Sending and Replying to Text Messages

Text messaging is one of the fastest ways to connect with patients, and Dental Marketing Tool keeps every exchange organized in one place. This article walks you through starting a new text conversation, replying to a patient, and attaching photos or links when you need to share more.

Finding Your Conversations Inbox

All text messages live inside the Conversations tab in the main left-hand menu. When you open it, you will see a list of all patient threads sorted by most recent activity. Each thread shows the patient's name, a preview of the last message, and a timestamp. Unread messages appear in bold.

If you are looking for a specific patient before starting a new conversation, use the search bar at the top of the inbox to find them by name or phone number. For more ways to organize what you see, take a look at filters, tabs, and managing unread messages.

Starting a New Text Message

To send a text to a patient who has not messaged you recently, follow these steps:

1. Open the Conversations tab from the main menu.
2. Click the New Conversation (or compose) button near the top of the inbox panel. It typically appears as a pencil icon or a plus sign.
3. In the search field that appears, type the patient's name or phone number and select them from the results.
4. Make sure the message channel is set to SMS. You will see a channel selector above the message box that lets you switch between text and email.
5. Type your message in the text field at the bottom and click Send.

Replying to an Existing Thread

When a patient has already texted in, their message shows up in your inbox automatically. To reply:

1. Click the patient's thread in the Conversations list to open it.
2. The full message history appears on the right side of the screen.
3. Click inside the reply box at the bottom of the thread.
4. Type your response and press Send or hit Enter.

Your reply goes out immediately as a text message to the patient's phone. The thread updates in real time so you always have a running record of what was said.

Attaching a Photo or Image

You can send images through a text thread, which is useful for sharing referral forms, before-and-after photos (with patient consent), or a map image of your office location.

1. Open the patient's conversation thread.
2. Look for the attachment icon (a paperclip) next to the message input box and click it.
3. Select the image file from your computer. Common formats like JPG and PNG are supported.
4. A preview of the image appears in the compose area. Add any accompanying text if needed, then click Send.

Adding a Link to a Message

To share a booking link, a patient form, or any web page, simply paste the URL directly into the message text field. The link is sent as plain text and patients can tap it on their phone to open it.

If you want to share your online booking page, you can copy your booking link from Calendars and paste it here. Patients can then tap the link and pick a time without calling the office.

Keeping the Conversation Organized

After a thread is handled, you can mark it read, star it for follow-up, or archive it to keep the inbox tidy. If you have multiple team members covering the phones, you can also assign an open thread to a specific staff member so nothing falls through the cracks. See assigning conversations to your team for how that works.

If you want to leave an internal note on a thread that only your team sees (not the patient), use the internal notes feature instead of the regular reply box. That distinction is covered in internal notes vs. patient messages.

Next Steps

Now that you can send and reply to texts, a natural next step is setting up the missed call text-back so patients who call after hours get an automatic reply right away. You may also want to explore your unified inbox to see how texts, emails, and other messages all come together in one view.