How AI Helped a Dental Group Generate £3 Million in Additional Revenue

The Challenge

A growing dental group operating three busy surgeries faced a common problem: the telephone was constantly ringing, but staff were often unable to answer.

Reception teams were balancing patient check-ins, managing appointments, supporting clinicians, handling payments, and assisting patients within the practice. As a result, many inbound calls went unanswered, particularly during busy periods and outside normal opening hours.

This led to regular complaints from patients who struggled to:

• Book appointments
• Rearrange existing appointments
• Ask questions about treatments
• Obtain practice information
• Contact the surgery out of hours

For the practice, every missed call represented a potential loss of revenue. New patient enquiries, emergency appointments, cosmetic treatment enquiries, and hygiene bookings can each be worth hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of pounds over the lifetime of a patient relationship.

The management team recognised that missed calls were directly impacting patient satisfaction and limiting growth.

The Solution

The dental group deployed an AI-powered voice agent integrated directly with its telephone system.

The AI agent was configured to answer:

• Overflow calls when reception staff were unavailable
• Missed calls
• Out-of-hours enquiries
• Weekend and holiday calls

Unlike a traditional answering service, the AI agent was connected directly to the practice management system, Dentally, allowing it to access real-time patient and practice information.

How It Works

Intelligent Patient Recognition

When patients call, the AI can identify them using available information and access relevant records within Dentally.

This allows the AI to provide a personalised experience without long wait times or unnecessary transfers.

Appointment Booking

Patients can simply tell the AI:

"I'd like to book a check-up next week."

The AI checks availability within Dentally and books the appointment directly into the practice diary.

Appointment Changes

The AI can also:

• Move appointments
• Cancel appointments
• Confirm appointment times
• Provide appointment information

All without requiring intervention from reception staff.

Practice Information

Patients no longer need to wait on hold to ask routine questions.

The AI can provide information such as:

• Opening hours
• Practice location
• Parking information
• Treatment details
• Emergency procedures
• Payment options

Out-of-Hours Support

Calls received when the surgeries are closed are answered immediately by the AI agent, ensuring no patient enquiry goes unanswered.

Patients receive the same high level of service whether they call during the day, in the evening, or at weekends.

The Results

The impact was significant from the moment the system went live.

100% Call Answer Rate

During the first three months following deployment:

Every inbound call was answered, either by reception staff or by the AI agent.

This eliminated the previous issue of missed opportunities and frustrated patients.

Improved Patient Experience

Patients were able to:

• Speak to someone immediately
• Book appointments without waiting
• Access information around the clock
• Receive support outside normal business hours

Patient satisfaction improved as a direct result of the faster and more accessible service.

Higher Productivity

Reception teams were able to focus on patients visiting the practice rather than constantly managing ringing phones.

This reduced pressure on staff and improved operational efficiency across all three surgeries.

Significant Revenue Growth

By ensuring every enquiry was captured and every patient had a route to book an appointment, the dental group unlocked substantial additional revenue.

Within the first year of using the AI solution, the group achieved £3 million in additional revenue across its three surgeries.

The increase was driven by:

• More new patient appointments
• Improved conversion of treatment enquiries
• Increased booking availability
• Better handling of emergency appointments
• Zero missed opportunities from unanswered calls

Conclusion

For this dental group, the challenge was never a lack of demand. The problem was ensuring that every patient enquiry was captured.

By deploying an AI-powered voice agent integrated with Dentally, the practice transformed its patient experience, eliminated missed calls, and created a scalable way to handle enquiries 24 hours a day.

Key Results

✅ 100% of calls answered during the first three months

✅ AI integrated directly with Dentally

✅ Automated appointment booking and management

✅ 24/7 patient support

✅ Reduced pressure on reception teams

✅ £3 million additional revenue generated in the first year

What was once a missed call has become a booked appointment, a satisfied patient, and a valuable source of revenue.

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