A first-time caller is the most valuable phone call your practice gets and the easiest one to lose. They found you online, they're ready to book, and they have questions — does the dentist take their insurance, how long is the first visit, what does it cost. Your front desk is mid-checkout with another patient, so the new patient gets voicemail and dials the next office. An industry average says practices miss roughly a quarter to a third of inbound calls, and the new-patient call is the one you can least afford to drop.
DentalReception AI answers in under two rings and books the new-patient visit live, 24/7 — taking intake and writing the appointment straight into your schedule in Dentrix, Open Dental, Eaglesoft, Curve Dental, or CareStack while the patient is on the phone.
Informational only — not clinical, coding, or billing advice; confirm CDT definitions and coverage independently. This page describes call handling only. The AI captures and routes; it does not diagnose, assign codes, or quote coverage.
What a D0150 call usually sounds like
D0150 is widely published as the CDT code for a comprehensive oral evaluation, the thorough first-visit exam typically used for new or returning patients. We state it at that conservative level only; confirm the official CDT definition and payer rules with your clinical and billing teams.
Callers never ask for "a D0150." They say they're "a new patient," they "need to find a dentist," or they "haven't been in for years." The AI receptionist recognizes new-patient intent and runs the intake a first visit needs — capturing the booking, not interpreting the procedure.
What the AI can safely capture and schedule
For a new-patient call, the agent does the intake your front desk normally does at the counter:
- Takes full new-patient intake — name, contact details, reason for visit — and creates or links the record. See new patient calls.
- Books the comprehensive-visit appointment in the right provider's column at the right length, live during the call. See appointment scheduling.
- Captures insurance details so verification can start before the patient arrives — see insurance verification.
- Writes a complete summary so the front desk inherits clean intake, not a callback. See call summaries.
What must be routed to clinical staff
The agent captures and schedules; it never advises. These go to a person:
- Clinical questions — symptoms, pain, "do I need a crown," or anything about treatment the patient might need.
- Coverage and cost specifics — whether a plan covers a comprehensive exam, what the visit will cost, or what will be billed. The agent collects the question and relays it.
- Code and billing requests — routed to staff, never answered by the agent.
When a new-patient call includes something clinical, the AI books the visit if appropriate and flags the item for your team rather than addressing it.
Context passed into your PMS
Write-back means a first visit arrives with intake already done:
| Captured on the call | Written to the PMS |
|---|---|
| New-patient identity and contact info | New or linked chart created |
| New-patient / comprehensive-visit intent | Appointment booked, correct length and column |
| Insurance carrier and member details | Attached for pre-visit verification |
| Clinical or cost questions | Task flagged for front desk |
| Full call summary | Notes on the appointment |
Connects in real time to the five confirmed PMS, and via API for others — see integrations.
Frequently asked questions
Does the AI decide the visit is a D0150?
No. The agent recognizes new-patient intent and books an appropriately scheduled first visit; it does not assign, confirm, or bill any CDT code. Whether a visit is coded as a comprehensive evaluation is a clinical and billing decision made at the point of care. The reference to D0150 here is informational only — confirm the official CDT definition independently. The AI captures clean intake, books the right slot, and hands your staff a clear summary.
Can it tell a new patient what the first visit will cost?
No. The agent does not quote prices or coverage. It captures the patient's insurance details and answers the general questions you configure, but anything about cost, benefits, or what a specific plan covers is routed to your team rather than estimated. This keeps cost and coverage statements with the people authorized to make them.
How does it handle a new patient who mentions pain?
It captures the detail and routes it. If a caller describes pain, swelling, or a specific problem, the agent does not interpret it or advise on treatment. It can still book the visit and will flag the clinical concern for your front desk or triage workflow with full context, so a person decides how soon the patient should be seen. The AI never diagnoses.
Does the new patient actually get booked, or just put on a list?
Booked, live, during the call. For Dentrix, Open Dental, Eaglesoft, Curve Dental, and CareStack, the appointment and intake write back into your schedule in real time — no re-keying. For other systems, DentalReception AI connects via API or works alongside your tools. Every call also produces a summary and any needed task.