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Patient Appointment Reminder & Recall System

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) • Last updated: January 2025
Department
Front Office / Call Center
Applies To
All Casper Dental Corp Offices
System Used
Open Dental + Text Reminder System

Purpose

The purpose of this SOP is to establish a standardized appointment reminder and confirmation process across all Casper Dental Corp offices.

A consistent reminder system helps:

  • Reduce patient no-shows
  • Increase appointment confirmations
  • Improve schedule efficiency
  • Maintain a full schedule for providers
  • Provide excellent customer service by keeping patients informed

All offices must follow this process exactly to ensure consistency and reliability across the company.

Overview of the Reminder Timeline

Every scheduled appointment will follow the reminder sequence below:

Timing Method Purpose
1 Month Before Text Reminder Courtesy reminder
1 Week Before Text Reminder + Online Paperwork Prepare patient
1 Day Before (Morning) Confirmation Text + Paperwork Link Request confirmation
1 Day Before (Afternoon) Staff Phone Call Call unconfirmed patients
Day of Appointment 2-Hour Text Reminder Final confirmation
Missed Appointment 15-Minute Late Call Attempt recovery

Step 1: 1 Month Courtesy Reminder

1 One Month Before

Timing: 1 month before the appointment at 12:00 PM

Method: Automated Text Message

Purpose: This message serves as a courtesy reminder only. The patient is not asked to confirm.

Key Guidelines:

  • This reminder simply reminds the patient of the upcoming visit
  • It allows patients to plan ahead if they need to reschedule
  • No confirmation is required at this stage
Example Message:
"Hello! This is a friendly reminder that you have an upcoming appointment scheduled with [Office Name] on [Date] at [Time]. We look forward to seeing you."

Step 2: 1 Week Reminder + Paperwork

2 One Week Before

Timing: 1 week before the appointment at 12:00 PM

Method: Automated Text Message

Purpose: Remind the patient again and encourage them to complete their paperwork in advance.

Key Guidelines:

  • This message does not ask the patient to confirm
  • The message must include a link to the online patient paperwork
  • Completing paperwork early improves patient flow and reduces wait times
Example Message:
"Hello! This is a reminder that you have an appointment at [Office Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please complete your paperwork before your visit using the link below: [Paperwork Link]"

Step 3: 1 Day Before Confirmation Text

3 Day Before (Morning)

Timing: 1 day before the appointment at 9:00 AM

Method: Automated Text Message

Purpose: Request confirmation from the patient.

Key Guidelines:

  • This is the first official confirmation request
  • Patients should confirm their appointment by replying to the message
  • The paperwork link should still be included in case they have not completed it
Example Message:
"Reminder from [Office Name]: You have an appointment tomorrow at [Time]. Please reply YES to confirm. You may also complete your paperwork here: [Paperwork Link]"

Step 4: Staff Confirmation Calls

4 Day Before (Afternoon)

Timing: 1 day before the appointment starting at 3:00 PM

Who Performs This: Front Desk or Call Center Staff

Who Gets Called: Only patients who have NOT confirmed their appointment.

Purpose: Ensure the patient intends to attend the appointment and reduce last-minute no-shows.

Procedure:

  1. Generate a list of all unconfirmed appointments
  2. Call each patient individually
  3. Ask them to confirm their appointment
  4. If patient cannot attend, reschedule immediately
  5. If patient confirms, update the appointment status in the system
Call Script Example:
"Hello, this is [Name] calling from [Office Name]. I'm calling to confirm your appointment scheduled for tomorrow at [Time]. Will you still be able to make it?"

Step 5: Day-of Appointment Reminder

5 Day of Appointment

Timing: 2 hours before the scheduled appointment

Method: Automated Text Message

Who Receives This: Only patients who have NOT confirmed their appointment yet.

Purpose: Final reminder to prevent last-minute no-shows.

Example Message:
"Hello! This is a reminder that you have an appointment today at [Time] with [Office Name]. Please reply YES to confirm."

Step 6: Missed Appointment Recovery

6 15 Minute Late Call

If the patient does not arrive for their appointment, the following procedure must be followed.

Timing: 15 minutes after the scheduled appointment time.

Procedure:

  1. Call the patient
  2. Ask if they are on their way
  3. Attempt to save the appointment if possible
Call Script Example:
"Hello, this is [Name] from [Office Name]. We noticed you had an appointment scheduled at [Time]. Are you still on your way?"

Step 7: Breaking the Appointment

If the patient does not answer or confirms they will not be coming:

  1. Mark the appointment as Missed / No Show
  2. Break the appointment in the schedule
  3. Add the patient to the Unscheduled Treatment List

Step 8: Unscheduled List Follow-Up

Patients who miss their appointment must be placed on the Unscheduled List.

This allows the Call Center or Front Desk team to follow up and reschedule the patient.

Goal

Recover the appointment and bring the patient back into the schedule as soon as possible.

Key Rules for All Offices

Non-Negotiable Standards

All Casper Dental Corp locations must follow these standards:

  • Reminder schedule must never be skipped
  • Unconfirmed patients must always receive confirmation calls
  • Missed patients must always be placed on the Unscheduled List
  • Staff must attempt to recover missed appointments whenever possible

Remember

Consistency across all offices ensures better scheduling, fewer no-shows, and improved patient care.