New SMS Sender ID Rules: What Dental Practices Need to Do

New Australian rules for branded text messages came into effect on 1 July 2026.

Dental practices that send appointment reminders, confirmations, recalls, payment notices or marketing messages using the practice name as the sender must ensure their SMS sender ID is registered.

An SMS sender ID is the name displayed at the top of a text message instead of a mobile number—for example, “ABC Dental” or “DentalAppt.”

What Has Changed?

Under the new SMS Sender ID Register, businesses and organisations must register the branded names they use to send SMS and MMS messages.

Registered sender IDs will continue to display the approved business or organisation name.

Messages sent using an unregistered sender ID will have the practice name replaced with “Unverified.” These messages may also be grouped into the same message thread as texts from other unregistered senders, including suspected scam messages.

The register has been introduced to make it harder for scammers to impersonate legitimate businesses and to help consumers recognise trusted messages.

Why This Matters for Dental Practices

Dental practices rely heavily on text messaging for:

• appointment reminders and confirmations;

• cancellation and rescheduling notices;

• recall and preventive care reminders;

• outstanding account notifications;

• post-operative instructions;

• treatment follow-ups; and

• patient promotions and practice updates.

When a message appears as “Unverified,” patients may assume it is fraudulent and ignore or delete it.

This could contribute to:

• missed appointment confirmations;

• increased cancellations and failures to attend;

• reduced response to recalls;

• confused or concerned patients;

• damage to patient confidence; and

• increased telephone follow-up for the front desk team.

Registration does not mean every message will automatically be read, but it gives patients greater confidence that a branded text genuinely came from the named organisation.

Does Every Practice Need to Register?

Registration is required where the practice sends messages using a branded sender ID.

A practice may use a sender ID without realising it because the name may have been set up through:

• practice management software;

• an online booking system;

• a recall platform;

• a marketing provider;

• an SMS gateway;

• a telecommunications provider; or

• a third-party patient communication service.

Practices sending messages from an ordinary phone number, rather than a business name, do not need to register a sender ID for those messages.

How Does Registration Work?

Dental practices do not generally register directly with ACMA.

The practice must contact the telecommunications company, SMS provider, practice software provider or messaging service that sends its texts. That provider submits or manages the registration through the SMS Sender ID Register.

The provider will usually need to confirm that the practice has a legitimate reason to use the requested sender ID, such as the name matching its registered business name, trading name or trademark.

Practices using several sender names may need to register each one.

For example, a practice might send messages under:

• its full practice name;

• an abbreviated practice name;

• the name of a particular location;

• a booking or recall name; or

• a separate brand used for marketing.

Do not assume that registering one version automatically covers every variation.

What Dental Practices Should Do Now

1. Send a Test Message

Send an appointment reminder or test SMS to several team members using different mobile networks.

Check exactly what appears at the top of the message.

Look for:

• the correct practice name;

• “Unverified”;

• a shortened or unfamiliar name;

• a mobile number; or

• a different sender name used by your software provider.

This is the quickest way to identify what patients are currently seeing.

2. Contact Your Software or SMS Provider

Ask your provider:

• Is our sender ID registered?

• What exact sender ID is currently being used?

• Is the registration active and approved?

• Do we use more than one sender ID?

• Does registration cover reminders, recalls and marketing messages?

• Are messages being sent through another third-party provider?

• What happens if we change the practice name or software platform?

Do not assume the software company has automatically registered the practice.

3. Review Every Messaging System

Dental practices often use more than one system to send texts.

Check:

• appointment reminder software;

• practice management software;

• online booking platforms;

• recall systems;

• marketing services;

• payment or finance platforms;

• review-request systems; and

• specialist campaign providers.

One platform may be registered while another is still sending messages as “Unverified.”

4. Check the Sender Name

Make sure the registered sender ID is clear and recognisable to patients.

A shortened name may meet technical character limits but still confuse patients. The name should closely reflect the practice’s established business or trading name.

Some existing sender IDs may not qualify for registration if they do not meet the required legitimate-use criteria. Your provider can advise whether the current name is acceptable.

5. Update Patient Communication

Tell patients what sender name your practice uses, particularly if it has recently changed.

A simple notice could say:

“Our appointment reminders will appear under the registered sender name ‘ABC Dental’. Please contact us if you receive a suspicious message claiming to be from our practice.”

Remind patients that the practice will not request passwords, banking login details or unusual payments through an unexpected text message.

6. Review Links and Reply Functions

After confirming the sender ID, test whether patients can still:

• reply to the message;

• click confirmation links;

• cancel or reschedule appropriately;

• access online forms; and

• call the practice from the message.

Some branded sender IDs do not support direct replies. The message should clearly explain how the patient can respond.

7. Document the Registration

Keep a record of:

• the approved sender ID;

• the provider responsible for registration;

• the registration confirmation;

• any additional sender IDs used;

• the date the practice checked the system; and

• who should be contacted if messaging is disrupted.

Add sender ID checks to the practice’s annual systems and compliance review.

Important Distinction: Registration Does Not Replace SMS Consent Rules

Registering a sender ID does not give a dental practice automatic permission to send marketing messages.

Practices must still comply with the Spam Act 2003, including requirements relating to consent, sender identification and unsubscribe facilities for commercial messages.

Clinical and appointment-related messages may be treated differently from promotional advertising, but practices should clearly separate essential patient communication from marketing campaigns and seek advice where necessary.

Key Message

Since 1 July 2026, an unregistered dental practice sender ID may be replaced with “Unverified.”

Dental practices should immediately test their messages, contact every relevant software or SMS provider and confirm that all branded sender IDs are correctly registered.

This is not simply an IT task. It directly affects appointment confirmations, recall responses, patient confidence and the smooth running of the front desk.

Official References

• Australian Communications and Media Authority — SMS Sender ID Register.

• ACMA — Sending text messages with your business or organisation name.

• ACMA — SMS Sender ID Register goes live to help protect Australians from scams.

• ACMA — Small businesses and community groups urged to act on SMS changes.

Disclaimer: This article provides general educational information only and does not constitute legal, telecommunications, privacy or compliance advice. Requirements may vary according to the practice’s software, messaging provider and use of SMS. Practices should confirm their registration directly with their telecommunications or messaging provider, review current ACMA guidance and obtain professional advice where necessary.