A patient calls because they've heard your practice can help them "sleep through" a procedure they've been dreading. They want to know if you offer sedation, whether they'd be a candidate, and what it involves. It's the kind of call that can turn a years-long avoider into a booked patient — or send them right back into avoidance if the conversation goes sideways. Your coordinator can take the booking, but the sedation details are squarely clinical, and there's a fine line between being helpful and saying something a non-clinician shouldn't. These calls deserve a clean handoff, not a fumble or a voicemail.
DentalReception AI answers every one of those calls in under two rings and books the visit live, 24/7 — capturing the patient's interest in sedation and routing every clinical and medical question to your team, while writing the appointment directly into Dentrix, Open Dental, Eaglesoft, Curve Dental, or CareStack.
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, advise on sedation, or quote coverage.
What a D9248 call usually sounds like
D9248 is widely published as the CDT code for non-intravenous conscious sedation. 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, no patient mentions a code. They ask whether you "do sedation," whether they can "be put under" or "relaxed" for treatment, or say they "can't handle it awake." The AI receptionist recognizes interest in a sedation option — captures that interest, books the visit it can, and routes every clinical and medical question to your team.
What the AI can safely capture and schedule
For the routine part of the call, the agent works without a human:
- Captures the patient's interest in sedation so your team knows to assess and discuss before the visit.
- Confirms the patient and pulls the record so the visit lands on the right chart.
- Books a consult or appointment live in the correct column. See appointment scheduling.
- Writes a clear summary so nothing is lost between the call and the chair. See call summaries.
What must be routed to clinical or medical staff
The line is firm: the AI captures interest, it never advises on sedation. These go to your team:
- Whether the patient is a candidate for conscious sedation — a clinical judgment, captured and routed, never answered.
- Medical and health questions — conditions, medications, allergies, or any safety consideration. The agent captures and routes; it never assesses.
- How the sedation works, feels, or what to expect — explanation comes from a clinician, not the AI.
- Coverage and cost specifics — whether sedation is covered or billed. The agent collects details and relays the question.
Context passed into your PMS
Because the booking writes back in real time, your team opens each visit prepared to assess:
| Captured on the call | Written to the PMS |
|---|---|
| Patient identity / record match | Linked to existing chart |
| Interest in conscious sedation | Flagged on the appointment for clinician |
| Medical or clinical question | Logged verbatim, routed to your team |
| Anxiety or avoidance noted | Task created for follow-up |
| Full call summary | Notes attached to the appointment |
Works alongside your sedation workflow — see sedation dentistry calls and the confirmed integrations.
Frequently asked questions
Does the AI decide whether a patient qualifies for sedation?
No. Whether a patient is a candidate for non-IV conscious sedation is a clinical judgment, so the agent never makes it. It captures the patient's interest, books a consult or visit, and flags every clinical and medical question for your team. The reference to D9248 here is informational only — confirm the official CDT definition independently. The AI's role is to convert a high-value sedation-interest call into a booked appointment with the patient's questions and any medical details waiting for a qualified person, never to assess candidacy itself.
How are medical and health questions handled?
They are always captured and routed, never evaluated. Conditions, medications, allergies, or any safety consideration raised on the call is logged in the patient's own words and flagged for your clinical or medical team. The agent does not decide whether something is a concern and never offers reassurance about sedation safety. A qualified person reviews every medical detail before the visit, with the captured context already in front of them.
Can it book a consult while the sedation questions stay open?
Yes. The agent completes the booking it can handle — confirming the patient and writing an open slot live into your schedule — while capturing the sedation interest and any clinical question as a flagged note. The patient leaves with an appointment, and your team sees the sedation discussion waiting before the visit. For Dentrix, Open Dental, Eaglesoft, Curve Dental, and CareStack, the booking writes back in real time with no re-keying.
What if the patient has been avoiding care out of fear?
The agent captures the avoidance and anxiety with full context and routes it; it never tries to talk the patient through their fear clinically. The call can run through your sedation dentistry calls or dental anxiety calls workflow so a person handles the conversation, while the booking and sedation interest are both logged. The patient reaches a path forward instead of voicemail, 24/7.