6 Klara Alternatives For Dentists and DSOs

While Klara serves multi-specialty healthcare practices with patient engagement tools, dental practices and DSOs face a unique challenge: 30% of calls go unanswered, and 78% of patients book with the first practice that responds. This gap between general healthcare platforms and dental-specific needs has created demand for alternatives that specialize in capturing missed calls and converting them into scheduled appointments. This guide examines six alternatives to Klara, starting with solutions purpose-built for dental workflows, to help practices select the right AI-powered patient communication infrastructure for their specific requirements.

Key Takeaways

• Dental-specific AI outperforms generic healthcare platforms: Resonate AI's dental-trained conversational AI handles insurance questions, procedure terminology, and urgent care protocols that multi-specialty platforms like Klara weren't designed to address
• Speed of response directly impacts revenue: Practices using instant missed call text engagement capture patients who would otherwise book with competitors—proven to recover $81,000 in revenue within 30 days in documented case studies
• All-in-one bundles may include features you don't need: Platforms like Weave bundle phones, payments, and reviews together, while specialized solutions like Resonate AI focus exclusively on missed call recovery with proven 17-61x ROI
• DSO scalability requires purpose-built infrastructure: Multi-location dental groups need centralized management with location-specific customization—a capability that varies significantly across platforms
• Implementation complexity differs dramatically: Some alternatives deploy in 24-48 hours with white-glove support while others require weeks of configuration and staff training

1. Resonate AI: Purpose-Built for Dental Missed Call Recovery

Resonate AI stands as the only platform designed specifically for converting missed dental calls into scheduled appointments through instant text engagement and human-like AI conversations. The platform addresses the core revenue problem dental practices face: patients who can't reach the office booking elsewhere.

Key Features:

• Instant missed call text engagement responding within seconds of a missed call
• Three integrated AI agents (Voice, SMS, Chat) sharing patient data across channels
• Dental-specific training on procedures, insurance questions, and urgency protocols
• Automatic Spanish language detection and switching for bilingual patient populations
• Real-time calendar integration for direct appointment booking
• HIPAA-compliant healthcare-grade security
• Monday morning email summaries with weekend activity and pre-qualified leads
• Integration with major dental PMS systems including Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Open Dental, Curve, and Denticon

Pricing Structure:

• Three tiers available: Small Practice, Growing Practice, and Enterprise DSO
• Free trial available
• No setup fees with month-to-month flexibility
• Contact for custom pricing

Documented Results:

The platform's strength lies in measurable ROI that practices can verify before committing long-term. Case studies demonstrate consistent performance across practice types:

• Facial & Oral Surgery Associates: 41 new patients and $81,000 revenue in 30 days with 61x ROI
• Family First Dental: 1,479 missed calls eliminated and 175 appointments captured generating $131,000 annual revenue
• Fresh Dental NC: 7x ROI with 143 appointments in a 30-day pilot
• Garden Springs Dental: 338 missed calls converted to 19 new patients in 30 days
• Zen Dentistry: 17x ROI achieved after testing multiple other AI vendors

Testimonials consistently highlight the AI's natural conversation quality. Multiple clients report patients complimenting AI receptionists by name without realizing they weren't human, and one oral surgeon reportedly had a full conversation before detecting it was AI.

For dental practices and DSOs prioritizing missed call recovery and proven ROI, Resonate AI offers the most specialized solution with the strongest documented results. Book a demo to see how the platform performs with your specific call volume and patient demographics.

2. Weave

Weave positions itself as a comprehensive communication suite bundling phones, texting, payments, scheduling, and review management into a single platform built specifically for dental practices.

Key Features:

• Native phone system: Integrated texting and voicemail capabilities
• Payment processing tools: Built-in billing and payment collection
• Review management: Reputation monitoring across multiple platforms
• Appointment automation: Reminders and patient recall workflows

Pricing Structure:

• Base plans starting at $249/month
• Ultimate, Elite, and Pro tiers

Best for: Practices seeking a single vendor for all communication needs, including phones, payments, and reviews, and willing to invest in a comprehensive bundled platform.

3. TrueLark

TrueLark focuses on AI-driven communication specifically for dental and wellness businesses, with direct Dentrix integration enabling automated appointment scheduling.

Key Features:

• 24/7 AI communication: Continuous patient engagement without human intervention
• Practice management integration: Direct connections to dental PMS systems
• Appointment automation: Scheduling and confirmation workflows
• Multilingual capabilities: Support for diverse patient populations

Pricing Structure:

• Book demo for pricing

Best for: Practices using Dentrix or similar PMS systems that want automated appointment scheduling with AI-powered 24/7 patient communication.

4. Smith.ai

Smith.ai combines AI efficiency with live human agents who can handle complex calls requiring judgment and nuance, offering a middle ground between fully automated and traditional answering services.

Key Features:

• Hybrid AI and human model: Automated routine handling with human escalation for complex situations
• Bilingual support: English and Spanish capabilities
• CRM integrations: Connections to Salesforce, Google Calendar, and other platforms
• Appointment scheduling: Calendar booking with callback options

Pricing Structure:

• AI Receptionist Starter tier at $95/month for 50 calls
• AI Receptionist Basic tier at $150/month for 150 calls
• AI Receptionist Pro tier at $800/month for 500 calls
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Best for: Practices wanting human backup for complex conversations while benefiting from AI efficiency on routine calls, and serving multiple industries beyond dental.

5. Ruby Receptionists

Ruby provides 100% live human receptionists for practices prioritizing personal touch over AI automation, with US-based agents handling calls professionally.

Key Features:

• Live human agents: Every call handled by a person
• Professional service tone: Friendly, consistent communication
• Message taking and routing: Call management and forwarding
• Extended hours coverage: Availability beyond standard business hours

Pricing Structure:

• Virtual receptionist plans start at $250/month for 50 minutes/month
• 100 minutes per month: $395/month
• 200 minutes per month: $720/month
• 500 minutes per month: $1,725/month

Best for: Practices that prefer human interaction for all patient communications and operate as a message-taking service rather than a booking system.

6. Solutionreach

Solutionreach provides patient engagement tools including reminders, recalls, and reviews for healthcare practices, with a long track record in the industry.

Key Features:

• Appointment management: Reminders and confirmations
• Patient recall workflows: Automated reactivation campaigns
• Review management: Solicitation and monitoring tools
• Two-way messaging: Patient communication capabilities

Pricing Structure:

• Custom quotes

Best for: Established practices needing structured patient relationship tools for ongoing communication and recall management rather than missed call recovery specifically.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does a dental AI virtual receptionist differ from a standard answering service?

Dental AI virtual receptionists like Resonate AI conduct intelligent conversations that understand dental terminology, insurance questions, and procedure types rather than simply taking messages. The AI can discuss treatment options, answer common questions, and book appointments directly into practice management software—capabilities traditional answering services cannot match. Additionally, AI responds instantly within seconds of a missed call, while human services involve delays for agent availability.

What kind of ROI can a dental practice expect from implementing an AI receptionist?

Documented case studies show significant variation based on practice size and call volume. Resonate AI clients have achieved results ranging from 7x ROI at Fresh Dental NC to 61x ROI at Facial & Oral Surgery Associates. The key driver is conversion rate on missed calls—practices with higher call volumes and more missed calls typically see larger revenue recovery.

Is AI technology for dental practices HIPAA compliant and secure?

Reputable dental AI platforms maintain HIPAA-compliant healthcare-grade security with encrypted communications and compliant data handling. When evaluating solutions, verify the vendor's HIPAA compliance documentation and ask about their security certifications. Resonate AI emphasizes healthcare-grade security with their North American development team for data governance compliance.

How quickly can an AI receptionist solution be implemented in a dental practice or DSO?

Implementation timelines vary significantly across platforms. Resonate AI offers white-glove onboarding with full deployment in 24-48 hours for single practices and 5 business days for DSO customers. Phone integration requires simple call-forwarding setup taking approximately 5 minutes with no hardware changes required. Other platforms may require longer implementation periods depending on integration complexity and customization needs.

Can an AI virtual receptionist handle emergency calls and complex patient inquiries?

Advanced dental AI systems include emergency detection and appropriate triage protocols, ensuring urgent situations receive proper routing rather than standard conversation flows. Resonate AI's contextual AI adapts responses based on patient inputs and handles complex scenarios including insurance objections and membership plan explanations. The system can escalate emergencies appropriately while managing routine inquiries autonomously.