See eServices Texting.

Text Messaging

It is the responsibility of the office to obtain consent to send a patient text messages.

Patients can give consent when they manually provide their mobile phone number. This can happen when:

• Creating an appointment via Web Sched New Patient.
• Filling Patient Forms.
• Filling Web Forms.
• Filling forms via eClipboard.

Alternatively, the office can verbally obtain consent. Once received, record the Text OK status in the Edit Patient Information window.

In order to reduce outgoing SMS rejection rates, Open Dental attempts to shorten outgoing URLs with patientviewer branded sites. If unbranded URLs are not caught by Open Dental and are continually sent to phone carriers, your text messaging service may be cancelled by the carrier without notice.

Opt-Out Logic

Some texting vendors require that opt-out language is sent periodically to patients as needed. As a result, integrated texting users may see opt-out language automatically appended to sent messages. A patient may receive opt-out language more than once, if they have not been sent the language in a certain time period (e.g., the last 30 days). This additional language may increase the length of a message to incur an increase in the sent text fee (see Integrated Texting Q and A for costs). Opt-out language sent on messages is visible in the patient's Progress Notes and in the Text Messaging Mailbox.

Patient Opt-In and Opt-Out Responses

Some text message replies are required to allow patients to opt out of receiving text messages due to regulatory requirements. Patients can reply to any text messages sent by the office to opt in or out.

HELP
If Open Dental HQ detects a message with a response of HELP, we send back a message with a help link.

START / OPTIN
If a patient has opted out of text messaging, they can opt back in anytime by texting either START or OPTIN to the office.

STOP / END / QUIT / UNSUBSCRIBE
Patients can opt out of messages anytime. When a patient responds to a message with one of the following: STOP, END, QUIT, or UNSUBSCRIBE, a message is sent back informing the patient they have been opted out and will receive no further messages. This message is also forwarded to the office.

Open Dental HQ has a record of the patient opting out. At the office, the Text OK status in the Edit Patient Information window is set to No with a commlog indicating the opt out request. While the office may attempt to continue sending a message, all messages to patients who have opted out are blocked by Open Dental HQ. A patient must text either START or OPTIN to allow receiving messages again.