25 Dental Appointment Reminders Patients Actually Respond To

Looking to improve your dental services performance? Maybe it’s time to take a closer look at your communications – especially dental appointment reminders. Do they work for your patients? Are they clear and precise enough?

In this post, we share a few secrets to writing an effective reminder – and, of course, provide templates you can copy.

Why Send Dental Appointment Reminders?

Dental appointment reminders, whether automated or manual, promise fewer no-shows, better communication with clients, and interaction with your services. So, why care much about sending them?

• Easier to connect medical professionals and patients.
• Reduce noise and phone calls at your clinic.
• Automate reminders with software to even more effectively manage all your services, patients, and bookings from a centralized system.

Top Tips on Writing a Perfect Dental Appointment Reminder

Such a reminder should be short and to the point at the very last. Of course, there are many different goals you can achieve!

Write a smart subject

Nothing works better for reducing no-shows than the appointment date included in the first line or email subject, as well as the doctor’s name or clinic name. There are a few more working tips:

• Stress time-sensitive matter in the headline.
• Be explicit by using clear terms such as appointment reminders, to avoid confusion or being ignored.
• Use personal language like your, we, and waiting to make it feel directed, not generic.

Crucial details in the appointment reminder

• The patient’s name.
• The scheduled appointment date and time.
• The doctor’s name.
• Clinic details, including the address and directions if needed.
• When the patient should arrive.
• What to bring, such as required documents or items.
• Clear options to reschedule or cancel, with links showing how.
• Useful links to the clinic website, Google Maps directions, or patient forms to download.
• Try a few different reminder versions from the doctor to see what works best.

Structure and layout tips

• Must be easy to scan – even if it’s just a few lines.
• Use font and color modification to highlight the most crucial information.
• Make the appointment date and time stand out at a glance.
• No extra info or ads that distract from the message.
• Aim for a tone that’s friendly but still professional.
• Let patients easily add the appointment to their calendar.
• Include any insurance details the patient may need ahead of time.
  

Let’s now jump straight to the dental appointment reminder templates.

Dental Appointment Reminder Templates

Let’s go through a few appointment reminder templates for dental services that cover different scenarios and help you cut no-shows!

1. Appointment Confirmation Reminder

Hi [Client], this message confirms your dental appointment on Tuesday, March 12 at 10:00 AM with Dr. Lee. If anything changes, please contact us ahead of time. We look forward to seeing you.

2. No-Show Prevention Reminder

This is a reminder of your upcoming dental visit tomorrow at 2:30 PM.
Missed appointments limit availability for other patients, so please let us know if you need to reschedule. Thank you for your cooperation.

3. Pre-Appointment Instructions

Before your appointment tomorrow, please do not eat or drink for 6 hours, unless instructed otherwise. Continue taking prescribed medications unless your dentist advises you to pause them. Please arrive 15 minutes early for check-in.

4. Next Appointment Reminder

Your next dental appointment is scheduled for Monday, April 8, at 9:00 AM.
We’ll be continuing your treatment plan at that visit. Contact us if you need to make any changes.

5. “Please arrive 10–15 minutes early” Reminder

Just a quick reminder to arrive 10-15 minutes early for your dental appointment tomorrow. This allows time for check-in and any updates to your paperwork. We appreciate it!

6. Follow-Up Visit Reminder

This is a reminder for your follow-up dental visit scheduled for Friday at 11:00 AM. This appointment helps us ensure everything is healing as expected. Please let us know if you have any concerns beforehand.

7. Medication Reminder (After Treatment)

Following your recent dental procedure, please remember to take your prescribed medication as directed. If you experience unusual pain or side effects, contact our office right away. We’re here to help.

8. Overdue Checkup Reminder

Our records show you’re overdue for a routine dental checkup. Regular visits help prevent issues before they become serious. Call or book online to schedule your next appointment.

9. Missed Recall Reminder

We noticed you missed your recent dental recall appointment. Preventive care is important for maintaining oral health, and we’d be happy to reschedule at your convenience.

10. Long-Term Patient Reactivation Reminder

It’s been a while since your last visit, and we hope you’ve been doing well. If you’re ready to get back on track with your dental care, our team would love to see you again.

11. Promotional Style Reminder

Don’t forget – you’re scheduled for your dental visit this week! As a thank-you for keeping your appointment, ask us about our complimentary whitening consultation available this month.

12. Last-Minute Reminder

This is a last-minute reminder of your dental appointment today at 3:00 PM. Please call us if you’re running late or need directions. We’ll see you soon!

13. Calendar Add Reminder

You’re booked for your dental appointment on May 6 at 1:00 PM. Add this appointment to your calendar so it’s easy to remember. Let us know if you need help rescheduling.

14. Confirmation Request Message

You have a dental appointment scheduled for Thursday at 10:30 AM. Please reply YES to confirm or call us if you need to reschedule. We look forward to your reply.

15. “Tomorrow” Reminder

Just a reminder that your dental appointment is tomorrow at 9:00 AM. Please arrive a few minutes early and bring your insurance card if needed.

16. “We’re Ready for You” Message

We’re ready for you and looking forward to your visit today. If you’re on your way or running a few minutes late, feel free to call us.

17. WhatsApp Reminder

Hello! This is a reminder of your dental appointment on Monday at 4:00 PM. If you have any questions or need to reschedule, just reply to this message. See you soon!

18. Voice Call Reminder (Script-Style)

Hello, this is a courtesy call from [Dental Company Name]. We’re reminding you of your appointment tomorrow at 11:00 AM. Please call us back if you need to reschedule.

19. 24-Hour Prior Reminder

This is your 24-hour reminder for your dental appointment scheduled for tomorrow at 2:00 PM. Please confirm your availability and let us know if anything has changed.

20. Dental Appointment Feedback Request

Thank you for visiting our dental office today. We’d love to hear about your experience. Your feedback helps us improve our care. Please take a moment to leave us a review.

21. Detailed / Extended Appointment Reminder

This is a reminder of your upcoming dental appointment on Thursday, March 14 at 10:00 AM with Dr. Shan at [Dental Clinic Name]. Please arrive 15 minutes early and bring your insurance card and photo ID. If you need to reschedule or have questions before your visit, contact our office or use the link below.

22. Waitlist / Slot-Holding Reminder

You’re currently holding a reserved appointment slot for Friday at 3:30 PM. If you can’t make it, please let us know so we can offer the time to another patient. We appreciate your consideration.

23. Anxiety-Reducing Reminder

We know dental visits can feel stressful, and we want you to feel comfortable. Our team will walk you through each step of your appointment tomorrow at 1:00 PM. If you have any concerns or questions, please let us know – we’re here for you.

24. Treatment Plan Continuation Reminder

This reminder is for the next step in your dental treatment plan scheduled for Monday at 11:00 AM.  Completing each visit on time helps ensure the best results. Please contact us if you need to adjust your appointment.

25. Detailed Email-Like Reminder

Hi [Patient Name],

This is a reminder of your upcoming dental appointment:

• Date & Time: Tuesday, March 19 at 10:00 AM
• Doctor: Doctor’s name
• Clinic: Dental Clinic Name, Address (Directions on Google Maps)
• Arrival: Please arrive 10–15 minutes early for check-in
• What to Bring: Photo ID, insurance card, and any completed patient forms (Download Forms Here)
• Appointment Purpose: Routine cleaning and checkup

If you need to reschedule or cancel, click here to manage your appointment. 

Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

How to Automate Dental Appointment Reminders?

BookingPress allows you to easily automate dental appointment reminders, meaning you can create them just once and then they’ll be sent automatically, unique for each appointment and patient.

To make appointments even smoother, the plugin lets you automate self-booked services, billing management, staff members, calendars, invoices, and more.

There are also 20+ payment gateways to simplify online bookings, flexible appointment duration, and automated appointment reminders via email and modern messengers.

Your staff and clients can add events or appointments directly to their Google Calendar and monitor them on the go. BookingPress lets you send automated appointment reminders using Custom Notifications.

So, here is how sending dental reminders works:

1. Go to Notifications
   Go to Settings > Notifications > Add New under Custom Notifications.

2. Name the Notification
   Give your reminder a clear name (for example, Appointment Reminder).

3. Choose Notification Type
   Select Scheduled Notification to send the reminder before or after an appointment.

4. Set the Schedule
   Choose when the reminder should be sent (for example, 6 hours before the appointment). You can schedule notifications in hours, days, weeks, or months.

5. Select Services
   Choose whether the reminder applies to all dental services or only specific ones.

6. Customize the Message
   Write and edit the reminder email using the built-in text editor.

Once saved, BookingPress will automatically send the reminder based on the appointment date and time! In addition to emails, you can also send reminders via Telegram, WhatsApp, or SMS.

We recommend trying different versions of reminders – some patients respond best to SMS, some to email, and some prefer a friendly voice call.

Final Word

Appointment reminders are one of the most effective ways to support communication with your clients and ensure they actually show up. Think of reminders as more than just a prompt – you can use them to share extra instructions, promotions, or bonuses.

And when you automate them with software like BookingPress, your staff doesn’t have to spend valuable time on tasks that can be fully automated!

Related articles:

• Best Scheduling Software Features for Dental Practice
• Why Do Millennials Prefer Online Appointment Booking for Medical Services?
• How To Write a Doctor Appointment Reminder