What is understood as artificial intelligence (AI) has been operating for many years, from sorting the spam in your inbox to facial recognition patterns and voice-activated operations. The future has since arrived, with AI tools found everywhere, all around us. They are transforming workplaces, changing the economy and streamlining many aspects of the daily workflow.
This is all especially true for dentistry. The emergence of AI systems has enhanced dental practices through such avenues as appointment note-taking using advanced audio transcription software and improved diagnosis support when scanning the dentition. In fact, NHS organisations across England are being urged to integrate AI solutions from a national registry of 19 suppliers.[i]
To further optimise patient engagement, AI receptionists have also left a lasting impression, one that feels like an inevitable staple for all dental practices. But how much do you know about their role and how can patient compliance be maintained in a way that is mandatory for NHS patients and the gold standard for private practices?
How AI receptionists work
An AI receptionist for dental practices is a software that relieves the administrative team of simple yet time-consuming tasks. This includes answering patient calls, booking and managing appointments, and handling enquiries. For instance, a patient’s concern for car parking space can be quickly alleviated through the AI receptionist, without the need to wait in a phone call queue and listen to hold music.
Furthermore, the practice’s administrative team are able to focus on more important tasks: checking patients in, taking payments and supporting the dental team. The best AI receptionist systems can act independently, resolving a patient’s problem without sending them through to a member of the team. But ensuring compliance can be difficult and is the hurdle that many AI platforms are failing on.
Safe data management
Once set-up, the AI receptionist will receive calls, read who the patient is, when they last visited and which dentist they saw. Depending on the need of the patient, the system will then find practitioner schedules, dentist availability and the practice information to help resolve the issue. This is a considerable amount of data to sift through, with even more created if appointments are booked or rescheduled. Compliance is therefore paramount to safeguard both the dental team and patients. AI receptionists can identify patterns that could indicate compliance issues, such as checking that the correct documentation has been completed by the patient before an appointment. But what happens if the AI fails to address a dental health issue?
It is mandatory for dental practices to comply with the Data Protection Act 2018[ii] and the UK General Data Protection Regulation,[iii] with the risk of a fine for NHS practices that are not compliant. This could reach a maximum penalty of £17.5 million, or 4% of the annual turnover in the preceding financial year,[iv] if a patient’s personal data is not correctly handled.
For instance, if a patient contacts the practice regarding an oral lesion, and the AI overlooks this issue, there is an issue over compliancy: who is at fault, the software or the practice? The answer is both, with the dentist potentially losing their registration. Elsewhere, if an AI tool advertises that it “triages emergency patients”, that statement effectively defines the tool’s purpose in the eyes of regulators and if the dentist or the patient expects the platform to perform clinical prioritisation, the software is no longer an administrative assistant but is legally categorised as a medical device.
Check the policy
For now, AI-driven administrative tools revolutionise simple tasks. However, it is recommended that you ask the company for the Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (DTAC) evidence pack. To reduce the risk of a claim caused by AI error, various considerations to prepare for include data breaches, inaccurate content or AI ‘hallucinations’, or decision-making errors. AI use for administrative tasks should also be declared.
Reliable robotics
In a time where modern patients expect immediate responses, RoboReception AI can meet the current demands of a busy workflow, whilst staying compliant for both NHS and private practices. Trusted by over 1,500 dentists, practice managers and patient coordinators, to grow a more profitable practice, RoboReception AI shoulders everyday tasks to free up the administrative team, engaging with new patients and improving the recall rate for existing ones to drive growth and beat the competition.
The use of AI in dentistry is an exciting wave that continues to gain strength. Daily administrative tasks can take time, but AI receptionists can make the process more efficient. However, dental practices must be compliant in how patient data is used, ensuring that both the team and the patient base are suitably protected and clinically safe.
To find out more visit www.roboreception.co.uk or call us on 07511 085684
Author: Donna Hewitt. Operations Director RoboReception
[i] England, N. (2026). NHS England» NHS backs AI notetaking to free up more face-to-face care. [online] England.nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2026/01/nhs-backs-ai-notetaking-free-up-more-face-to-face-care/.
[ii] GOV.UK (2018). Data Protection Act 2018. [online] legislation.gov.uk. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/12/contents.
[iii] UK Government (2018). UK General Data Protection Regulation. [online] legislation.gov.uk. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2016/679/contents.
[iv] ICO (2024). The maximum amount of a fine under UK GDPR and DPA 2018. [online] ico.org.uk. Available at: https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/our-information/policies-and-procedures/data-protection-fining-guidance/statutory-background/the-maximum-amount-of-a-fine-under-uk-gdpr-and-dpa-2018/.
