If you've set up a dedicated practice phone number through Formisoft, you may have seen a note about "10DLC registration." It sounds technical, but it's simple, and it protects your patients.
What is 10DLC?
10DLC stands for 10-Digit Long Code. US carriers (T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon) require businesses that text from a standard 10-digit number to register.
Without it, carriers can't tell your appointment reminder from a spam text. Registration tells them:
- Who you are: a real healthcare practice
- What you send: appointment reminders, intake forms, follow-ups
- That patients opted in to receive messages
Why it matters for your practice
1. Your messages get delivered
Carriers filter unregistered business numbers aggressively, and T-Mobile blocks most of them outright. Registered numbers reach patients reliably.
2. Higher sending limits
Registered numbers can send more messages per minute, which matters when 50 patients need tomorrow's reminders.
3. Fewer texts flagged as spam
Patients are less likely to miss an intake link or a reminder buried as spam. Those texts are a big part of patient readiness: every form on the visit done before the patient walks in.
4. It's required
Since February 2025, major US carriers block unregistered 10DLC traffic entirely.
What Formisoft handles for you
When we set up your practice number, we handle registration:
- Brand registration: your practice is registered as a verified business
- Campaign registration: the message types you send (reminders, intake forms, patient notifications)
- Number assignment: your number is linked to the approved registration
Carrier approval usually takes 1 to 5 business days. Until then, some messages may not reach every carrier.
What you need to do
Nothing. If messages don't deliver in the first few days with a new number, approval is still in progress.
FAQ
Q: Do I register for each message? No. It's once per phone number, and it stays active as long as you keep the number.
Q: Does this apply to email? No. 10DLC only covers text messages.
Q: What if messages still aren't delivering after 5 days? Contact us. Occasionally carriers take longer or ask for more verification, and we'll sort it out.
Q: Can patients still reply? Yes. Replies show up in your Formisoft inbox as usual.
Questions about your number or messaging? Reach out anytime.
Maya Torres, Customer Success
Get every patient ready before they walk in.
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