The message panel allows your team to communicate with patients, collaborate internally, and take action directly from conversations. These tools are designed to improve response speed, maintain consistency, and streamline daily workflows.
Why This Matters
Effective communication directly impacts patient experience, case acceptance, appointment scheduling, and revenue collection. Using the tools in the Communications Center helps ensure communication is timely, consistent, and organized across your team.
Starting a New Conversation
Click New Message at the top of the Communications Center
Search for and select the patient
Enter your message
Click Send
Use this when reaching out to a patient proactively, following up on treatment or appointments, or sending reminders.
Sending a Message in an Existing Conversation
Select the conversation from the left panel
Type your message in the message field
Click Send
Keep responses clear, timely, and action-oriented — include next steps for the patient when relevant.
SMS vs Notes (When to Use Each)
SMS (Patient-Facing)
Use SMS to respond to patient inquiries, confirm appointments, or provide next steps. The patient receives this message.
Notes (Internal Only)
Notes are for internal team communication within a conversation. They are:
Not visible to patients
Not synced to the PMS
Not shown in the Patient Overview
Use notes to leave updates for teammates, document communication context, or track follow-up steps.
Example: A team member reads a message but needs approval before responding. They leave a note for another team member, who reviews it and follows up directly with the patient.
Using Templates
Templates let your team send consistent, professional responses quickly.
Click Use a template in the message field
Select the appropriate template
The message populates — review and send
Templates save time on repetitive responses, ensure consistent messaging, and reduce errors.
Working with Patients in Conversations
You can open a patient's overview directly from the conversation for quick access to their record. If a conversation is not linked to a patient, click Attach Patient, search, and select the correct record.
Message Timestamps
Each message displays when it was sent and when responses were made. This helps track response times, provides context for conversations, and supports team accountability.
Quick Actions
Quick Actions give you access to key tools without leaving the conversation. Available actions:
Send Treatment Plan
Send Form
Request Payment
Send Review Request
Use Quick Actions immediately after a patient inquiry, during scheduling or treatment discussions, or when following up on outstanding balances.
Additional Messaging Tools
From the message field, you can also:
Add emojis for tone and personalization
Attach files such as documents or forms
Recommended Workflow for Messaging
Open the conversation
Confirm the correct patient is linked
Review the message history for context
Respond using a manual message or template
Use Quick Actions if a form, payment request, or treatment plan is needed
Leave an internal note if a follow-up is required or context needs to be passed to a teammate