The SMS tab allows your practice to send and receive one-to-one text messages with patients. From this single view, you can search for conversations, filter messages, assign threads to team members or inboxes, and respond quickly.

Accessing SMS

The SMS tab is available from the bottom navigation bar on every page.

A number badge on the SMS icon shows how many unread incoming messages you have.
Clicking SMS opens the messaging panel where all text conversations are managed.

SMS Layout Overview

The SMS panel is divided into three main areas:

Message list (left) – displays all conversations
Message thread (right) – shows the conversation history
Message composer (bottom) – where you type and send messages

Finding Messages Quickly

Searching for a Patient or Conversation

Use the Search bar at the top of the message list to find conversations by:

Patient name
Phone number

This is the fastest way to locate an existing message thread.

Using Filters to Organize Messages

The filter bar at the top of the SMS panel helps you quickly narrow down conversations based on status, contact type, assignment, and inbox.

Filters can be combined to focus on the messages that require action.

Open Status Filter

Use this filter to control which conversations appear:

All Open – Shows active conversations
Open & Unread – Shows only unread messages
All Messages – Shows both open and closed conversations
All Closed – Shows only closed conversations

Contact Type Filter

Choose which type of contacts to view:

All – Shows both patients and leads
Patients – Shows patient conversations only
Leads – Shows lead conversations only (usually not patients yet)

Assignment Filter

Use this filter to manage team workflows:

All Messages – Shows all conversations
Assigned to me – Shows conversations assigned to the logged-in user
Unassigned – Shows conversations that are not assigned

Inbox Filter

If your practice uses inboxes, this filter allows you to:

View messages from all inboxes
View messages from a specific inbox
Create or manage inboxes

Sending & Replying to Messages

You can reply to existing conversations or start a new message at any time from the SMS panel.

Replying to an Existing Conversation

To reply to a message:

Select a conversation from the message list
Type your message in the message field at the bottom of the screen
Click Send

Your message will appear in the conversation thread once it is sent.

Starting a New Message

To start a new text message:

Click the pencil icon in the upper-right corner of the SMS panel
Search for the patient by name or phone number
Select the recipient
Type your message and click Send

You can send messages to any phone number, even if it is not linked to a patient record. Refer to How to Send a Text Message for more information.

Message Composer Tools

The message composer includes tools that allow you to send more than just a standard text message. Depending on your permissions and enabled features, you can:

Send Treatment Plans
Send Forms
Send a Payment Request
Send a Review Request
Use Templates for faster responses
Add Emojis to personalize messages
Include Attachments, such as documents or links

These tools help streamline common patient workflows directly from the SMS conversation.

Understanding Open Threads

An open thread is an active text conversation between your practice and a patient.

Open conversations appear under All Open
Closed conversations are hidden but not deleted
You can reopen or start a new conversation at any time

Managing Individual Messages (Message List Actions)

Each message in the message list includes a three-dot menu to the right. This menu allows you to manage conversations directly from the list view.

From this menu, you can:

Mark as Unread – Keeps the message marked as unread so it can be revisited later
Close Conversation – Removes the conversation from your open messages view without deleting it

Assigning Messages to Team Members & Inboxes

Each conversation includes a three-dot menu next to the patient's name in the message thread.

From this menu, you can:

Assign the conversation to a team member
Unassign the conversation
Move the conversation to a different inbox
Block contact

Assigning conversations helps prevent duplicate replies and ensures accountability.
Inbox assignment helps organize messages by team, department, or workflow.

Patient Opt-Outs & Blocked Contacts

Patients can opt out of SMS messaging at any time
Messages cannot be sent to opted-out or blocked numbers
Blocked or opted-out contacts must be unblocked before messaging can resume
You can view a list of opted-out Patients by going to New Settings > Communication Settings > Opted Out Patients

Message Delivery & Limitations

Message delivery depends on the recipient’s carrier and device
Messages may be delayed or fail due to carrier restrictions
Invalid or landline phone numbers cannot receive SMS

Identifying Office Messages vs. Campaign Messages

Not all text messages in the SMS panel are sent manually by your team. Some messages are sent automatically through campaigns, such as appointment reminders or form invites.

You can tell the difference by looking at the label above each message in the conversation thread:

Office-sent messages
- Display the team member’s name above the message
- These messages are sent manually from the SMS panel
Campaign messages
- Display the campaign name (for example, Appointment Reminders Campaign) above the message
- These messages are sent automatically based on campaign rules