Booking turns on with the AI receptionist. We connect Open Dental now; until that is switched on for your line, the receptionist takes a message instead.
Setup steps
- Choose Connect on this page or in the app. This opens a request; we confirm the HIPAA business associate agreement with you first.
- We generate a customer API key for your office in our Open Dental developer portal and send it to you.
- In Open Dental, go to Setup, Advanced Setup, API. Check Enabled, choose Add Key and paste the key. Make sure the eConnector is running on your server.
- Tell us the provider, operatory and appointment length the AI may offer, your time zone, and whether it should file requests (default) or book directly.
- Checking open times and recognising patients are on by default. Turn on booking and messages in the app when you're ready.
Sending us your API key. Never email it or paste it in a ticket. A workspace owner or admin pastes it into the secure key form on the Connectors page in the app (choose Paste your API key next to Open Dental). It is stored encrypted and we only ever show its last 4 characters. For Open Dental we ask for the key only after the business associate agreement is signed.
Permissions we ask for, and why
- Read patients (search by phone number): So the AI recognises a returning patient by the number they call from. We keep only the first name for the call; nothing else is stored.
- Read the schedule (open slots): So the AI offers real open chair time for the provider and operatory you choose.
- Create appointments: So the AI can file an ASAP request, or book the confirmed time if you allow direct booking.
- Create commlog entries: So a message the caller leaves lands on the patient's chart as a phone commlog.
What the AI receptionist will do
- Checks Open Dental for open times for the provider and operatory you pick.
- Reads the time back and acts only after the patient says yes.
- By default files the visit on your ASAP list as a request with the time the patient wanted, so your team confirms it. You can switch to direct booking.
- Writes a message from a patient on file as a phone commlog on their chart.
- Greets a returning patient by first name when one patient matches the number. It never discusses treatment, balances or records.
What it can't do, and limits
- Guided setup: our team connects it with you, and only once your office and TimberSwitch have signed a HIPAA business associate agreement. The connector stays switched off without one. We don't sign BAAs yet.
- Open Dental charges a monthly API fee per location, billed to the office by Open Dental, so this is a paid add-on.
- Your Open Dental API must be enabled and your eConnector running. If the office server is off, the AI can't see the schedule and takes a message instead.
- Open Dental allows about one request per second, so checking and booking takes a few seconds on the call.
- Only patients already on file, matched by the number they call from, can be booked or have messages logged. New patients get a message and a callback.
- When several family members share a number, the AI asks who the visit is for and books only on a clear first-name match.
- It can't cancel or move appointments yet, and it never answers treatment, insurance or balance questions.
The AI says something is booked or ordered only when Open Dental confirms it. If Open Dental doesn't answer in time, the AI takes a message instead and tells the caller someone will follow up.
Troubleshooting
The AI says it can't reach the schedule.
Check the Open Dental eConnector is running on your server. Remote API access goes through it, so the office server must be on.
The connector shows Reconnect needed.
Open Dental refused the key. Check it is still listed and enabled in Setup, Advanced Setup, API, then contact us to reconnect.
Why didn't the AI book a new patient?
It only books patients already on file, matched by the number they call from. New patients get a message so your team can register them.
Why is the visit on my ASAP list instead of the schedule?
Request mode is the default so your team confirms every visit. Ask us to switch to direct booking into the operatory.
Is this HIPAA compliant?
We only switch this connector on once a signed business associate agreement is on file. We don't sign BAAs yet.
Disconnecting, and the data we keep
An owner or admin can disconnect at any time from Phone, then Connectors, in the app. Disconnecting stops TimberSwitch using Open Dental straight away.
- Your encrypted Open Dental customer key, and the provider, operatory and time zone settings.
- A log of each booking or message: time, the Open Dental appointment or commlog number and a masked caller number. No names, birthdates or notes.
- Patient details from Open Dental are used during the call and not stored by TimberSwitch.
- Disconnecting deletes the key straight away.
Still stuck?
Get help: it opens an Integration support ticket. Include the time of the call and what you expected to happen.
Open Dental Software is a trademark of its owner; TimberSwitch is not affiliated.