The first phone call is often the first real experience a new patient has of your practice. In a couple of minutes they decide whether you sound organised, friendly and worth trusting with their teeth. A good script doesn't make your team sound robotic. It makes sure every caller gets the same warm, complete experience, whoever picks up.
Below is a practical new-patient phone script for Australian dental practices, with notes on why each step matters and how to adapt it for an AI receptionist.
Key takeaways
- Answer with a greeting that includes the practice name and the person's name.
- Find out what the caller needs before you talk about availability.
- Offer two specific appointment times rather than asking an open question.
- Collect only the details you need to book, and confirm them back.
- End with what happens next: confirmation message, what to bring, where to park.
- Use the same structure for your AI receptionist so patients get a consistent experience.
The new-patient phone script
1. Greeting
"Good morning, Harbourside Dental, this is Mia speaking. How can I help you today?"
Keep it short and warm. Say the practice name first so the caller knows they've reached the right place. Smile while you talk; callers can hear it.
2. Identify the need
"Of course, we'd love to see you. Is this for a regular check-up and clean, or is something bothering you at the moment?"
This one question tells you how urgent the call is and what type and length of appointment to book. If the caller mentions pain, swelling, bleeding or an injury, switch to your urgent-call process (see below).
3. Check whether they're new
"Have you been to see us before?"
New patients usually need a longer first appointment, and you may want to send a medical history form before they arrive.
4. Offer specific times
"I have Tuesday at 9:20 with Dr Chen, or Thursday at 3:45 with Dr Patel. Would either of those suit?"
Two concrete choices are easier to answer than "When would you like to come in?" If neither suits, ask about mornings or afternoons and offer two more.
5. Collect booking details
Ask only for what you need to make the booking and contact the patient:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Mobile number
- Email address, if you send forms or confirmations by email
- Health fund, if they'd like you to check cover or use HICAPS on the day
Read the details back to confirm them. Mistakes in mobile numbers mean reminder messages never arrive.
6. Set expectations
"You're all booked in for Tuesday at 9:20 with Dr Chen. We'll text you a confirmation now, and a reminder the day before. Please arrive about 10 minutes early to fill in a short form. There's free parking behind the building."
This is the moment to mention anything that makes the first visit smoother: forms, what to bring, parking, and your cancellation policy.
7. Close warmly
"Is there anything else I can help you with? Lovely, we look forward to seeing you on Tuesday."
Common questions callers ask, and good answers
"How much is a check-up and clean?" Give a clear range for a standard new-patient exam and clean, and explain that the dentist will discuss any further treatment and its cost before going ahead. Avoid quoting treatment prices you can't stand behind.
"Do you take my health fund?" Explain whether you're a preferred provider for any funds, and that you can claim on the spot with HICAPS if you offer it. Gap amounts depend on the patient's level of cover. We cover this in more detail in cutting admin time on health fund enquiries.
"Do you see children?" If you do, mention whether you bulk-bill eligible children under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule. See our CDBS guide for front desks.
"Is the dentist gentle?" Be warm and honest, and describe how your team helps nervous patients. Don't make claims about clinical outcomes; the Ahpra advertising rules apply to what your practice says publicly.
Handling urgent calls
Your script needs a branch for urgent calls that every team member follows the same way:
- Life-threatening symptoms such as difficulty breathing or swallowing, rapidly spreading swelling or uncontrolled bleeding: tell the caller to call 000 or go to the nearest emergency department now.
- Dental emergencies such as a knocked-out adult tooth: follow the instructions your dentists have written, and get the patient seen or transferred to the on-call dentist as fast as possible.
- Pain or a broken tooth: offer the earliest emergency slot.
Reception staff and AI agents should never diagnose or give medication advice. If in doubt, they should hand over to a clinician.
Mistakes to avoid
- Putting new callers on hold straight away. If you must, ask first and keep it short.
- Leading with price. Find out what they need first, then talk about cost in context.
- Collecting too much. Long questionnaires belong in a form, not a phone call.
- Ending without next steps. Callers who don't know what happens next are more likely to no-show.
Using the same script with an AI receptionist
If you use an AI receptionist, give it the same structure: greeting, need, new or existing, two concrete options, details, confirmation and next steps. Load it with your real practice information (hours, location, parking, health funds, new-patient process) and set clear rules for what it must hand over to your team.
That way patients get the same experience at 7pm on a Sunday as at 10am on a Tuesday. Read more about how AI receptionists work and where they stop.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a new-patient booking call take?
Most routine booking calls can be done in a few minutes if the script is clear and your diary is easy to search. Time a few calls to set a realistic target for your practice.
Should we record calls for training?
Recordings are very useful for coaching, but the rules differ between states, so tell callers if you record. See our guide to call recording laws in Australia.
How often should we update the script?
Review it whenever your services, prices, health fund arrangements or opening hours change, and at least once a year.
Next steps
Print the script, role-play it with your team this week, and listen for gaps. If your team is too busy to answer every call, book a demo to hear how IntelliDent's AI receptionist follows your script on every call.