Buyer's guide
What should a dental practice look for in an AI receptionist?
A dental practice should look for an AI receptionist that answers new-patient calls in under a minute, sends appointment-only texts with no treatment details, hands clinical questions and emergencies to a person, connects to your practice management system, and works the recall list. Foreman does not hold HIPAA or SOC 2 certification and does not sign a BAA, so a practice that needs either should say so before it starts. The table turns each point into a question for any vendor.
What are the seven things to check?
Each row is a question for the vendor. The last column is what Foreman does.
| Check | Why it matters | What to ask | Foreman |
|---|---|---|---|
| New-patient calls | A new patient on hold while the desk checks someone in often books the next practice. | Does it answer in under a minute, including at lunch & after hours? | Answers calls & texts in under 60 seconds & books the visit. |
| What goes in a text | Treatment details in a text are a risk you do not need. | What does a text say? Who decides? | Appointment-only messaging: date, time, location, who to ask for. No treatment details. |
| Clinical questions & emergencies | A person must answer these. | Where does a pain, bleeding or insurance question go? | Clinical questions & emergencies go to a human at once, & the text says so. |
| Schedule connection | Booking into a copy of the schedule creates double-bookings. | Does it read the real schedule, & which system? | Dentrix, Open Dental & Eaglesoft are live connections for the schedule & the appointment record. No clinical charts needed. |
| Recall & cancelled chairs | Overdue recall & an empty chair are the revenue you already earned. | Does it work the recall list & offer a cancelled slot to a waitlist? | Recall by hygiene interval, & a waitlist text when a slot opens. |
| Your patient list | Switching vendors should not cost you the list. | Who owns it, & can you export it? | You own it & can export it on exit. |
| Certifications & agreements | Some practices cannot use a tool without a signed agreement. | Does the vendor sign a BAA? Is it certified? | Foreman does not hold HIPAA or SOC 2 certification & does not sign a BAA. |
What should a text to a patient say?
Only what the front desk would put on an appointment card: the date, the time, the office, and who to ask for. Foreman sends appointment-only messages and keeps treatment details out of texts. Your own policies and your counsel decide what else, if anything, may be sent. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Is an AI receptionist for dentists HIPAA compliant?
Ask the vendor in writing. Foreman does not hold HIPAA or SOC 2 certification and does not sign a BAA, and we say so rather than imply otherwise. The practical effect is a narrow job: appointment logistics, reminders, recall and booking. If your practice needs a BAA before it can text patients, choose a vendor that signs one.
Does it need to connect to Dentrix, Open Dental or Eaglesoft?
It needs the schedule, or it will book into a copy of it. Foreman lists Dentrix, Open Dental & Eaglesoft as live connections that read the schedule & the appointment record, & does not need clinical charts. The integrations page says what each connection covers.
What does it cost?
Foreman is $495 per location per month with no contract. Other AI receptionists list from free to $789 a month on entry plans; the dated comparison is on AI receptionist pricing. The product page, with an example day, is Foreman for dental practices.
Questions owners ask
What else do dentists ask about AI receptionists?
What should a dental practice look for in an AI receptionist?
Look for fast answers to new-patient calls, appointment-only text messages, a human for clinical questions and emergencies, a live connection to your practice management system, recall and cancelled-chair workflows, and clear ownership of your patient list. Ask plainly what the vendor does not hold or sign.
Is Foreman HIPAA compliant?
No. Foreman does not hold HIPAA or SOC 2 certification and does not sign a BAA. Practices in regulated fields get appointment-only messaging with no treatment details in texts. If your practice needs a BAA before it can use a tool, Foreman is not the right fit.
What does an AI receptionist text a patient?
Appointment logistics: the date, the time, the location and who to ask for, plus recall and reschedule prompts. Treatment names and clinical details stay out of texts. Anything clinical goes to your team.
Does it work with Dentrix, Open Dental or Eaglesoft?
Foreman lists Dentrix, Open Dental and Eaglesoft as live connections that read the schedule and the appointment record, where the system allows it. Dentrix needs its developer program, so ask what is covered on your version.
How much does an AI receptionist for a dental practice cost?
Published list prices checked 10/11/2026 run from free to $789 a month on entry plans, metered per call, per customer or per minute. Foreman is $495 per location per month with no contract. The comparison is on the AI receptionist pricing page.
Where do these numbers come from?
- 411 Locals, field study of 85 small businesses across 58 industries over 30 days: 37.8% of calls answered live, 37.8% to voicemail, 24.3% no response.
- Oldroyd, McElheran & Elkington, The Short Life of Online Sales Leads, Harvard Business Review, 03/2011: firms that tried to contact a lead within an hour were nearly seven times as likely to qualify it as those that waited an hour longer.
Checked 10/11/2026. Vendor studies are directional, not audited. Where a figure is called an industry estimate, we could not trace it to a primary study. Your own phone log beats every number on this page.