SMS Consent & Message Flow
This page documents how DentalRecovery collects, records, and verifies patient consent before sending any SMS messages. All opt-in methods, required disclosures, and opt-out handling are described below.
1. Service Overview
DentalRecovery is a B2B SaaS platform used by dental practices to follow up with their own patients about previously presented treatment plans. When a patient visits a dental office, receives a treatment plan, but does not schedule the procedure, DentalRecovery helps the practice send appointment reminder and treatment follow-up SMS messages to bring the patient back to schedule.
Message types: Appointment reminders, treatment plan follow-ups, and scheduling confirmations. DentalRecovery does not send marketing, promotional, or advertising messages.
2. How Patients Opt In (All Methods)
DentalRecovery uses two opt-in methods. Both are described below. A patient must have documented consent through at least one method before any SMS is sent.
Method A: In-Office Patient Intake Form (Primary)
When a patient becomes a new patient at the dental practice, they complete a patient intake form (paper or digital) during their first visit. The form collects the patient’s name, mobile phone number, and includes an explicit SMS consent checkbox with the following disclosure language:
Patient Intake Form — SMS Consent Section
By providing your mobile number and checking this box, you agree to receive appointment reminders, treatment follow-ups, and other healthcare-related text messages from [Practice Name]. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to unsubscribe at any time, or HELP for assistance. Consent is not a condition of treatment. See our Privacy Policy at getdentalrecovery.com/privacy.
How consent is recorded: The dental practice records the patient’s SMS consent in their practice management software (Open Dental) by setting the TxtMsgOk field to “Yes.” DentalRecovery reads this field via API before any message is sent. If the field is not “Yes,” the patient is excluded from all SMS sequences at the database level.
Method B: Double Opt-In SMS (For Existing Patients)
For patients who were already in the practice’s system before the intake form was updated with SMS disclosure language, the dental practice sends a one-time opt-in confirmation SMS before the patient is enrolled in any automated sequence:
Double Opt-In SMS
How consent is recorded: Only patients who reply “YES” are enrolled. The YES reply is logged with a timestamp as the consent record. The TxtMsgOk field in Open Dental is updated to “Yes.” Patients who do not reply or reply “STOP” are never contacted again.
3. Required Disclosures (Present at Opt-In)
The following disclosures are included in both opt-in methods at the point of consent:
| Disclosure | Language Used |
|---|---|
| Sender identification | “from [Practice Name]” |
| Message types | “appointment reminders, treatment follow-ups, and other healthcare-related text messages” |
| Message frequency | “Message frequency varies” |
| Rates disclosure | “Message and data rates may apply” |
| Opt-out instructions | “Reply STOP to unsubscribe at any time” |
| Help instructions | “Reply HELP for assistance” |
| Consent not required for service | “Consent is not a condition of treatment” |
| Privacy policy | Link to getdentalrecovery.com/privacy |
4. Sample Messages
The following are representative examples of the SMS messages sent through DentalRecovery. Messages are sent on behalf of the dental practice and personalized with the patient’s name, treatment type, and practice details.
Sample 1 — Initial Treatment Follow-Up (Day 1)
Hi Jane, this is Bright Smiles Dental. Dr. Patel wanted to check in about the crown we discussed at your visit on March 15. We’d love to help you get that taken care of — do you have any questions, or would you like to find a time? Reply here or call us at (201) 555-0123. Reply STOP to opt out.
Sample 2 — Benefits Reminder (Day 10)
Hi Jane, quick note from Bright Smiles Dental — your dental benefits reset on December 31, and the crown we discussed would be covered now. We don’t want you to miss that window! Want to grab a time this week? Reply here or call (201) 555-0123. Reply STOP to opt out.
Sample 3 — Gentle Check-In (Day 28)
Hi Jane, this is Bright Smiles Dental — just checking in about the crown Dr. Patel recommended. We’re here whenever you’re ready. Want us to hold a time for you? Reply here or call (201) 555-0123. Reply STOP to opt out.
5. Keyword Handling (STOP, HELP, YES)
| Keyword(s) | System Response |
|---|---|
| STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, QUIT | “You have been unsubscribed from Bright Smiles Dental appointment reminders. You will not receive any more messages. Reply HELP for assistance or contact us at (201) 555-0123.” Patient is immediately removed from all sequences. The opt-out is recorded in the database and in Open Dental. The patient is never contacted again via SMS. |
| HELP, INFO | “DentalRecovery sends appointment reminders on behalf of Bright Smiles Dental. Msg frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to unsubscribe. For assistance, contact Bright Smiles Dental at (201) 555-0123 or email support@getdentalrecovery.com.” |
| YES | “Thank you! You’re now opted in to appointment reminders from Bright Smiles Dental. Reply STOP at any time to unsubscribe, or HELP for assistance.” Used only during double opt-in flow (Method B). Consent is logged with timestamp. |
6. Technical Consent Controls
DentalRecovery enforces consent at every layer of the system. A patient cannot receive an SMS unless all of the following conditions are true:
- PMS consent flag: The patient’s
TxtMsgOkfield in Open Dental is set to “Yes.” - Practice approval gate: The dental practice must review and approve the patient for outreach through the DentalRecovery dashboard before the first message is sent.
- No active opt-out: The patient has not previously replied STOP or otherwise opted out of SMS.
- Valid mobile number: The patient has a mobile phone number on file (landlines and VoIP numbers are excluded).
If any condition fails, the patient is excluded from the SMS sequence. There is no manual override for the opt-out check — once a patient opts out, they cannot be re-enrolled without providing new consent.
7. Data Handling & Privacy
- Mobile phone numbers and SMS opt-in records are never sold, rented, or shared with third parties for marketing or promotional purposes.
- Patient data is shared only with the dental practice that owns the data and with subprocessors strictly necessary to deliver the SMS (Twilio).
- All data is encrypted in transit (TLS) and sensitive credentials are encrypted at rest (AES-256).
- For full details, see our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
8. Contact
For questions about our SMS practices or consent process, contact:
AI Automation LLC
Email: support@getdentalrecovery.com