TECH

AI enters its agent era

The AI tools DSOs have been experimenting with are growing up fast, and they’re making the chatbots we’ve all played around with look like that ancient laptop you’ve got stashed in a closet somewhere (and will, for some reason, never throw away).

What's happening: The big AI players have all shipped "agent infrastructure" products in the past 18 months. These take AI capabilities beyond the chatbot interface by connecting the technology to your existing tools—your PMS, your email, your billing software—and then letting it take multi-step actions with minimal hand-holding.

• Think of the difference between asking a smart assistant "What's on my schedule?" and having it reschedule your no-show, text the next patient on the waitlist, and update the chart.

Why it matters: AI agents could eliminate the trade-off practices have traditionally faced between expanding and maintaining high operational standards without adding extra costs to the balance sheet.

• Signature Dental Partners saw collections climb and turnaround days shrink after integrating AI into its revenue cycle, with RCM staff going from managing five practices each to as many as twelve.
  

• The Dental Group of Chicago hit 87% automated payment posting on peak days within its first month of adopting AI-powered automations.
  

• VideaHealth rolled out its AI diagnostic support platform across Aspen Dental's 1,100+ practices in just six weeks, reporting a 12% bump in treatment acceptance at pilot offices.

What it means for you: AI agents aren’t going to be filling cavities anytime soon, but they shine in the back office when it comes to tackling some of the biggest pain points dental operators are experiencing. 

• Staffing shortages: AI agents can now handle calls, texts, and web chats around the clock and deal with common patient requests like booking appointments, answering FAQs, and filling cancellations without a human touching the phone.
  

• Overflowing admin: From auto-drafting clinical notes during the appointment to running insurance eligibility checks before the patient even sits down, AI agents are chipping away at the paperwork pile that buries clinical and front-office teams alike.
  

• Revenue leakage: AI-powered RCM tools are catching the money that slips through manual processes by scrubbing claims before submission, flagging coding inconsistencies, auto-posting payments, and triaging denials for faster follow-up. 

What’s next: Operators that can orchestrate agents as a system rather than a collection of siloed tools will unlock even bigger gains. The technology has advanced to the point where it’s possible to connect clinical AI (imaging, charting) to operational AI (scheduling, billing, communication) so that a flagged finding flows seamlessly into a treatment plan, which triggers a pre-authorization check, which schedules the follow-up—all with just one or two staff confirming key decisions along the way.