How Does Your Office Text Patients About Office Closures?

Part 2 of 3: Bulk Texting through the Advanced Patient List

In many dental practices, a same-day closure means someone pulls up the afternoon schedule and starts calling patients one by one, or sends texts from the office cell phone between check-ins. It gets the job done, but there’s a simpler way. For Open Dental practices, the Advanced Patient List (APL) in Flex sends one short text to everyone on today’s schedule in just a few clicks. Winter storm moving in? Power outage at noon? Provider out sick? Patients hear the news before they head your way, and your team skips the scramble.

Does Your Open Dental Practice Have a Plan for Same-Day Closures?

Part 1 of this series covered planned closures, when you have a day or more of notice. Same-day changes are different. The decision happens mid-afternoon, patients may already be on the way, and an email can sit unopened until tonight.

When the day itself is anything but calm, a simple same-day plan brings:

• Peace for your team:
• Timely notice for patients:
• Stability for your schedule:

Getting there takes two things: a saved APL search for today’s appointments, and a closure text ready to send.

What Does an Unplanned Same-Day Closure Look Like?

Without a plan, here is how a same-day closure often unfolds without a plan:

The Hallway Huddle: the team debates whether to close between patients while the forecast keeps changing.

The Scramble: someone pulls up the afternoon schedule and starts dialing, one patient at a time.

The Voicemail Pile-Up: half the calls go unanswered, and no one is sure who received the message.

The Parking Lot: a patient pulls in at 2 p.m. just as the team is locking the door.

The Catch-Up: the next morning starts with callbacks, apologies, and a stack of appointments to rebook.

A plan made on a calm day keeps a stormy afternoon calm.

What Happens When a Same-Day Closure Catches You Off Guard?

Here is how a fast-moving afternoon often unfolds without a plan:

The Forecast: freezing rain moves in faster than expected, and the owner decides at 11 a.m. to close at 1 p.m.

The Front Office Team: has six to twelve afternoon patients to reach and one phone line.

The Patient: is already on the road for a 2 p.m. crown seat when the call finally comes.

Your team is doing everything right. Phone calls just can’t keep pace with an afternoon that changes by the hour.

When plans change fast, patients deserve to hear from you just as quickly.

Why Does One Text Beat Calling Down the Schedule?

Calling works for a couple of appointments. An afternoon that changes by the hour is a different story.

How Flex Helps

The Advanced Patient List gives your team a filtered view of your Open Dental patients. Filter by appointment date, provider, treatment type, production amount, and more. Select the patients you need, and send one text. Each patient receives their own message, rather than a group text, Flex tracks the 160-character limit for you as you type, and automatically notes communication to the patient’s record in Open Dental.

You can also save a search, so the next time plans change, the right list is ready in seconds instead of rebuilt from scratch.

What Should a Same-Day Closure Text Say?

Every word counts. Keep it to three key points:

• The news: the closure and the time it starts.

• A way to rebook: when you’ll be back in the office or a FlexSchedule link, so patients can pick a new time online.

• A warm close: a quick “stay safe” keeps the tone friendly.

Here is an example that fits well under the limit:

“Hi , is closing at 1 p.m. today due to weather. Pick a new time here: [your FlexSchedule link]. Stay safe!”

The patient’s name, your practice name, and the link all count toward the 160 characters, so keep the rest short.

Is Your Practice Ready for a Same-Day Closure?

Here is the same afternoon for a practice that’s prepared with Flex:

The Quick Decision: the owner confirms the closure, and everyone already knows what happens next.

The One Text: a single message reaches every afternoon patient, with a link to pick a new time.

The Empty Parking Lot: patients stay home, safe and informed.

The Calm Morning: the team comes back to a schedule that’s already filling back in.

For the mornings when the news arrives before anyone is at the office, Part 3 of this series covers Flex Mobile.

When plans change at noon, how fast will your patients hear about it? Find out. Book a Demo

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I text all my patients at once in Open Dental?

With Flex, use the Advanced Patient List to filter and select patients, then send one text. You can send to up to 100 patients at a time, and each patient receives an individual message.

What if more than 100 patients are affected?

Send in groups of up to 100 in the Advanced Patient List until everyone on the day’s schedule is covered.

Is there another way to text everyone scheduled today?

With Text a Group in Flex, your team can pull up everyone scheduled today, tomorrow, or a few days out and send one text to the whole list in just a few clicks. There are no filters to set, and some find it to be the quickest way to share the same news with an entire day’s schedule at once.

How long should an office closure text be? 140 - 160 characters. The CDC’s Guide to Writing for Social Media recommends keeping text messages under 160 characters so they arrive as one clear message. Communications expert Jim VandeHei makes the same case in his TED talk, How to Write Less but Say More: people skim, so lead with what matters most. Flex tracks the count for you as you type.

Should I text or email patients about a closure?

A group text works well for same-day changes. Email, like Flex Blast, works best when you have a day or more of notice. For more on staying reachable when the office is closed, see The After-Hours Patient Experience.