Thinking About Texting Patients? Here’s What Every Startup Dentist Needs to Know
If you’re preparing to open your own practice, you’ve probably got a hundred things on your mind. Site selection, financing, equipment, hiring… it’s a full plate.
But there’s one small piece of your practice that could have a big impact on both your patient experience and your legal risk:
Text messaging.
Yep. That simple, familiar little tool you use every day is now changing how practices communicate with patients. But like everything in dentistry, it has to be done right.
After helping over 900 dentists open successful startups, I can tell you this: texting can be a powerful tool for growth—but only if you understand the rules. So let’s talk about how to use text messaging in your dental practice without opening yourself up to fines, frustration, or legal trouble.
Here’s a stat that might surprise you: over 90% of text messages are opened within 90 seconds. That’s the kind of engagement email marketers only dream of.
So if you’re trying to confirm appointments, send follow-ups, or stay top-of-mind with your patients, texting feels like a no-brainer.
But here’s where it gets tricky.
HIPAA doesn’t say you can’t text your patients.
But it does say this: if your message contains protected health information (PHI), it must be secure and encrypted.
Here’s the problem: most standard messaging apps (including many office landlines with texting features) aren’t encrypted. Which means that helpful little reminder or post-op message could be a serious HIPAA violation.
And the fines? Up to $50,000 per message.
Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen to you.
If you’re texting to say, “Your appointment is tomorrow at 2 p.m.”—and you’re not including PHI—you’re likely in the clear.
But if you reference anything clinical (diagnoses, procedures, payment issues, etc.), that message must be secured with proper encryption.
Also keep in mind: patients can text you, too. If your landline or virtual phone number allows inbound texting, make sure you have systems in place to handle those messages securely. Even one unprotected reply could expose you to risk.
Learn more in our breakdown on how to improve patient trust through smarter systems.
Here’s the good news: when done right, texting is one of the fastest ways to enhance your patient experience.
We’ve seen practices use texting for:
Appointment confirmations
Post-treatment follow-ups
Birthday messages
Quick check-ins
Patient review requests
When integrated into your systems, these messages don’t just boost efficiency. They build loyalty—and they help reduce no-shows, increase reviews, and keep patients coming back.
Want to go deeper on systems that fuel growth? Explore our article on strategies for growing your dental practice.
This is where most practice owners get stuck.
You want to do the right thing—but you don’t have time to manually encrypt every single message or vet every software tool on the market.
That’s why our consulting program at Ideal Practices includes setting up HIPAA-compliant texting systems that automate the entire process. You get the benefits of fast communication—without the legal risk.
It’s one of the many systems we help dentists implement before they open their doors, so they can launch confidently from Day One.
We recorded a full episode of the Ideal Practices Podcast to break down the biggest texting do’s and don’ts for startup practices. You’ll hear exactly how to avoid HIPAA violations and set your team up with a secure communication system.
If you're still in the early stages of planning, the Startup Practice Blueprint is where we walk you through every major decision—communication systems included. From first phone call to grand opening, it’s the complete roadmap for launching a modern, patient-centered practice.
You can also explore our guide on ethical communication for dentists to see how texting fits into a larger strategy of trust-based patient care.
Text messaging can be one of your most valuable tools—when it’s implemented correctly.
Don’t leave it up to chance.
Build systems that protect your practice, support your patients, and help your team communicate with confidence. And when you’re ready for support that brings it all together, we’ll be here.
Let’s build something that lasts.
— Stephen Trutter
President, Ideal Practices