Automate Patient Scheduling and Follow-Ups with Custom AI
Custom AI automation confirms appointments via SMS and automatically fills cancellations from a waitlist. It also triages inbound patient requests and schedules follow-ups based on treatment plans.
The complexity depends on your practice management software (PMS) and its API access. A practice using a modern PMS like Dentrix Ascend with a documented API is a direct integration. An older, on-premise system without an API requires a different approach, often using email parsing or a monitored database.
We built a scheduling agent for a 3-chair dental practice with 2 office staff. They were losing 8 hours per week to phone tag. The system went live in 2 weeks, reduced no-shows by 18%, and automatically filled 90% of last-minute cancellations.
What Problem Does This Solve?
Most dental practices use tools like Weave or Lighthouse 360 for reminders. These services send templated messages but cannot handle conversational replies. If a patient responds, “I need to move to next week,” or “Is my appointment with Dr. Evans or Dr. Smith?,” the office staff must manually intervene. The automation is a dead end, creating a hidden workload of constant monitoring and manual responses.
A busy 4-person front office team sends 40 reminders a day. About 15% of patients reply with a question or reschedule request. This means 6 conversations per day that pull staff away from in-person patients to log into the PMS, find an open slot, and engage in a slow SMS back-and-forth. Each reschedule consumes 5-10 minutes of focused time.
Furthermore, the recall systems built into a PMS like Eaglesoft are too rigid. They send reminders based on a fixed 6-month schedule but cannot manage custom follow-up timelines for crowns or implants. Staff resort to spreadsheets and manual calendar entries, which inevitably leads to patients falling through the cracks and lost revenue.
How Does It Work?
We start by connecting to your Practice Management System. For modern cloud platforms like Open Dental or Dentrix Ascend, we use their official API. For older on-premise systems, we install a secure data connector that monitors the database for changes. We pull the next 14 days of scheduled appointments and your current patient waitlist into a Supabase database for real-time access.
We then build a conversational AI agent using the Claude API, trained on your specific office policies: cancellation rules, new patient protocols, and provider-specific procedures. When a patient texts to reschedule, the agent checks the PMS for open slots that match the original appointment's duration and provider, then offers three valid options. The entire automated rescheduling exchange takes under 60 seconds.
The system is built as a set of Python functions deployed on AWS Lambda. A scheduled event triggers confirmation texts 48 hours before appointments. Inbound SMS from a patient’s reply on Twilio triggers the AI agent. A cancellation event in your PMS immediately triggers another function that texts the top 3 patients on your waitlist. The first to confirm claims the slot, and the system writes the change back to your PMS in under 5 minutes.
For intelligent follow-ups, the system scans completed appointments for specific procedure codes. A root canal (CDT code D3310) automatically schedules a 2-week check-in text. All system actions and conversations are logged with structlog for auditing. Your office manager receives a daily summary via email showing appointments confirmed, rescheduled, and waitlist-filled, with an error rate under 1%.
What Are the Key Benefits?
Fill Cancellations in Minutes, Not Hours
The system instantly texts waitlisted patients when a slot opens. 90% of our clients' cancellations are filled automatically within 10 minutes.
Fixed Build Cost, Not Per-Patient Fees
A single, fixed-price project covers the build. Your monthly hosting cost on AWS Lambda is typically under $25, regardless of patient volume.
You Own The AI and The Code
We deliver the complete Python source code to your private GitHub repository. You are never locked into our service and have a permanent business asset.
Alerts For Any Unhandled Reply
If the AI cannot understand a patient's request after two attempts, it automatically flags the conversation and alerts your front desk via email for manual review.
Works With Your Existing PMS
Direct API integration with modern systems like Dentrix Ascend or secure connectors for on-premise software like Eaglesoft. No need to change your core software.
What Does the Process Look Like?
System Audit (Week 1)
You provide read-only access to your PMS and document your scheduling rules. We deliver a technical plan mapping out the integration points and conversation flows.
Core Agent Build (Week 2)
We build and test the AI agent and PMS integration. You receive a link to a test environment where you can interact with the agent via SMS.
Deployment and Testing (Week 3)
We deploy the system on AWS and connect it to your live phone number. The system runs in a monitoring-only mode for 3 days to verify its logic before going live.
Live Operation and Handoff (Week 4+)
The system is live. We monitor performance for 30 days, making adjustments as needed. You receive full source code, documentation, and a runbook for maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much does a custom dental scheduling system cost?
- The cost depends on your Practice Management Software. A system with a modern API like Dentrix Ascend is a faster build than an older on-premise system needing custom connectors. A typical project takes 2-4 weeks. After a discovery call where we review your current setup, we provide a fixed-price quote.
- What if the AI books an appointment incorrectly?
- The system has safeguards. It only books into slots your staff mark as available in the PMS, and it confirms the appointment type, duration, and provider before committing. If an error occurs, transaction logs let us trace it in minutes. The optional flat-rate maintenance plan covers all bug fixes.
- How is this different from a service like Weave or Lighthouse 360?
- Weave sends one-way reminders and alerts you to replies. Our system manages a two-way conversation. It understands rescheduling requests, checks the live calendar for openings, offers valid times, and confirms the new slot without human help. It is an active scheduling assistant, not just a notification tool.
- How do you handle sensitive patient data and HIPAA?
- We do not store Protected Health Information (PHI) long-term. Patient data is processed in-memory on AWS Lambda and then discarded. Conversation logs have patient identifiers removed. We sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA), and all cloud infrastructure is configured to meet HIPAA security standards.
- Can the AI handle our practice's specific scheduling rules?
- Yes, that is the primary benefit. We configure its logic based on your rules: which providers perform which procedures, specific room requirements, or rules about new patient appointment lengths. This is impossible with off-the-shelf reminder software. The AI learns your practice's unique operational workflow.
- What training is required for my front office staff?
- Minimal. They continue to use your PMS as their single source of truth. Their new workflow involves handling email notifications from the AI for the few conversations that require a human touch. Instead of managing all SMS replies, they only manage the exceptions, which is typically less than 5% of the total volume.
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