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Dental phone training

Practice dental front desk calls before your first day

The phone is where patients decide whether to trust an office. Front Office Essentials gives you 24 practice calls with AI patients who talk back, then scores each one with specific feedback. Try a short sample right here.

Try a free practice call

Dana Ortiz just moved to town and needs a new dentist. You're at the front desk. Pick your replies and see how you score.

How the full call is scored

In the course, this call is scored on 10 points. Miss the critical one and the call doesn't pass, however good the rest was.

  • OpeningAnswered with the practice name, their own name, and an offer to help.
  • Caller's nameGot the caller's name early and used it at least once afterward.
  • Listened firstFound out why the caller was calling, with at least one open question, before jumping to scheduling or logistics.
  • EmpathyAcknowledged the caller's feelings or concerns (pain, worry, frustration, cost) in words when they came up.
  • CloseEnded by confirming the next step (recap of day/time or the agreed action) and thanking the caller.
  • Patient detailsCollected full name, date of birth, a phone number (read back or confirmed), and how she heard about the office.
  • Insurance detailsCollected the carrier, the subscriber, and the member ID or employer, and said the office will verify her benefits before the visit.
  • No coverage promisesCriticalDid not promise what Delta Dental will pay, that the visit is covered, or that she will owe nothing.
  • Two specific timesOffered specific appointment times from the open slots instead of only asking when works.
  • Visit prepTold her what to expect or bring: length of visit, forms, ID and insurance card, arrival time.

Dana Ortiz · New patient

Incoming call

Sample call

The phone is ringing.

You're at the front desk of Maple Grove Dental. Pick what you'd say at each turn. You'll be scored on the same checklist the course uses.

About 2 minutes. No sign-up.

How it works in the course

Real conversations, not multiple choice

  1. Answer the phone

    Speak your lines out loud, or type them. The caller answers in a natural voice.

  2. Every caller is different

    A nervous new patient, a parent, an insurance rep, someone angry about the wait. They react to what you say.

  3. Get scored

    When you end the call, you get a score on the call's checklist, with what you did well and what to fix.

  4. Go again

    Retake any call as often as you like. Your best score is saved.

Lesson slide: how the practice calls work. Press Answer the phone, speak or type your line, use the front desk sheet, and pass at 80% with every critical item met.
From the course · Phone mastery. Every call has a front desk sheet beside it, and you pass at 80% with every critical item met.

All 24 calls

The calls you'll practice

Phone calls, in-person conversations at the desk, and a practice job interview, in the order they appear in the course.

  1. 1What is a root canal, anyway?Dental procedures explained
  2. 2A health history update at check-inHealth history and safety flags
  3. 3New patient, moved to townPhone mastery
  4. 4Broken tooth, in painPhone mastery
  5. 5No insurance, shopping aroundPhone mastery
  6. 6Canceling tomorrow's crownPhone mastery
  7. 7Upset about a billPhone mastery
  8. 8Fill an opening from the ASAP listScheduling
  9. 9A spouse asks about an accountCheck-in, check-out and privacy
  10. 10Check-in with a copay dueCheck-in, check-out and privacy
  11. 11A parent asks for a child's recordsFamilies, minors and records
  12. 12Verify benefits with an insurance companyInsurance basics
  13. 13Follow up on an unpaid claimClaims and EOBs
  14. 14Explain an EOB to a patientClaims and EOBs
  15. 15A child covered by two plansClaims and EOBs
  16. 16Present a crown estimateMoney conversations
  17. 17A past-due balanceMoney conversations
  18. 18Running lateDifficult conversations
  19. 19Upset about the waitDifficult conversations
  20. 20A patient overdue for a cleaningRecall, reactivation and unscheduled treatment
  21. 21A crown that was never scheduledRecall, reactivation and unscheduled treatment
  22. 22A worried patient with a referralReferrals, specialists and lab cases
  23. 23Practice interview with the office managerGetting hired
  24. 24A family emergencyCapstone and final exam

Dental phone scripts

The seven moves of a great front desk call

Every call in the course is scored on these moves. Use them on any call, at any office.

  1. 1Open the same way every timePractice name, your name, an offer to help. "Thank you for calling Maple Grove Dental, this is Taylor. How can I help you today?"
  2. 2Get their name early, then use itAsk in the first 30 seconds and use it two or three times, especially when you show empathy and when you close.
  3. 3Listen before you scheduleFind out why they called with an open question before you open the schedule. When you hear pain or worry, name it.
  4. 4Capture the essentialsVerify an existing patient's identity before sharing anything. For a new patient, collect their details and read the phone number back.
  5. 5Never promise what insurance will paySay whether you're in network and that you'll verify benefits. Never say "that's covered" or "you won't owe anything."
  6. 6Offer two times, not an open calendar"I have Tuesday at 7:30 AM or Thursday at 1:00 PM. Which works better?" Two choices make deciding easy.
  7. 7Close with a recapRepeat the day, time and who they'll see, what to bring and the forms. Thank them by name.
  • Lesson slide: Move 2, get their name and then use it, with the caller's name spelled out on a notepad.
    From the course · Phone mastery. Move 2: ask for their name in the first 30 seconds.
  • Lesson slide: Move 5, never promise what insurance will pay, with the phrases to avoid crossed out.
    From the course · Phone mastery. Move 5: “I'll verify your benefits,” never “that's covered.”
  • Lesson slide: Move 6, offer two times, with Tuesday at 7:30 and Thursday at 1:00 marked on a week view.
    From the course · Phone mastery. Move 6: two choices make deciding easy.

Sample scripts

What great sounds like

Three calls from the course, at Maple Grove Dental. Adapt the words to your office's fees and policies; never guess at a fee or a policy on the phone.

A new patient calls

  • “Thank you for calling Maple Grove Dental, this is Taylor. How can I help you today?”
  • “Welcome! I'd love to help you get started. May I ask who I'm speaking with?”
  • “Nice to meet you, Dana. What's bringing you in: a checkup, or is anything bothering you?”
  • “We're in network with Delta Dental PPO. We'll verify your benefits before your visit.”
  • “Your first visit is a full exam, x-rays and a cleaning, about 90 minutes. The full fee is $395, and your plan may lower that. We'll give you an estimate once we've verified your benefits.”
  • “I have Tuesday at 7:30 AM or Thursday at 1:00 PM. Which works better?”
  • “You're all set for Tuesday at 7:30. Please bring a photo ID and your insurance card. Thanks for calling, Dana!”

Someone cancels tomorrow's crown

  • “I'm sorry tomorrow won't work, Tom. Can I ask what came up?”
  • “I want to make sure we keep your crown on track: your permanent crown is back from the lab, and a temporary can loosen or break, and teeth can shift if we wait too long.”
  • “Since you called more than 24 hours ahead, there's no fee at all.”
  • “I can move you to Friday at 8:00 AM or Monday at 3:30 PM. Which is better?”

A price shopper with no insurance

  • “Great question, and I'm glad you asked before booking. May I have your name?”
  • “For a new patient, the first visit is an exam, a full set of x-rays and a cleaning. The full fee for all three is $395.”
  • “If the exam finds anything else, the dentist will explain it and we'll give you a written estimate before any treatment.”
  • “We also have an in-office membership and payment options that can make care more affordable. Would you like me to walk you through them?”
  • “I have Monday at 10:00 AM or Wednesday at 3:30 PM. Shall I hold one for you?”

A caller in pain or with a broken tooth needs one more step: ask your office's red-flag questions before you book, every time. The course teaches the full screening in the Phone mastery module.

Take all the calls

21 modules, 24 scored practice calls and 16 simulations, about 20 hours on your phone or computer. No dental experience needed.

Enrollment opens soon

Front Office Essentials

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  • 21 modules, about 20 hours
  • 24 scored practice calls with AI patients
  • 16 simulations, including a mock practice software lab
  • Flashcards, module checks and a final exam
  • Certificate of completion employers can verify
  • On your phone or computer, at your own pace

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