Evaluate a Dental AI Tool: The Questions That Matter

How to use this

Most demos are run on the vendor's terms, with a polished example that hides the edges. These questions put you back in control. Ask them in any order, and listen for specific answers rather than reassurance. If a question does not apply to your practice, skip it. The goal is not to trip anyone up, it is to make sure the tool fits the way you actually work.

A good vendor will answer plainly, show you the real product, and tell you what it does not do yet. Vague answers and slides instead of software are the signal to slow down.

Dental fit

• Was this built for dentistry, or is it a general medical or business scribe with a dental label?
• Does it understand dental procedures, tooth and surface notation, and specialty workflows?
• Can it handle the encounters you actually run, not just a simple hygiene check?
• Does it support my specialty, or is my work an afterthought?

Defensibility

• Is every line in the note traceable back to what was actually said in the encounter?
• Can I see the source for any statement, so I can verify it before I sign?
• What stops the tool from inventing something that was never discussed?
• Do I review and approve the note, or does anything file without me?

Ask them to show you a citation on a real note, not a slide. If they cannot point from a sentence in the note back to the moment it came from, the note is a guess with good grammar.

Downstream carry

• Does the note carry into coding, or does someone re-key procedures by hand?
• Can I see coverage and likely patient responsibility before the patient leaves?
• Does it help catch denial risk before the claim goes out, not after it bounces?
• Does it fit my templates and my PMS, or does it demand a rip-and-replace?

Security and the BAA

• Will you sign a business associate agreement, and can I read it before we start?
• Where does my patient data go, who can see it, and how long is it kept?
• What is your security posture, and where are you in any formal audit like SOC 2?
• What happens to my data if we stop using the product?

A trustworthy vendor states plainly where a certification like SOC 2 stands, including when it is still in progress. Treat a certainty that sounds too clean as a reason to ask for the paperwork.

Team and support

• How do you get my whole team on board, not just me?
• Is there hands-on onboarding, like a team lunch-and-learn, to get everyone aligned?
• What does ongoing support look like when we hit a question mid-day?
• How long until a new hire is comfortable using it?

A tool the front desk and clinical team never adopt is a cost, not a win. How a vendor helps your whole team get comfortable is as important as the note itself.