer experience, as we take pride in offering unparalleled customer support to our customers and making their experience exceptional.
If you wish to start your texting journey with zero learning curve, the best texting capabilities to seamlessly communicate and engage with your patients, and streamline workflows without burning a hole in your pocket and getting stuck into yearly contracts, Emitrr is just what you need!
Dental Texting FAQs
Why is dental texting important?
Dental text messaging service is important to make communication easier and smoother between practices and their patients. It keeps customers informed and engaged, along with enhancing the experience as well as satisfaction. It is also affordable and saves a lot of time, helping you focus on patient care.
What Do Dental Practices and Patients Text About?
Dental texting includes various topics, including appointment reminders, schedule adjustments, follow-up care, billing inquiries, and emergency notifications related to dental treatments.
Is dental texting HIPAA-compliant?
Traditional texting lacks the necessary encryption to keep the information secure; hence, to ensure security, it is vital for dental practitioners to opt for HIPAA-compliant texting platforms that encrypt the message and follow the required guidelines and regulations.
How can dental texting improve patient satisfaction?
Dental texting improves patient satisfaction by offering a convenient and efficient communication channel along with allowing patients to manage their appointments and receive a prompt response in case of any inquiry, which results in enhanced care and personalized communication.
Conclusion
If you are also a dental practitioner and most of your time is spent on phone calls to connect with your patients, it is time to harness the power of text messaging for dentists, which is way more efficient. Be it patient communication, better experience, reduced efforts, or increased revenue, you will get it all. Want to know how? Get in touch with our experts to see how Emitrr aligns with your use case. Book a demo here.
Leave a Reply