Can medical and dental practices text patients?

Yes, with consent and without health details in the texts. Appointment reminders and practice updates sent with automated systems need the patient's consent, and promotional texts need prior express written consent. Keep the reason for the visit, results, diagnoses and medications out of every message.

Does HIPAA apply to patient texts?

It can. HIPAA governs how practices handle protected health information, and even a simple appointment reminder can include it, so it depends on what you send and how. This page doesn't cover HIPAA compliance. Keeping health details out of texts limits what a text reveals; have your compliance officer review the rest.

What should an appointment reminder text say?

The practice name, the day and time, and how to confirm or reschedule. Nothing about the reason for the visit. For sensitive specialties, identify the practice by a neutral registered business name, such as a DBA.

Do healthcare practices need 10DLC registration?

Yes, to text from ordinary local numbers. The practice registers a brand (legal name and EIN) and a campaign describing its messages and how patients opt in. Since February 2025, US carriers block unregistered business traffic from local numbers. Signilio registers your brand and campaign during onboarding.

Can a dental office send recall texts?

Yes, to patients who agreed to texts. A recall that simply says it's time to schedule the next visit is the safest form. If the text promotes a service or offer, it's marketing and needs written consent.

Can patients text the practice back?

Yes. Replies land in the shared inbox for the front desk. If a patient texts a health question, move the conversation to a call or your patient portal rather than answering by text.

Industry

Texting for Medical and Dental Practices: Reminders and Rules

How medical and dental practices text patients: appointment reminders, recalls, consent, keeping health details out of texts, 10DLC registration and cost.

Patients answer texts. A reminder the day before cuts missed appointments, a recall text fills the schedule, and a quick "running 15 minutes behind" saves a waiting room full of frustration. Medical and dental practices also handle some of the most sensitive information there is, so the rule for healthcare texting starts with what not to send.

Keep health details out of texts

A text can be read on a lock screen, by a family member or by anyone holding the phone. Write every message so that's not a problem:

Say when, not why. "Your appointment is tomorrow at 2pm" is enough. Leave out the reason for the visit, test results, diagnoses, medications and treatment details.
Watch the sender name. For some specialties, the practice's name alone reveals something sensitive. Practices in those fields should keep reminders generic and identify themselves with a neutral business name they've registered, such as a DBA, rather than leaving the sender unnamed.
Move sensitive conversations elsewhere. When a patient replies with a health question, answer with a call or your patient portal, not a text thread.

HIPAA governs how practices handle protected health information, and even a simple reminder can include it. This page doesn't cover HIPAA compliance. Keeping health details out of texts limits what a text reveals; have your compliance officer review the rest.

Consent for patient texts

Appointment reminders and practice updates are informational. Sent with automated systems, they need the patient's consent, typically collected on intake paperwork or the patient portal with the number the patient gives you.
Promotional texts, such as a whitening special or a new service, are marketing and need the patient's prior express written consent under the TCPA. HIPAA has its own rules for marketing communications, so check them before you send any promotion.

Put text consent on the intake form as its own line, and keep your own record of when each patient agreed; Signilio doesn't keep that proof for you. STOP-keyword opt-outs are honored automatically; treat any reply asking you to stop as an opt-out too. See SMS opt-out rules.

What practices text

Appointment reminders and confirmations, with a simple reply to confirm or reschedule.
Recalls: it's time to book a cleaning or an annual visit, without saying what for beyond the visit itself.
Day-of updates: running late, office closed for weather, the office has moved.
Forms and payments: a link to complete paperwork or pay a balance through your own secure portal, with no health details in the text itself.

10DLC registration for practices

A practice texting from local numbers registers a brand (its legal name and EIN, exactly as on its tax records) and a campaign describing what it sends and how patients opt in. Describe appointment reminders and any promotions accurately, and write sample messages without health details, the way your real reminders look. Since February 2025, US carriers block unregistered business traffic from local numbers. See 10DLC registration.

What texting costs a practice

On Signilio, Starter is $34.99 a month for 1,000 texts and 2 seats, Growth is $79.99 a month for 3,000 texts and 5 seats, and Pro is $189.99 a month for 12,000 texts and 15 seats, with carrier fees included and replies free. A front desk with several staff can answer patients from one shared inbox. See pricing.

None of this is legal advice; have counsel or your compliance officer review your program before you send.

Sample texts for medical and dental

Starting points to adapt. Bracketed fields are merge fields or your own details; every marketing text names your business and says how to opt out.

Appointment reminder

[Practice name]: reminder of your appointment tomorrow, Tue, at 2:00pm. Reply C to confirm or R to reschedule.

Recall

[Practice name]: it's time to schedule your next visit. Book online at [link] or reply here and we'll find a time. Reply STOP to opt out.

Running late

[Practice name]: we're running about 15 minutes behind today. Thanks for your patience. See you soon.

Forms before your visit

[Practice name]: please complete your forms before tomorrow's visit through our secure portal: [link].

Common questions

Can medical and dental practices text patients?: Yes, with consent and without health details in the texts. Appointment reminders and practice updates sent with automated systems need the patient's consent, and promotional texts need prior express written consent. Keep the reason for the visit, results, diagnoses and medications out of every message.
Does HIPAA apply to patient texts?: It can. HIPAA governs how practices handle protected health information, and even a simple appointment reminder can include it, so it depends on what you send and how. This page doesn't cover HIPAA compliance. Keeping health details out of texts limits what a text reveals; have your compliance officer review the rest.
What should an appointment reminder text say?: The practice name, the day and time, and how to confirm or reschedule. Nothing about the reason for the visit. For sensitive specialties, identify the practice by a neutral registered business name, such as a DBA.
Do healthcare practices need 10DLC registration?: Yes, to text from ordinary local numbers. The practice registers a brand (legal name and EIN) and a campaign describing its messages and how patients opt in. Since February 2025, US carriers block unregistered business traffic from local numbers. Signilio registers your brand and campaign during onboarding.
Can a dental office send recall texts?: Yes, to patients who agreed to texts. A recall that simply says it's time to schedule the next visit is the safest form. If the text promotes a service or offer, it's marketing and needs written consent.
Can patients text the practice back?: Yes. Replies land in the shared inbox for the front desk. If a patient texts a health question, move the conversation to a call or your patient portal rather than answering by text.