Frequently asked questions about Dentally
Discover how Dentally can simplify your practice. Our FAQs cover everything you need to know to get up and running with confidence.
Heres a list of the most common questions we get asked about Dentally:
- Getting started with Dentally
- Features and functionality
- Implementation and onboarding
- Pricing and plans
- Security and compliance
- Integrations and compatibility
- Support and training
- Dentally Portal and admin features
- Clinical features
What is Dentally and how does it work?
Dentally is the market-leading cloud-based dental practice management software designed for stress-free dentistry. Bringing all the unique benefits of cloud software to your dental practice, Dentally allows you to work closely with your team from anywhere, build a better work-life balance and reduce your overhead costs with no outlay on complex on-premises IT.
Manage patient appointments and treatment plans with customisable workflows all in one system. Using Dentally's detailed reporting capabilities, you can take a snapshot or deep dive into practitioner activity, revenue and chair time optimisation. Whether you’re billing patients behind the front desk or explaining x-rays, Dentally expertly combines clinical and practice admin features, designed for every member of the practice to work seamlessly. The result? A happier team, exceptional patient care and an enhanced experience for both.
Who is Dentally designed for?
Dentally is designed to meet the unique needs of a variety of practices, from single-site to multi-site, and from NHS to private. We help new and single-site practices reduce administrative burden through automation so your team can focus on patient retention and acquisition.
When it comes to multi-sites, more locations shouldn’t mean more admin. Dentally keeps your appointments, reporting and communications connected, so your practices work together effortlessly. Run a single database across all of your practices, keeping key aspects centralised while allowing for separate working where required.
You can also manage the status of your claims, track your UDAs and benefit from automatically updated NHS fees – so even when change is happening, Dentally takes care of the disruption.
What makes Dentally different from other dental software?
Because Dentally is cloud-based, you have greater flexibility to run your practice management software - from how you work to where you work, efficiency is considered at every touchpoint.
Save money on expensive hardware, take the stress out of dental practice admin with smart recalls and improve diagnosis with AI-powered detection. In just a few clicks, unlock hidden hours and revenue so you can reinvest back into your business, say goodbye to late-night admin catch-ups and ultimately get back to what’s really important: providing an exceptional patient experience. Plus, the benefits go beyond the practice – empower patients to complete forms, schedule appointments and more from home with Dentally Portal and embrace a smarter way of working with intuitive imaging software Dentally Vision.
Dr. Amit Jilka, Practice Owner of Abbey House Dental, says: “Dentally will open your mind to a whole different world of dentistry.”
How long does it take to get started with Dentally?
How long it takes to get started with Dentally depends on your priorities, schedules and goals, as we offer a variety of packages designed to suit you, ranging from a few days to half a day. Once you’ve decided on a plan that suits you, we start with a site check and a hardware review. After your data has been securely transferred, you will gain access to Dentally Academy which offers easy-to-follow e-learning modules so you are empowered to make the most out of Dentally. We continue to provide real-time support as you go live, with access to a Customer Success Consultant and the option to join the Dentally Community. We will always be on hand to help you grow your practice.
What key features does Dentally offer?
Dentally offers a variety of key features designed to seamlessly blend the clinical, practice admin and patient experience.
For clerical teams, take the stress out of practice admin with automated smart recalls – set up in a template and format of your choice, simply add this to a recall workflow and reduce white space while improving patient retention. Our short notice filler also works to reduce white space by identifying gaps in the calendar in the next five working days and filling them with suitable future appointments.
For clinicians, clinical AI notes, our voice-powered tool built directly into Dentally transcribes and formats your notes in real time with no typing and no switching between applications. Helping cut your documentation time in half, this feature means less admin and end-of-day backlog, fewer clicks, less stress and more face time with patients.
Find out more about our key features here and how they’re designed in collaboration with real dental professionals just like you.
Can Dentally handle appointment scheduling and reminders?
Dentally seamlessly handles appointment scheduling and reminders to reduce time spent on admin for your team and make the patient experience as simple as possible. Not only can patients manage their own forms, medical history and appointment booking in Dentally Portal, but with automated reminders, the entire patient journey is made that much smoother.
Send SMS text/email appointment reminders, estimates and outstanding invoices to ensure timely communications, reducing time spent on the phone confirming appointments.
Read our step-by-step guide to find out how you can quickly set up automated reminders and take advantage of our intuitive scheduling features.
What kind of reporting capability is in Dentally?
At Dentally, we know time is short in a dental practice, so we’ve made getting access to real-time reporting, with a variety of capabilities, faster than ever. All practice reports are presented in a clear, easy-to-understand format, whether you want to dive into the data or simply need a quick snapshot. With a variety of useful and powerful reports at your fingertips, from treatment plans to practitioner activity, you can be confident that you’re making informed decisions backed by accurate and intuitive statistics. Reports can also be tailored to your practice using multiple filters, for example, private work or NHS contracts, and you can favourite those that you use most frequently so they’re just a click away. With ease and convenience considered in each feature, you find yourself staying ahead and gaining time back at every step of the patient journey.
Can I manage multiple practices with one Dentally account?
With Dentally, you can manage multiple practices with one Dentally account and use the multi-site switcher to toggle across each one. This makes it easy for practitioners working across different sites to quickly and easily access the information they need, regardless of location. If a multi-site user has multiple practitioner accounts linked to their user account, then the switcher will automatically appear the first time they log in each day.
You can also set up a new user to have this access and migrate users who have multiple logins to have a single login. This feature also centralises reports, so if you need a report from a different practice than the one you are working in, this is at your fingertips.
What is involved in the Dentally onboarding process?
At Dentally, we work with you to ensure onboarding is a smooth process from start to finish, whether you’re switching dental software or starting from scratch, with Sam Steevenson, Practice Owner of South Devon Dental describing it as:
“Straightforward, simple, easy and thorough.”
Working according to your choice of onboarding package, we begin with a site check. Here, we carefully review your hardware and operating systems to ensure Dentally works with your setup. At this point, your team will also gain access to Dentally Academy which offers a variety of easy-to-follow e-learning modules. Next, our robust data migration process ensures that all critical information is securely transferred, perfectly aligned and fully functional. Use this time to explore the academy and gain the knowledge and skills to get the most out of Dentally so your team feels empowered when it's time to go live. As your practice shifts to your new cloud software, we provide real-time support and continue to guide you through the patient onboarding process. After you have completed your onboarding, we continue to support you in any way we can, offering valuable growth insights from our Customer Success Consultants, listening to your feedback in our Dentally Community, or simply being there to answer any questions.
Is there a choice of Dentally onboarding packages?
There is a choice of three onboarding packages designed to work flexibly around your practice’s preferences and get the most out of your initial onboarding and training. These range from a full practice shutdown so our training team can come in and spend dedicated time walking you through each element of Dentally to part shutdown, or no shutdown at all. Part shutdown allows you to keep your practice open for part of the day while undergoing your training, while no shutdown minimises disruption to daily practice life and can be done outside of practice hours. We understand that while some may prefer keeping the practice open for patients and staying on longer for training, others may wish to simply close for the day and not work outside of their conventional hours. Take a closer look at our onboarding process here.
Can you migrate data from my current dental software?
Your data can be migrated from your current dental software to Dentally, securely and safely.
First, your dedicated account manager will discuss which software you are currently using before our migration team requires a backup of your data to set up your preliminary account. Once your data has been transferred to the preliminary account, you will have a data review with your account manager where you will be able to make sure there are no discrepancies against the data in your old system. After verifying your data review and answering any questions you may have, a date will be set for going live on Dentally, and a final migration will be done the day before to ensure it is up to date. We are generally able to migrate a large range of data like patient records, practitioners, appointments and treatment histories, however the data available for migration will depend on your current dental software. You can find out more about how to manage your migration here.
Does Dentally have a pricing plan?
At Dentally, we offer an affordable pricing plan no matter your size, as we understand that every practice is unique. The prices shown on our website are indicative, so we can put together a tailored pricing proposal to ensure your bespoke requirements are met. Offering starter, essentials or pro plans, the cost of each depends on the number of sites.
For example, for one practice, the starter plan would cost £125 per month and include an unlimited number of users and storage, Dentally Chat, NHS integration, postcode lookup, multi-site capability, integrations with approved partners and a limited trial of clinical AI notes. Upgrading to the essentials plan for £220 a month unlocks 45 clinical note transcriptions per surgery, per month, plus access to a patient portal, Customer Success Manager and phone support. Visit our pricing page to discover more.
Are there any hidden costs or additional fees with Dentally?
At Dentally, we offer a transparent pricing approach, with the option to add on a variety of features or capabilities at an extra cost. Our starter, essentials and pro plans have fixed prices per month depending on your number of surgeries with our pro plan offering the highest number of features: unlimited users and storage, custom integrations, 90 clinical note transcriptions per surgery, per month, Dentally Vision, NHS integration, multi-site capability, patient portal, Dentally Chat, postcode lookup, custom email domains, a Customer Success Manager and chat and phone support. If you only require a starter or essentials plan, examples of add-ons could include Dentally Vision or Portal, so you are simply paying for the specific feature rather than an advanced plan.
What happens if my practice grows and I need to add users to my Dentally platform?
Dentally is built for flexibility and scalability, so if your practice grows, we can grow with you. With any plan, you are allocated an unlimited number of users, so you can have as many staff members using Dentally as you would like. With this in mind, if your single site becomes a multisite, the cost of your monthly plan will increase to accommodate your extra practice. For example, the starter plan will go from £125 a month for one practice to £195 a month for two practices. If you are growing rapidly, then it may also be worth looking at the extra features included in our essentials and pro plans.
How secure is our data with Dentally?
Your data is extremely secure with Dentally - security is built into everything we do. We combine smart, modern technology with powerful protection, so you can focus on delivering excellent patient care without distraction.
With end-to-end encryption, your practice is shielded from unwanted access and those that do have access are only authorised with your consent, keeping data confidential and in your control. Every strong security strategy starts with user behaviour. Dentally strengthens your practice with clear, reliable protections that keep your team and patients safe, using dual-layer authentication. This pairs your password with a unique code to confirm access. You also have the ability to set tailored access for each person in your practice via permission levels. These are flexible so you can decide who in your team gets exactly what they need - and nothing they shouldn’t. Go one step further by setting approved IP locations and login windows to strengthen our practice’s security footprint and spot unusual behaviour at a glance. At Dentally, we protect your data like it's our own. See how secure, cloud-based protection can give you total confidence in your data and one less thing to worry about.
Is Dentally GDPR compliant?
Dentally is GDPR compliant. You can find our GDPR Data Sharing and Processing Terms here as well as a collection of other important legal documents. Our cloud-based software also has some additional features to help your practice comply with the ways patient data is used and stored.
One example includes contact and marketing consent. Contacting the patient for the purposes of marketing is now something the patient needs to ‘opt in’ to before you can contact them. In the patient’s details tab, there is a specific option to state whether this patient has agreed to be contacted for any marketing purposes. Please bear in mind that consent to marketing by a patient does not give consent for any party other than your practice to contact this patient. Find out more about ensuring your practice is GDPR compliant.
Where is my data stored with Dentally?
When you use Dentally, your data is securely stored in the cloud, so you can work from anywhere without compromising on data security. Your patient data is protected with enterprise-grade security backed up automatically multiple times a day and with no on-site server, you’ll reduce the risk of data loss, meeting NHS security standards. Unlike traditional dental software, we make small, seamless updates every day so you can use the latest features without downtime or disruption, safe in the knowledge that your data is secure in the cloud – only accessible by those that you wish.
How can I link Dentally to my digital imaging?
Dentally can integrate with numerous types of imaging, radiography, probing and stock management software. The Dentally software bridge allows you to seamlessly open a patient’s file in your imaging software with the click of a button, so you have exactly what you need when you need it. This means you can connect patients in Dentally to your practice’s imaging software, ensuring x-rays are taken and saved against the correct patient records. You can install the application whether you are a Mac or a Windows user by configuring your Chrome extension as per the instructions in our guide. Once you’ve done this, you are ready to link your digital imaging – simply click the extension from the desired patient to open them in your imaging software.
Alternatively, Dentally Vision offers a complete RCI software that connects directly to your X-ray or imaging machine and saves the images directly to the patient’s record in the cloud.
What kind of support does Dentally offer?
At Dentally, we offer a range of support designed to suit your specific needs and help you create the foundation for a healthy, thriving dental practice.
Before you even begin your Dentally journey, simply book a call or pick up the phone to get your questions answered, so you’re going forward with confidence.
Our Help Centre is available 24/7 and offers useful advice and articles from step-by-step guides to video walkthroughs, covering every area of Dentally.
Our AI support agent, Ellie, is also available to provide accurate and up-to-date guidance 24/7, so you are never waiting for an answer. However, if your query requires input from a member of our team, just ask to speak to a human agent, and you will be put through to our helpful support team.
You can also speak to fellow dental professionals in our Dentally Community, your space to connect with other users, ask questions and even submit feature requests, or revisit any learning you want to revise in our Dentally Academy.
Is there ongoing Dentally training available after implementation?
At Dentally, we offer a range of ongoing training after your cloud-based software has been implemented, from deep dives to refreshers.
The Dentally Academy is available to you beyond your onboarding so you can update your knowledge on specific features or functions at any time.
We also offer webinars and workshops as continuing education resources, run by our training team. Our webinars are free to attend for you and your team and available across each relevant region, often with a member of our training team on hand to answer any questions. We understand how hectic practice life can be so if you are not able to make the session, webinars are recorded and made available on our Dentally Academy for you to catch up on. Never worry about missing ongoing training again!
What happens if the internet goes down while using Dentally?
In the rare case that you lose your internet connection, you can still use Dentally. You can use a data hotspot on your mobile phone using a 3G/4G data connection to run your software. You also have the option to use a back-up router which can run on a SIM card over a mobile connection.
Dentally does not require a large amount of data to allow you to run your practice, which means you can avoid downtime if you lose internet connection. This is just one of the benefits of using cloud software to run your practice efficiently and in a way that minimises disruption for both you and your patients. While other server-based practices are waiting for their internet connection to return, you can continue delivering exceptional patient care.
How do patients use the Dentally Portal for online booking?
Dentally Portal gives patients the freedom to book whenever suits them from wherever suits them. Giving your patients more control with your own patient booking system means fewer calls for your front desk to juggle, so your team can stay present with the patients currently in the practice.
When booking an appointment with Portal, the patient's chosen slot will be reserved in your calendar for no longer than 30 minutes until they confirm. This not only reduces the chance of a double booking but also accommodates patients who may book more slowly or be interrupted. During this time, it will not be possible for other patients to try to book this slot, but if the reservation expires, the slot will be released, and other patients can book in if they wish. If the reservation is completed, then that space in your diary has been effortlessly filled.
How does the Dentally short-notice cancellation filler work?
With Dentally's short notice filler, you can fill empty slots in the next five days in just a couple of clicks. Described by Tom Massey, Operations Manager at Your Dentist as “a gamechanger”, this innovative feature unlocks hidden revenue in your calendar without increasing your team’s workload. Add patients to your list as part of your existing booking workflows to see empty gaps, then start the automated SMS messages and the short notice filler will do the rest. When a patient confirms they are free, their appointment will automatically move to that slot and a confirmation will be sent. The automation will then stop and any unsuccessful patients will be notified so no one is left uncertain. Gain back the hours previously spent on the phone each day and use this time to focus on patient care and essential admin.
How does Dentally Vision AI work?
Dentally Vision AI is a cutting-edge, fully integrated cloud-based system powered by Second Opinion AI. It is designed to enhance patient outcomes and streamline your clinical workflows. Featuring advanced AI clinical detection capabilities that allow for more accurate diagnoses and effective treatment plans, this feature combines leading disease detection and case presentation utilities into one seamless package – elevating both patient care and practice efficiency.
Dentally Vision AI is only available for practices already using Dentally Vision. As soon as you have signed up for this feature by getting in touch with our team, this is turned on in the background and will be instantly available for you to use. Think of Dentally Vision AI as your radiology assistant, aiding you in making informed decisions as opposed to a diagnostic tool. It can detect pathologies like bone levels, calculus, caries and impactions as well as existing restorations like crowns, fillings, implant and root canals to boost your confidence when it comes to decision making. Read our full list of Dentally Vision AI FAQs here and get in touch about implementing this in your practice.
Can I use ambient AI note-taking in Dentally?
You can use clinical AI notes in Dentally to help with your note-taking, but this is not an ambient listening tool. This feature is a voice-powered tool built directly into Dentally, designed to help clinicians create notes quickly and accurately. Speak naturally to summarise what has taken place in the appointment and AI will transcribe and format the note according to your chosen template. This differs from an ambient listening tool because it does not record the full appointment but instead starts listening after you manually activate it.
Each session is capped at five minutes (though you can start another if you need it) and is designed for post-appointment summaries rather than full-length recordings. Clinical AI notes is optimised with a custom-built dental dictionary to understand the terminology you use every day and is designed to support a wide range of accents – let it do the heavy lifting while you save time and focus on the patient.
How do I chart mixed dentition for child patients in Dentally?
Referring to patients who have a combination of baby (deciduous) and adult (permanent) teeth, Dentally’s charting tools are designed to make this process as simple and intuitive as possible.
Start by opening your chart preferences and enabling condensed view to show the chart in two rows rather than four. Next, turn on root view as this makes it easier to distinguish between permanent and baby teeth, as well as being able to identify any root charting. Lastly, enable mixed dentition as this overlays permanent and deciduous teeth together in one streamlined view. We recommend this as the best way to set up your chart; combining condensed charting with mixed dentition creates faster, clearer charting with optimised screen space. Read our top tips for charting mixed dentition.
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