AI Receptionist for Open Dental That Books Patients While They're on the Phone
Elva answers your phones day and night and books directly into Open Dental while the patient is still talking. New bookings land in Open Dental without anyone typing them, and your team stops chasing voicemails.
Authorized API Partner"You're all set for Thursday at 9 with Dr. Patel — I've created your patient file too."
"Your Delta plan is active and cleanings are covered — I've updated your file."
Calls in, appointments out, all inside Open Dental.
What Elva Handles in Open Dental, Live on the Call
Elva is connected to Open Dental in real time, so it works from the same appointment book your team sees and every change shows up in Open Dental instantly. It's the same dental AI receptionist behind Elva's other PMS integrations, set up around how your Open Dental practice runs.
New & Returning Patient Booking
First-time callers get a patient file and an appointment in one call. Regulars just pick a time.
Reschedules
"Can I move my Tuesday?" becomes a new time in Open Dental before the call ends.
Cancellations
Recorded in Open Dental instantly, so the open time is visible to your team and ready to fill.
Nights & Weekends
The Saturday-morning caller books on Saturday morning, not Monday afternoon.
Busy-Hour Overflow
When every line at the desk is lit, Elva takes the rest. No hold music, no lost callers.
Insurance Coverage Checks
Coverage confirmed while the patient is on the line and saved to their Open Dental record.
Urgent Calls, Your Rules
A caller in pain is handled by the escalation rules you set: a same-day opening you've held, an alert to your team, or a transfer.
Handoff With Context
When a call needs a person, your team gets it with a short summary, not a cold transfer.
Call Notes Written for You
A summary and full transcript of every call, saved to the patient's Open Dental record.
Callers in 30+ Languages
Patients speak their own language and Elva answers in it. No interpreter line needed.
Tell us how your practice runs
One kickoff call covers your providers, appointment types, insurance plans and which calls should always reach a person.
Approve Elva in Open Dental — we do the rest
Open Dental asks every practice to approve a new connection. The Elva team walks you through that one quick step, then connects Elva and loads your rules. Nothing in your Open Dental setup changes.
Switch on, same number
Patients keep calling the number they know. You decide when Elva picks up: all day, after hours, or only when your team is tied up.
Books by the Rules Already in Your Open Dental Appointment Book
Your providers' hours, your operatories, your blockouts and the length of each appointment type are already set up in Open Dental. Elva books inside them, so new-patient exams land where you keep them and a long procedure never gets squeezed into a short slot.
The Appointment Book Stays Current Without Anyone Typing
Bookings, moves and cancellations from the phone land in Open Dental the second they're made. No sticky notes, no voicemail transcription, no "I'll call you back to confirm." When a patient cancels, the opening shows up right away, ready for your ASAP list.
No More Calls Lost to Lunch, Evenings or a Full Front Desk
Phones don't wait for your team to be free. Elva picks up every call your desk can't reach, answers common questions from your practice's own information and books the patient on the spot. Your team keeps its attention on the people in the office. Want a say before anything is written? Review mode holds Elva's bookings for your approval first. See how AI receptionist human handoff keeps your team in control.
Every Conversation, on the Patient's Open Dental Record
Each call leaves a summary and transcript on the patient's Open Dental record. When a call needs a person, your team reads the summary before picking up and can step into any conversation at any time.
- Patient wants to split the cost of her crown into monthly payments.
- Elva confirmed her Delta coverage is active and the crown is scheduled for next week.
- Patient asked to discuss payment options with the office manager.
FAQ
Does an AI receptionist work with Open Dental?
Yes. Elva connects to Open Dental in real time: it checks open times during the call and writes new appointments, reschedules, cancellations and new patient details straight into Open Dental.
Does Open Dental come with its own AI receptionist?
No. Open Dental runs your appointment book, patient records and billing, but it doesn't answer your phones. Elva adds that on top of the Open Dental setup you already have.
Do we need to do anything inside Open Dental?
Just one approval. Open Dental asks practices to approve any new connection, and the Elva team walks you through it on the setup call. Everything else, from the connection to your booking rules, is handled by the Elva team.
Will we have to change our phone number?
No. Elva works with your current practice number. You choose whether it answers every call, after hours only, or overflow when your team is busy.
What if a patient asks for a real person?
Elva transfers them to your team with a summary of the call, following rules you set and can change anytime. If nobody is free, the request goes to a callback queue and your team gets an alert.
What else does Elva connect to in Open Dental?
The AI receptionist is one part of it. See the full Open Dental integration for recall, insurance, billing and scheduling. On a different system? See the AI receptionist for Dentrix, Dentrix Ascend or Eaglesoft.
How is this different from an answering service or virtual receptionist?
An answering service usually takes a message for your team to deal with later. Elva books in Open Dental during the call and can answer many calls at once. We break down the options in dental virtual receptionist vs AI receptionist.
How much does an AI receptionist for Open Dental cost?
It depends on your practice size and the features you use. Get a quote within 24 hours, or read what an AI receptionist costs a dental practice.
Watch Elva Fill Your Open Dental Schedule
Bring your busiest call day and we'll show you Elva booking it into Open Dental live. Your quote follows within 24 hours, and every practice gets a signed BAA with patient data encrypted at rest and in transit.