The Dentalpreneur Podcast w/ Dr. Mark Costes 2449: Solving Missed Calls and Overflow with AI
Feb 19, 2026
Dr. Deren Flesher, dentist, entrepreneur, and founder of Airo Dental, builds AI tools for practices. He talks about an AI scheduling receptionist that handles missed calls, after-hours requests, and overflow. They cover real-call examples, why AI should augment rather than replace front desk staff, future modules like analytics and RCM, and practical limits such as hallucinations and verification.
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Use AI As Backup Receptionist
- Use AI to handle after-hours and overflow calls while keeping human receptionists as primary responders.
- Place AI as backup or second line so humans handle first-contact nuance and AI never misses a call.
Demos Often Fail In Real Practices
- Many AI receptionist demos fail in real practices because they don't handle complex scheduling rules and integrations.
- Deren built Airo Dental to work with real operatories, providers, appointment types and scheduling constraints.
Monitor Calls And Keep Humans First
- Monitor AI-handled calls and keep humans first in line to preserve patient experience and context.
- Use AI to capture calls humans miss and ensure higher total answer rates.