The Text and Chat AI Agent
The Text and Chat AI Agent handles incoming text messages and website chat conversations on your behalf, responding instantly around the clock so patients always get an answer even when the front desk is unavailable.
What the Text and Chat AI Agent Does
When a patient texts your practice number or sends a message through your website chat widget, the AI Agent jumps in and replies. It can answer common questions about your services, hours, location, and insurance, and it can guide patients toward booking an appointment. If the conversation needs a human touch, it knows how to hand off gracefully to your staff. The result is fewer missed conversations and more patients who feel taken care of from the moment they reach out.
Turning On the Agent
- From the main menu, click AI Agents.
- Select Text and Chat Agent from the list of agent types.
- Toggle the agent Active. The switch turns green when it is on.
- Choose which channels you want the agent to cover. You can enable it for SMS / Text, Website Chat, or both.
- Click Save Settings.
Once active, the agent begins responding to new inbound messages immediately. Existing open conversations in your inbox are not affected retroactively.
Writing Your Agent's Personality and Opening Message
The agent speaks in whatever tone you set for it. A warm, friendly voice works well for most dental practices, but you can adjust this to match how your team talks to patients.
- Open the Personality tab inside the Text and Chat Agent settings.
- Enter a short description of how you want the agent to communicate. For example: Friendly and professional. Refer to patients by their first name when known. Keep replies short and easy to read.
- Under Opening Message, write the greeting the agent sends when a new chat starts. Keep it brief and welcoming.
- Click Save.
Connecting It to Your Practice Knowledge
The agent pulls its answers from the information you have added about your practice. Before you go live, make sure your profile and FAQ library are complete. Gaps in your knowledge base lead to vague or generic replies that frustrate patients.
- Services you offer and any that you do not accept
- Office hours and any days you are closed
- Insurance plans you take
- Your address, parking notes, and phone number
- Any offers or specials you are currently running
You can manage all of this under Training Your AI on Your Practice and Adding FAQs and Knowledge. Taking 30 minutes to fill these sections out thoroughly makes a noticeable difference in response quality.
Letting the Agent Book Appointments
The Text and Chat Agent can take patients all the way through to a confirmed appointment if you connect it to your booking calendar. When this is enabled, the agent will check real-time availability and send the patient a booking link or walk them through selecting a time directly in the chat.
To set this up, see Letting AI Book Appointments for the full walkthrough. You will need at least one active calendar with online booking turned on before the agent can offer slots.
Setting Business Hours and Handoff Rules
You control when the AI handles conversations on its own and when it should alert your team. Most practices run the agent fully after hours and during busy periods, and have it escalate to a staff member during normal office hours if the conversation requires it.
Open the Handoff Settings tab to configure this. You can define your office hours, set escalation triggers (such as when a patient mentions pain, an emergency, or a complaint), and choose which team member or inbox receives the handoff notification. Full details are in Business Hours and Handing Off to Staff.
Reviewing What the Agent Said
All AI-handled conversations appear in your Conversations inbox and are tagged so you can spot them quickly. It is good practice to review a handful of recent AI exchanges each week, especially in the first few weeks after going live. This helps you catch any answers that were off and gives you ideas for what to add to your FAQ library.
See Reviewing AI Conversations for tips on filtering, flagging, and learning from your agent's conversations.
Next Steps
Once your Text and Chat Agent is live, the two most impactful things you can do are fill out your knowledge base thoroughly (start with Training Your AI on Your Practice) and review the first week of conversations to fine-tune the agent's responses. When you are ready to expand what the AI can do, check out AI Best Practices and Guardrails for guidance on keeping things running smoothly.