How do I automate recall for periodic check-ups?

Automatic recall sends the patient a reminder on its own when a periodic check-up is due, with no manual tracking by the front desk. Below you'll see how to set up automatic recall for periodic check-ups, step by step.

Short answer

Set a recall rule per treatment type — for example, a general check-up every 6 months, scaling every 12 months.
The system automatically calculates the next check-up date from the patient's last visit date.
The reminder goes out automatically by SMS and email, 1–2 weeks before the calculated date.
The patient confirms or reschedules with one click, and the front desk sees it all in a recall report.
The practice tracks monthly how many patients haven't come back for a check-up and sends them a second recall.

Setup steps

Define recall rules per treatment type: general check-up, scaling, orthodontic follow-up.
Choose the interval for each rule (e.g. 6 or 12 months) and the sending channel (SMS, email or both).
Enable recall for existing patients, starting from the last-visit date in their file.
Check the recall report monthly and send a second message to those who haven't confirmed.

Practical example

Example: a dental practice sets a 6-month recall for general check-ups. A patient's last visit was on February 1 — the system automatically calculates August 1 as the check-up date and sends an SMS on July 20. The patient confirms from the SMS, and the appointment appears directly on the dentist's calendar, with no phone call to the front desk.

Common mistakes

Setting a single recall rule for all treatments, even though general check-ups and orthodontic follow-up need different intervals.
Sending recall only by email, when many messages go unread — add SMS too.
Not checking the monthly report, so you don't know how many patients ignored the first reminder.

How 4dental helps

Configurable recall rules per treatment type, with its own interval for each.
Automatic SMS and email reminders, with one-click confirmation and rescheduling.
A monthly report of patients who haven't returned for a check-up, for a targeted second recall.