Answering service for dental and small offices
In a small office, the person who answers the phone usually has three other jobs. At a dental practice the front desk is also checking patients in, verifying insurance and collecting payments. At a small law, accounting or insurance office, it might be the owner. Calls ring out during lunch, during a busy check-in rush, and every evening. An AI receptionist covers those gaps so callers get an answer instead of voicemail.
Where small offices lose calls
- Lunch hour when the front desk steps away
- Overflow when two lines ring at once or someone is with a patient or client
- Before opening and after closing, when people call on their own time
- Vacation and sick days when you're short-staffed
What the receptionist does
- Answers with your office name and says it's a virtual assistant and the call may be recorded
- Takes the caller's name, number and reason for calling
- Tells callers your hours, address, parking notes and other information you approve
- Flags calls you mark urgent (for a dental office, for example, severe pain, swelling or a knocked-out tooth) and alerts you
- Emails your team a written summary of every call
- On Pro and Premium, books appointments into your calendar
What it shouldn't do
It doesn't give medical, dental, legal or financial advice. It doesn't look up patient or client records. For anything clinical or case-specific, it takes a message for your team. If someone describes an emergency, it tells them to call 911 when that's appropriate, using wording you approve.
If your office has specific privacy or compliance requirements (for example HIPAA for healthcare providers), review our privacy policy and terms and configure the receptionist to collect only the minimum information you need, such as name, number and a short reason for the call.
Choosing a plan
| Starter | Pro | Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $59.99/mo | $119.99/mo | $149.99/mo |
| Hours | Mon–Fri 8am–6pm | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| Calendar booking | No (takes details) | Yes | Yes |
| Spanish-speaking receptionist | No | Yes | Yes |
| Weekly results email | No | Yes | Yes |
Starter is a good fit for an office that only wants lunch and overflow coverage during the workday. Pro adds nights, weekends and booking. Premium adds more minutes and your choice of receptionist name and voice. See the pricing page for included minutes.
Setup
Most offices use conditional forwarding: your desk phone rings first, and the AI answers if nobody picks up or the line is busy. After hours you can forward everything. See how to forward business calls.
Try it
Open the dental demo on the demos page or press Talk to Riley and call as a new patient who wants a cleaning. Also see the dental industry page and virtual receptionist vs AI receptionist.
Frequently asked questions
Can it cover just our lunch hour?
Yes. Use conditional forwarding or turn forwarding on and off around lunch. Starter covers Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
Can it book patient appointments?
On Pro and Premium it can book into your calendar. Starter takes details for a callback.
Does it give medical or legal advice?
No. It takes messages and shares only information you approve.
Will patients know it's an AI?
Yes. It says it's a virtual assistant at the start of the call.
Can it answer in Spanish?
On Pro and Premium it answers in Spanish when the caller speaks Spanish.