A patient who's been told they need an implant calls back to "schedule the surgery — the one where they build up the bone." This is a complex, high-value surgical case, and the patient is anxious about cost, timing, and what the visit involves. They have questions, and they want a person. But it's the lunch hour, your surgical coordinator is at the cafe, and the call drops to voicemail. The patient, already nervous, takes the silence as a reason to "think about it." A case worth thousands stalls because no one picked up.
DentalReception AI answers every one of those calls in under two rings and captures the case live, 24/7 — booking what it can directly in your schedule in Dentrix, Open Dental, Eaglesoft, Curve Dental, or CareStack and routing the rest to your team with full context, while the patient is still on the line.
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 D6104 call usually sounds like
D6104 is widely published as the CDT code for a bone graft at the time of implant placement. We state it only at that conservative level; confirm the official CDT definition and any payer rules with your clinical and billing teams.
On the phone, patients never use a code. They say they "need bone added before the implant," they "want to book the implant surgery," or "the doctor said I need a graft first." The AI receptionist recognizes that as an implant-surgery scheduling request and captures it — booking where appropriate and routing the surgical and clinical pieces to your team, not interpreting the procedure.
What the AI can safely capture and schedule
For a known surgical case being moved forward, the agent does the front-desk work without a human:
- Confirms the patient's record and pulls the chart so the case lands on the right surgical provider's column.
- Books or holds an appropriate slot per your rules, live during the call. See appointment scheduling.
- Captures or refreshes insurance details so intake is clean before the visit — see insurance verification.
- Writes a clear summary to the record so the surgical team sees exactly what the patient is asking for. See call summaries.
For new surgical inquiries and implant leads, the agent qualifies and routes — see dental implant calls.
What must be routed to clinical staff
Surgical cases especially demand a human. The AI captures and schedules; it never advises. These go to your team, not the agent:
- Clinical questions — candidacy, what the surgery involves, recovery, sedation, pain, or risks. The agent never assesses or explains a surgical procedure.
- Coverage and cost specifics — whether a graft and implant are covered, estimates, or financing. The agent collects details and relays the question rather than quoting an answer.
- Code or billing requests — patients asking what will be billed are routed to staff.
Anything beyond capturing the request and a clean booking becomes a task or transfer for your surgical coordinator.
Context passed into your PMS
Because details write back in real time, your team opens each surgical case ready to go:
| Captured on the call | Written to the PMS |
|---|---|
| Patient identity / record match | Linked to existing chart |
| Implant-surgery scheduling intent | Appointment or hold in correct column |
| Insurance details (if new or changed) | Attached to record for verification |
| Clinical, surgical, or cost questions | Task flagged for your coordinator |
| Full call summary | Notes on the appointment |
Works alongside your surgical-scheduling and treatment-coordination workflows — see the confirmed integrations.
Frequently asked questions
Does the AI assign the D6104 code to the appointment?
No. The agent captures the patient's request to schedule implant surgery and books or holds the visit per your rules; it does not assign, confirm, or bill any CDT code. Code selection stays with your clinical and billing staff at the point of care. The reference to D6104 here is informational only — confirm the official CDT definition independently. The AI recognizes implant-surgery scheduling intent, places it in the right surgical column or routes it, and writes a clear summary so your team knows exactly what the case involves.
Can it answer questions about the surgery or bone graft?
No — clinical and surgical questions always go to a person. The agent does not explain what a bone graft involves, assess whether a patient is a candidate, or discuss recovery, sedation, or risk. It captures whatever the patient asks and routes the call to your surgical coordinator or clinical team with full context, so a qualified person responds. This is the right boundary for a complex surgical case, and the AI is configured to hold it strictly.
Can it tell a patient what the surgery will cost or whether it's covered?
It collects and relays, it does not quote. The agent captures the patient's carrier and member details and can answer the general questions you configure, but specifics — whether a graft and implant are covered, an estimate, or financing — are routed to your team rather than guessed. Surgical cases are exactly where an inaccurate cost over the phone causes problems, so those statements stay with the people authorized to make them.
Does the booking actually land in our schedule?
Yes. For Dentrix, Open Dental, Eaglesoft, Curve Dental, and CareStack, what the agent books writes back into your live schedule in real time while the patient is on the call — no re-keying. For other systems, DentalReception AI connects via API or works alongside your existing tools. Because surgical cases often need a person, the agent will frequently capture the request and route a detailed task instead, and every call still produces a summary so nothing is lost.