A patient who's been hesitant about treatment calls back wanting to talk it through — they're on the fence, they have concerns, and the doctor wants time to walk them toward a decision. That conversation needs a person, but the call that sets it up shouldn't tie up your front desk for ten minutes or, worse, vanish into voicemail while everyone's busy. Patients on the edge of committing are the easiest to lose; if their call doesn't get answered, they take the hesitation as a reason to wait. The conversation belongs to your team — the scheduling of it shouldn't depend on someone being free.
DentalReception AI answers every one of those calls in under two rings and books the session live, 24/7 — writing the appointment directly into your schedule in Dentrix, Open Dental, Eaglesoft, Curve Dental, or CareStack while the patient is still on the line.
Informational only — not clinical, coding, behavioral, or counseling advice; confirm CDT definitions and coverage independently. This page describes call handling only. The AI captures and routes; it does not counsel patients, give behavioral or clinical advice, assign codes, or quote coverage. The interviewing conversation belongs to your clinical team.
What a D9993 call usually sounds like
D9993 is widely published as the CDT code for motivational interviewing. 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 the code. They say they're "still not sure about the treatment," they "want to talk through their options with someone," or they "have some hesitations they'd like to discuss." The AI recognizes this as a request for a conversation with your team — it books the session and notes the patient's concerns, but never attempts the counseling itself.
What the AI can safely capture and schedule
For the administrative side, the agent works without a human:
- Confirms the patient's record and pulls it so the session lands on the right chart.
- Books a session with the right provider or coordinator, live during the call. See appointment scheduling and treatment-plan calls.
- Captures the patient's stated concerns at a surface level so your team knows what to address — without probing or advising.
- Sends a text confirmation with the time and any details — see two-way SMS.
What must be routed to your team
The line is firm: the AI books and notes, it never counsels. These go to a person, not the agent:
- The interviewing conversation itself — any attempt to address ambivalence, motivation, or behavior is for your clinical team, never the AI.
- Clinical questions — about the treatment, risks, or alternatives.
- Coverage and cost specifics — the agent collects details and relays rather than quoting.
Anything beyond booking the session and noting the topic becomes a task or routed call.
Context passed into your PMS
Because the booking writes back in real time, your team opens each session prepared:
| Captured on the call | Written to the PMS |
|---|---|
| Patient identity / record match | Linked to existing chart |
| Request for a conversation | Session booked with right provider |
| Patient's stated concerns (surface) | Notes attached for the team |
| Clinical or coverage questions | Task flagged and routed |
| Full call summary | Notes on the appointment |
Works alongside your recall and follow-up workflows — see unscheduled treatment recall and the confirmed integrations.
Frequently asked questions
Does the AI try to convince the patient to accept treatment?
No. The agent does not counsel, persuade, or address a patient's hesitation in any way. Motivational interviewing is a skilled clinical conversation that belongs entirely to your team. The AI's role is strictly administrative: it recognizes that the patient wants to talk things through, books the session with the right provider, notes the topic at a surface level, and confirms by text. It never attempts the conversation itself. The reference to D9993 here is informational only; confirm the official CDT definition independently.
What does the AI note about the patient's concerns?
Only what the patient volunteers, at a surface level — for example, that they "have questions about the cost" or "aren't sure about a procedure." The AI does not probe, interpret, or explore the patient's reasoning; that's the work of the scheduled session. The note simply gives your team a heads-up on the topic so they walk in prepared, rather than starting the conversation cold.
Can it book the session after hours?
Yes. A patient who's wavering on treatment often reaches out in the evening when they've had time to think — and that's exactly the call most likely to be lost to voicemail. The AI answers 24/7, books the session live, sends a text confirmation, and leaves your team a clean summary so the momentum carries into the conversation instead of evaporating overnight.
Does the booking actually land in our schedule?
Yes. For Dentrix, Open Dental, Eaglesoft, Curve Dental, and CareStack, the appointment 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.