Appointment Automation in Dental4Web

Appointment Automation in Dental4Web

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If using the Automation feature in Dental4Web, Appointment Notifications & Reminders can be sent out automatically when triggered by an action and/or on a set schedule using various different communication methods such as SMS and/E-mail.
Below are a few example instructions for Setup & Send Automated Appointment related messages & how to manage automation runs

Where to Find the Appointment Automation Page

Info
Available once Automation Feature is turned on in the General Settings
Click the navigation menu >  Management > Automation page > Appointments Tab
Notes
All instruction below are completed in the Automation page > Appointments tab

Setup Automated SMS Templates

New Patient Registration / Welcome SMS

The following feature will send an automated SMS to New Patients added via the Appointment Book once the feature is activated.
Info
  1. Activate the Send SMS on Appointment Registration General Setting.
  2. Ensure the New Patient Status is used in Appointment Book
Create SMS Template
  1. If the New Patients set does not exist, (If the New Patients set already exists, highlight the set name and go to Step 3)
  2. Click Add SET
    1. Enter the set name e.g. New Patients
    2. Click OK
  3. Next, Click Add TYPE 
    1. Enter the Type name e.g. New Patient Registration
    2. Click OK

  4. Setup the automated action of this Type via the Set/Type sub-tab
    1. Set Name: Taken from the Set Name you just created
    2. Location: Current location
    3. Highlight Providers to include or click SELECT ALL
    4. Include when: Select the Status to use (eg. N) and when to Include Appointments in automated SMS batch
    5. Exclude when: Select the Status to use (eg. S) and when to exclude Appointments in automated SMS batch
    6. Update Appointment with Status: Once message sent, update the Status so user is aware that a message was sent
    7. Overwriting status: Overwrite a current status with a new one once message is sent

  5. Setup the automated action of this Type via the Reminders sub-tab
    1. Order the reminder communication type, so if mobile number is missing then next option is email and so on..
    2. Select the blank option (--) if the communication option is not used

  6. Setup the automated action of this Type via the Schedule sub-tab
    1. Set the frequency: Select the frequency required by clicking radio button 
    2. Set the timing: Enter Start Date, Next run date/time 
    3. Include Patients who have appointments:  in this example click the Simple radio button and leave the rest empty
    4. Notifications: Tick box if you wish to exclude sending notifications (automation batch still is processed but notifications are not sent out) 
    5. Control the schedule: Tick Enable box when ready for the schedule to start
    6. Click APPLY CHANGES to activate/save the changes made to the schedule or RESET CHANCES
       

Preset (Pre-Booked) Recall Reminders SMS

Commonly, the next recall appointment is scheduled at the end of the current recall appointment, this is referred to as pre-booked recalls. 
To remind patients of a pre-booked recall, a reminder message is recommended between two to four weeks ahead of time to reduce the impact of cancellations when sending a confirmation one to two days prior. 
Info
Prerequisites 
  1. Pre-booked appointments have an Appointment Status setup to identify they are pre-booked.
  2. Automation is activated in General Settings
Setup Automated Reminder
  1. If a Pre-booked Appt Recall Reminder set does not exist, (If the set already exists, highlight the set name and go to Step 3)
  2. Click Add SET
    1. Enter the set name e.g. Pre-booked Appointments
    2. Click OK
  3. Next, Click Add TYPE 
    1. Enter the Type name e.g. Prebooked  Appts - Recalls
    2. Click OK
  4. Setup/Type sub-tab
    1. Location: Select the location or Any Location from the drop list if applicable
    2. Appointment Books: Select the books to apply this automation action to
    3. Include when: All selected Status are present (others can be present): Click on drop list and select the Pre-Booked Recall Appointment Status
    4. Exclude when: Click on drop list and select the Appointment Status 
    5. Update the Appointment with Tick to add the selected status (choose from drop list) to the appointment after reminder is sent
    6. Overwriting Status Tick to overwrite the Pre-Booked Recall Appointment Status with selected status (choose from list)

  5. Reminders sub-tab                                                                              
    1. Order the communication methods. Automation will attempt communication 1 first. If it fails or the patient does not have that communication method set on their file, it will try communication 2, and so on.
    2. Number the reminders applicable to this message. Pre-Booked reminders are generally sent via SMS. Leave others blank if not wanting to send via those methods. 
    3. Click the Edit icon against the message types to setup the template

    4. Within the template, use the Add Field menu to add input fields
    5. To save, go to File menu > Save and Exit
  6. Schedule sub-tab
    1. In this example, the reminder will be sent every week for appointments two weeks ahead of time. 
    2. Set the Frequency: Weekly, tick each day the practice is open
    3. Set the Timing: Select the Start Date and the Run Time this will occur on each selected day
    4. Include Patients who have Appointments: Select Simple, The Day that is 2 Weeks in the Future
    5. Check Upcoming Run Date: Click to check the appointment and send dates are correct
    6. Notifications: Tick box if you wish to exclude sending notifications (automation batch still is processed but notifications are not sent out) 
    7. Control the Schedule: Tick Enable when all settings are correct
    8. Click APPLY CHANGES to activate/save the changes made to the schedule or RESET CHANCES

Send Automated After Treatment Care Instructions

A post care instruction reminder can be sent to patients with a particular appointment status from the previous day.
The example used in these instructions is for a practice that is open Monday – Saturday.
  1. Automation page > Appointments tab
  2. Select the type Post Care Reminder
  3. Set / Type sub-tab
    1. Location: Select the location / all locations this reminder is for
    2. Books: Select the books this reminder should send for, recommend all Providers
    3. Include when: Select the appointment status(es) you want to send the reminder to
    4. Exclude when: Recommend selecting FTA so those patients aren’t included
    5. Update the Appointment with: Tick the checkbox then select the appointment status that represents a post care reminder has been sent – this is optional

  4. Reminders sub-tab
    1. Order the communication methods
      These reminders are commonly sent via SMS due to their importance; e-mail is easily overlooked by patients.
      The image below shows an example of sending via SMS, e-mail and producing a phone list.
      If the patient has their appointment reminder preference set as both SMS and e-mail, whichever is numbered 1 in the Reminders will be sent to the patient. The phone call option will generate a list of patients to be contacted
    2. Setup the template using the edit icon

  5. Schedule sub-tab
    1. The following instructions are based on sending the reminder the day after attending the practice
    2. Set the frequency of the reminder: 
      1. Weekly - Place a tick in Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
        (Note: In this example, we have not included Monday here as the surgery is not open on Sunday)
    3. Set the timing: start date and Next run Date and Run time
    4. Include patients who have appointments Simple: Yesterday
    5. To check settings, click CHECK UPCOMING RUN DATES
    6. Notifications: To stop the notification, tick box: Exclude sending notifications for this batch
    7. Control the Schedule:  Tick box to Enable the schedule
    8. Click APPLY CHANGES

Managing Appointment Automation

Temporarily Stop an Automation Appointment Reminder

To stop Automation Appointment Reminders from sending SMS and E-mail messages, the batch would need to be disabled. This will prevent batches from running and sending any SMS or E-mails. The batches can be enabled again at a later date.
  1. Automation page > Appointments tab
  2. Select the required Appointment Reminder
  3. Go to Schedule sub-tab
    1. Remove the tick in the Enable checkbox
    2. Click APPLY CHANGES
  4. Repeat the process for each Appointment Reminder types where required
  5. When the SMS and E-mail messages are ready to be sent again, the batches can be enabled again

Resume Sending Automation Appointment Reminders

To resume sending Automation Appointment Reminders by SMS and E-mail after a stoppage, the batch would need to be enabled. This will allow batches to run and send any SMS or E-mails.
  1. Go to Schedule sub-tab
    1. Tick in the Enable checkbox
    2. Click APPLY CHANGES

Input Fields Guide for Automated Appointment Reminders

In Automation Appointment reminders, SMS template input fields inserts data depending on whether the SMS reminder is sent for one/multiple appointments on the same day with the same provider.
Setup Appointment Reminder Recipient
The input fields rely on the recipient of the patient’s appointment reminder.
  1. Click the navigation menu >  Patients > Patient page > Address tab
  2. Send Appt. Reminders > Select the recipient of the patient’s appointment reminder

By default, this is set to the head of the family, who is usually responsible for patient communication.
Change the recipient of the appointment reminder if the patient’s reminder should not be sent to the head of the family.
Single Appointment Reminders
  1. Patient is the recipient of their own appointment reminder
    1. Firstname: Recipient name
    2. Appointment Name(s): you
    3. Next Appointment(s): on Tue 16/09/25 at 09:00am
      Example: Hi James, this is a dental appointment reminder for you on Thurs 16/09/2025 at 09:00am.
  2. Patient is a family member of the recipient
    1. Firstname: Recipient name
    2. Appointment Name(s): Patient name
    3. Next Appointment(s): on Tue 16/09/25 at 09:00am
      Example: Hi James, this is a dental appointment reminder for Noah on Thurs 16/09/2025 at 09:00am
Multiple Appointment Reminders
When a family have appointments on the same day with the same provider, one SMS will be sent out if the family members have the same recipient for their appointment reminders. For example, Mum is the head of the family and receives appointment reminders for herself and her children.
  1. If the family’s appointments are scheduled at various times on the same day, the below data will be inserted into input fields. 
    1. Firstname: Recipient name
    2. Appointment Name(s): you, Joel and Keegan
    3. Next Appointment(s): on Tue 16/09/25 at 09:00am, 12:00pm, 3:00pm
  2. If the family has consecutive appointments, the below data will be inserted into input fields
    1. Firstname: Recipient name
    2. Appointment Name(s): you, Joel and Keegan
    3. Next Appointment(s): on Tue 16/04/25 starting at 10:00am

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