Short answer
A dental AI receptionist has to do four things well: book the right treatment into the right slot, confirm and remind by text, handle health data lawfully and hand urgent cases to a person. In the US, Arini is built only for dentists. In Poland and Central Europe, ZvonAI speaks natural Polish, books into Google Calendar or Apple iCloud, asks for consent before recording and never gives clinical advice. General tools such as Smith.ai, Fonio and My AI Front Desk can work for dentists but need more setup.
Prices were checked on each vendor's site on 25 October 2026; confirm before you buy.
What a dental practice should test
Booking by treatment type. A check-up, a filling and an implant consultation take different time and sometimes a different chair. The receptionist should know your treatments, their length and their price from your own list.
Pain gets priority. A patient with toothache or swelling needs a same-day slot, not the next free Tuesday.
Confirmations and reminders. Missed appointments cost more than missed calls. An SMS confirmation and a reminder the day before cut no-shows.
Health data under GDPR. Dental records are special-category data (GDPR Art. 9). You need a data processing agreement, a clear answer on where data is processed and, ideally, consent before a call is recorded.
Handoff quality. When the dentist is needed, the call should reach a person with context, not ring into a voicemail.
The comparison
| Tool | Built for | Price | Booking | Data and consent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZvonAI | Dental and other practices in Poland and CEE | From 349 PLN net per month; Pro 1,200 PLN | Google Calendar, Apple iCloud, ZvonAI calendar; SMS confirmations and reminders | DPA in the dashboard; database and recordings in the EU; consent gate before recording |
| Arini | US dental practices and groups | Demo only on its site; listed on Capterra from $499 per month | Online scheduling, confirmations, patient reactivation | Ask the vendor |
| Smith.ai | US small businesses, AI plus human receptionists | Free plan, Pro from $150 for 75 calls | AI scheduling with Calendly and more | Ask the vendor |
| Fonio | European businesses, 60+ languages | €119 per month (€99 billed yearly), 1,000 min | Connects your calendar tool | Ask the vendor |
| My AI Front Desk | Small businesses, general purpose | $99 per month ($79 billed yearly), 200 min | Calendars through Zapier | Ask the vendor |
"Ask the vendor" means the pricing page did not state it; it does not mean the tool lacks it.
Each tool for dentists
ZvonAI
ZvonAI starts from a dental template: treatments with indicative prices and durations, common questions and booking rules such as a same-day slot for pain. You check the prices once and go live. It books, moves and cancels visits under your cancellation rules, sends the confirmation by SMS and reminds 24 hours and 2 hours before. It never assesses symptoms or suggests medication, and it sends emergencies to the dentist or to 112. Dental practices get a consent gate: the assistant asks before recording and does not record without a yes. It does not connect to ZnanyLekarz or Docplanner today; for those it takes a booking request your desk confirms.
Arini
Arini focuses only on dentistry, from single practices to groups of 100+ locations, and adds outbound patient reactivation. Pricing is by demo; Capterra lists a starting price of $499 per month. A strong option for US dental groups.
Smith.ai
Smith.ai combines an AI receptionist with optional human agents and prices per call. For dentists it is a general tool with scheduling through Calendly and similar apps.
Fonio
Fonio offers many languages and 1,000 minutes on its entry plan, useful for practices with international patients. Dental-specific rules have to be written into the assistant yourself.
My AI Front Desk
A general assistant with a 7-day free trial and calendar connections through Zapier. Workable for a small practice willing to configure it.
How to choose
- US group practice: look at Arini first.
- Practice in Poland or serving Polish, Ukrainian or Russian speakers: ZvonAI covers all four languages inside one call from the Pro plan.
- You need the data processing agreement before the trial: ask every vendor for it; ZvonAI has it ready in the dashboard.
- You want people as backup: Smith.ai offers human receptionists alongside AI.
FAQ
Can an AI receptionist book dental appointments by treatment type? Yes. ZvonAI uses your treatment list with durations and prices, asks intake questions such as whether there is an X-ray before an implant consultation, and books the right length of slot.
Is an AI receptionist GDPR compliant for a dental practice? It can be, if there is a data processing agreement and a lawful basis for recording. ZvonAI asks dental patients for consent before recording and does not record without it.
Will the AI give patients medical advice? It should not. ZvonAI never assesses symptoms or suggests medication; it records the reason for the visit and books a slot.
What happens when a patient calls with severe pain? ZvonAI offers a same-day slot and, for emergencies, passes the call to the dentist or tells the patient to call 112.
How much does an AI receptionist cost for a dental practice? In this comparison, from 349 PLN net per month (ZvonAI Solo) to $499 per month (Arini, as listed on Capterra). Compare the price per booked visit, not per minute.
Try ZvonAI free for 14 days at zvonai.ai, no card required.