The foundation of everything is consent. Before you text someone, they must have agreed to receive texts from you, and you must be able to show how and when they agreed.

  • Use a checkbox or clear opt-in language on your forms, not a pre-checked box
  • Keep a record of when and where consent was given
  • Make the purpose clear: appointment reminders, practice updates, and so on
Warning
Warning: An existing patient relationship is not the same as consent to text. You still need their explicit agreement to message them.

Always honor STOP

Every recipient must be able to opt out instantly, and "STOP" must work without fail. When someone replies STOP, messaging to them has to end immediately and automatically.

Note
Note: Most messaging platforms handle STOP, HELP, and unsubscribe keywords for you. Confirm yours does before you send a single campaign.

Identify yourself and respect the hours

Each message should make clear who it's from, and texts should go out during reasonable local hours. A reminder at 2 p.m. is care. The same text at 11 p.m. is a complaint waiting to happen.

Register for A2P 10DLC

Business texting in the US runs through a registration system called A2P 10DLC. Registering your brand and campaigns is what keeps carriers from filtering or blocking your messages.

Navigate to:
SettingsPhone NumbersTrust Center
Tip
Tip: Register before you plan any campaign. Approval can take time, and unregistered traffic is increasingly throttled.

The short version

  • Get and store explicit consent
  • Honor STOP every time, instantly
  • Identify your practice in messages
  • Send during reasonable hours
  • Complete A2P 10DLC registration

Next step

Audit your intake forms for clear opt-in language first, then confirm your A2P registration is complete. If you'd like us to review your consent flow and registration, request a guided trial. This guide is practical guidance, not legal advice — check your local regulations as well.