AI Tools for Dental Practices in 2026: Imaging AI, Scribes, AI Receptionists and Analytics Compared

The demo went well. The imaging AI drew colored boxes around two lesions the doctor had already seen and one she hadn't, the scribe wrote a clean SOAP note from a two-minute conversation, and the AI receptionist booked a test call into the schedule. Then the office manager asked three questions nobody in the room could answer: where do the x-rays go, who signs the business associate agreement, and what has to be installed on our computers?

This guide lists 17 tools we checked on each vendor's own website on 4 November 2026. For each one it gives what the vendor says the tool does, the software it says it connects to, the exact business associate wording on its site (or the fact that we found none), and what your IT has to set up before go-live. It does not rank tools by clinical accuracy: that is a decision for the dentist, and the FDA clearance record is the starting point. The data-risk side of free chatbots is covered in our guide to whether free AI tools create HIPAA risk.

Which AI tools are dental practices using in 2026?

Mostly imaging AI and front-office tools. In the American Dental Association's July 2026 survey, 43.3% of responding dentists used AI for at least one task; the most common use was imaging and diagnostics (22.8%), followed by insurance verification (13.6%). Note-taking is where most plan to start next: 34.8% said they plan to use AI for charting.

The same ADA Health Policy Institute report found 10.1% using AI for reception or front-desk check-in, and 82.6% with no plans to use it for treatment recommendations (ADA HPI, Dentists' AI usage and attitudes, July 2026). One respondent summed up the caution many dentists share: "x-rays still need to be reviewed without it anyway, as it makes mistakes."

The table below is the short version. "BAA wording" means what the vendor's own public pages said on 4 November 2026. "Not stated" means we found no business associate wording on the pages we read; it does not mean the vendor refuses to sign one. Ask.

Checked on each vendor's own website on 4 November 2026. Vendors change these pages without notice; ask for the current BAA in writing before you sign.

Two patterns stand out. First, the vendors whose tools touch the phone and the patient record most directly (Weave, Dental Intelligence, Practice by Numbers) are the ones that publish BAA wording. Second, many vendors describe their platform in HIPAA terms or show a SOC 2 badge without saying a word about a BAA. A badge describes the vendor's own controls. The BAA is the contract that binds the vendor to protect your patients' data. Ask for the BAA, not the badge.

Imaging AI: which tools read dental x-rays, and what do they need from IT?

Imaging AI tools read radiographs and mark possible findings such as caries, calculus, bone loss and periapical radiolucencies. The established names are Overjet, Pearl, Videa, Diagnocat and Denti.AI, each with FDA 510(k) clearances you can look up. IT's job is the bridge between your imaging software and the vendor's cloud, plus accounts and firewall rules.

A 510(k) clearance is the FDA's decision that a medical device, including AI software, can be marketed in the United States for a stated use. The FDA keeps a list of AI-enabled medical devices; it says the list "is not a comprehensive resource," and dental x-ray AI is filed under the radiology panel, so search the 510(k) database by company name too.

Overjet

Overjet describes its Vision AI as "FDA-cleared AI for comprehensive diagnosis & patient education" and also sells Voice (ambient notes) and Ivy (an AI insurance coordinator). FDA's 510(k) database lists 12 Overjet records, from K210187 (May 2021) to K261059 (August 2026), including a CBCT tool cleared in December 2025 (openFDA, Overjet). Its Trust Center says "Google Cloud Platform is used for platform infrastructure," and its HIPAA policy says: "We also fully comply with all business associate obligations under HIPAA/HITECH." Neither page offers a BAA document by name, so ask for one.

Pearl

Pearl's Second Opinion is described as detecting "pathologies in x-rays using AI." FDA's database lists 8 Pearl, Inc. 510(k) records, from K210365 (March 2022) to K250525 (November 2025), covering 2D, pediatric, panoramic and 3D versions (openFDA, Pearl). Pearl's own site cites a higher count, which may include clearances outside the US, so check the US record for the exact product you are buying. Pearl says it has "40+ Integrations" and shows logos for practice and imaging systems including Dentrix Ascend, Eaglesoft, Open Dental, Denticon, Carestream, Romexis, Vatech, Dolphin and Apteryx. Pearl Voice adds ambient clinical notes and perio charting that "writes back notes automatically."

Videa

Videa (formerly VideaHealth) "connects diagnostics, documentation, and daily operations." FDA's database lists four VideaHealth 510(k) records, from K213795 (April 2022) to K251002, Videa Dental AI, cleared on 19 September 2025 (FDA K251002). Voice Perio offers "hands-free perio charting that writes directly back to your PMS." Videa's site did not state BAA wording when we checked on 4 November 2026. Large groups use it: Heartland Dental's October 2026 announcement of a new affiliated group listed "artificial intelligence powered by VideaAI" among the tools practices gain.

Diagnocat

Diagnocat analyzes "intraoral X-rays, panoramic radiographs (OPGs) and CBCT scans" and produces radiology reports, 3D models and implant-planning output. Its integration page describes an imaging application on the x-ray computer for automatic upload and names imaging software including Romexis, DEXIS, Carestream, Schick, VixWin and Ez3D-i. FDA's database shows K252934, cleared 15 January 2026 under the company name DGNCT, LLC.

Denti.AI

Denti.AI sells Detect, which "identifies potential issues such as caries, apical radiolucencies, and bone loss," Auto-Chart for existing restorations, and a scribe. FDA lists K222054 (Auto-Chart, November 2022) and K230144 (Detect, October 2023; record). It names integrations with Dentrix, Dentrix Ascend, Denticon, CareStack, Open Dental, Eaglesoft and Curve, and notes that "some features depend on your practice management system."

What IT must set up for imaging AI

• • The bridge. Find out exactly where the vendor's connector runs: on the imaging server, on each capture computer, or in the cloud practice system. A connector on the imaging server must survive Windows updates and imaging-software upgrades; test both.
• • Outbound access. Images leave the building. Allow only the vendor's documented addresses through the firewall, and check the upload does not slow the front desk first thing in the morning when the first bitewings go up.
• • One sign-in per provider. Individual accounts, multi-factor authentication and single sign-on where offered. No shared "doctor" login.
• • Who sees the results. In a group, AI findings can be reported upward. Decide who can see provider-level reports before go-live.
• • Your imaging software's support. Ask your imaging vendor whether the AI connector is supported in their environment. The IT environment around DEXIS, Carestream, Vatech, Planmeca Romexis and Dolphin is where most go-live problems show up.

For choosing the imaging platform itself, see our comparison of dental imaging software.

AI scribes and voice charting: what do they need?

AI scribes listen to the visit and draft the clinical note; voice charting tools let a hygienist call out perio readings hands-free. Bola AI, DentScribe and Denti.AI focus on this, and Overjet, Pearl and Videa now add voice products. IT must handle microphones, phones or tablets, Wi-Fi, write-back permissions and where audio is stored.

Bola AI

Bola AI offers an AI scribe, Voice Perio ("Complete a perio chart hands-free") and Voice Restorative. It names Dentrix, Dentrix Ascend, Eaglesoft, Open Dental, Curve and Fuse, adds that "available products and functionality can vary by practice management system," and says "no special computer hardware or individual voice training is required," while recommending a quality microphone. It says it is designed to meet HIPAA requirements and offers "Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) to dental practices."

DentScribe

DentScribe "listens chairside, writes complete dental SOAP notes" from an iOS or Android app. It names integrations with Dentrix, Open Dental and Eaglesoft and lists "BAA availability for qualifying clients."

Denti.AI Scribe and the imaging vendors' voice tools

Denti.AI describes its scribe as an "AI-powered assistant designed to record conversations between clinicians and patients" and sells a wireless microphone. Pearl Voice, Videa Voice Notes and Voice Perio, and Overjet Voice are the imaging vendors' answers. If you already use one of them for x-rays, ask whether voice runs under the same contract and BAA.

What IT must set up for scribes

• • Devices. Phones and tablets that hold patient audio need device management, a passcode policy and remote wipe. A personal phone running a scribe app is a personal phone with patient data on it.
• • Microphones and Wi-Fi. Put scribe devices on the staff network segment, not guest Wi-Fi, and check coverage in every operatory; hygienists abandon tools that drop mid-chart.
• • Write-back permissions. A scribe that writes into Dentrix or Open Dental needs a service account with the narrowest rights that work. Log what it writes.
• • Audio and retention. Ask where recordings are stored, for how long, and whether they are used to train the vendor's models.
• • Consent. Whether you must tell patients they are being recorded depends on your state. That is a question for your counsel, not your IT provider.

Dentaltown's July 2026 piece on voice perio charting reported one office where "the hygienists eventually wanted to cancel it," asking: "If your hygienist does not trust the chart when the appointment is over, did the technology really save any time?" Run a pilot in one operatory before you roll out. The full go-live checklist is in our guide to what IT must set up before the first AI tool.

AI receptionists: which tools answer the phone, and what do they need?

AI receptionists answer calls and texts the front desk misses, book into the schedule and hand off to staff. Weave, Arini, Dental Intelligence, Practice by Numbers, Adit and Mango Voice all sell one. IT must decide how calls reach the AI (forwarding, not porting your number), what schedule access it gets, and what happens when the vendor or your internet is down.

Weave AI Receptionist

Weave's AI Receptionist answers calls and texts and, when unsure, "automatically routes the message or call to your team." Booking straight into the calendar is "for qualified Dental PMS only," and the product is "built right into the Weave platform," so it needs Weave phones. Weave publishes a business associate agreement, last updated 10 April 2026.

Dental Intelligence and Practice by Numbers

Dental Intelligence says its AI Receptionist "runs inside Dental Intelligence using data from your PMS," works with "most major VoIP providers," and answers the question of whether you need a new phone system with "Almost certainly not." It publishes a BAA. Practice by Numbers' AI Receptionist answers "after hours, lunch breaks, and busy front desk moments"; its security page says "We provide Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) for customers who require one" and lists integrations including Dentrix, Dentrix Ascend, Eaglesoft, Open Dental and Curve Dental.

Arini, Adit and Mango Voice

Arini says its agents work "around the clock," integrate "with your existing systems," and "can be deployed in days." Adit describes an agent that "handles all after-hours and missed calls" in 10+ languages. Mango Voice adds Margo, an AI receptionist, to its cloud phone system and transcribes and summarizes calls into the patient record. None of the three stated BAA wording on the pages we read.

What IT must set up for AI receptionists

• • Routing. Forward overflow and after-hours calls to the AI; keep your main number where it is. Map every call path, including the second office and the fax line.
• • Schedule access. Start with read-only access and add booking later. Know which account the AI books under, so every appointment it creates is traceable.
• • Failure. Unplug the internet in a test and call the office. Then ask the vendor what callers hear when its platform is down.
• • Recording notice. Recording and AI-disclosure rules vary by state; get counsel's sign-off on the greeting.

Not everyone is convinced: a March 2025 Dentaltown post by a dental marketing vendor called the category "one big grift," blaming context limits for failed calls. Test with your own call mix. The full before-you-sign list is in our guide to AI receptionists and answering services, and the phone-system side is in VoIP phone systems for dental offices.

Analytics AI: what can it answer, and what does it read?

Analytics tools pull data from your practice software and turn it into dashboards; the AI layer lets you ask questions in plain English ("which hygienists have the most unscheduled treatment?"). Dental Intelligence and Practice by Numbers are the two most visible. IT's job is the data connection: what is installed on the server, what it reads, and who can see it.

Dental Intelligence says you can "ask your practice's data any question and get an answer in seconds" and names Open Dental, Eaglesoft, Dentrix, Dentrix Ascend, Denticon and Fuse. Practice by Numbers calls PbN AI the "most advanced AI assistant for dental practices" (the vendor's words) and states data is "encrypted in transit using TLS 1.2 or higher and encrypted at rest using AES-256."

What IT must set up:

• • The sync agent. Server-based practice software usually needs a small program on the server to read the database. Confirm it runs as a dedicated service account, survives server reboots and updates, and is removed if you leave.
• • Scope. Ask whether it reads clinical notes and images or only scheduling and financial tables.
• • Access. Dashboards show production by provider. Decide which staff roles see them.

A full comparison of the analytics tools themselves is in our dental practice analytics software guide, and patient texting and reminders are in dental patient communication software.

AI inside your practice software: what is already switched on?

The cloud practice-management systems now ship their own AI: Dentrix Ascend, Curve, CareStack and Planet DDS's Denticon all advertise AI for imaging, notes, insurance or patient follow-up. That is convenient, but it means AI may already be in your contract. IT's job is to know what is enabled, who can turn it on, and what the cloud system needs from your network.

• • Dentrix Ascend (Henry Schein One) says AI "reviews every radiograph as it's captured," that "Voice Notes captures structured SOAP notes," and that Revenue Cycle AI uses "AI agents calling payers when needed." It describes an "FDA-cleared Detect AI" without naming the clearance on the page (Dentrix Ascend AI); ask Henry Schein One for the 510(k) number.
• • Curve Dental calls itself "the AI-powered, cloud-based dental practice management platform"; its Care+ suite uses "imaging powered by Pearl AI" and "AI call summaries powered by Mango Voice." Curve publishes concrete system requirements: 10 Mbps down and 5 up for 1–10 users, "satellite and wireless service are not recommended," Chrome as the fully supported browser, 8 GB of RAM (16 GB recommended), and Curve Capture "is not supported on terminal servers (including RDP or Citrix)."
• • CareStack offers an "AI Team": Connie (confirmations) and Colby (collections) now, with others "launching soon," plus VoiceStack for calls and Aeka imaging.
• • Planet DDS sells AI agents for confirmations, recall, missed appointments and rescheduling, says it partners with "Overjet, Pearl, and VideaHealth for imaging," and lists "100+ Integration Partners" (DentalOS with AI).

If you are still choosing the system, read cloud-based dental practice management software compared and our wider practice management software selection guide.

Which AI tool fits your practice?

Start with the problem, not the product. A solo practice usually gets the most from one tool that fixes its biggest daily loss (missed calls or slow notes). Groups should standardize on one imaging AI and one scribe across offices. Startups should choose AI after the practice software, because integration decides most of the shortlist.

Groups weighing tools at scale can see how the largest organizations are organized in our list of the largest DSOs in the US in 2026; many vendors in this guide also exhibit at the events in our dental conferences 2026 calendar.

What to verify before you sign an AI contract

Get five things in writing: a signed BAA, the list of sub-processors that will hold your data, whether your data trains the vendor's models, how you export and delete data when you leave, and the 510(k) number for any diagnostic claim. Then confirm your own backups and who deals with the vendor when the connector breaks.

HIPAA's privacy rule lets a covered entity share patient information with a business associate only "if the covered entity obtains satisfactory assurance that the business associate will appropriately safeguard the information" (45 CFR 164.502(e)). In practice that assurance is the BAA. Which vendors need one, and what it should say, is a compliance question; read it with your compliance adviser.

The ADA put the dentist's position plainly in its February 2026 letter to HHS: dentists "should be able to rely on technology vendors to deliver secure, compliant systems by default" (ADA News, 20 Feb 2026). Until that is true, verify.

The contract checklist

• • A BAA signed by the vendor, not only a security badge on its website
• • The sub-processors (cloud host, speech engine, AI model provider) and where data is stored
• • Whether your images, audio or notes are used to train models, and how to opt out
• • Retention periods for images, audio and transcripts
• • The FDA 510(k) number for any diagnostic feature, matched to the product name you are buying
• • How the tool connects: API, bridge on a server, or screen-reading agent, and what rights it needs
• • What happens to your data, accounts and connectors when you cancel
• • Who in your office can turn features on, and whether new AI features arrive switched on
• • Your own backups: the vendor's copy is not your backup. Keep the practice database and images in an air-gapped or immutable backup that no AI connector or vendor account can reach, and test a restore after go-live
• • Who coordinates with the vendor when the connector breaks after an update: your IT provider, the vendor's support desk, or nobody, and whether that work is included in your IT provider's monthly fee or billed separately

The IT side: what each AI tool needs from your network, computers and phones

Every AI tool in this guide sends patient data out of the office to a vendor's cloud, and most install something or need a new account. The table below is the IT work behind each category, the part vendor demos skip.

What to ask your IT provider about AI tools

• • Which AI tools already have access to our data, including ones staff signed up for themselves?
• • Where does each connector run, and will it survive the next Windows and imaging-software update?
• • Do we have a signed BAA on file for every AI vendor that touches patient data?
• • Are scribe phones and tablets managed, encrypted and remotely wipeable?
• • When someone leaves, who removes their access to every AI tool, not only the practice software?
• • What happens to calls, notes and image uploads when our internet goes down?

Legend Networking is a Dallas-based dental IT company that has served over 3,500 practices since 2004, with 24/7 monitoring and in-house engineers; no outsourced first-level triage. The author, Ian Lynch, has 22 years in dental IT and oversees the NOC, onsite dispatch and client technology roadmaps. Practices rate the company 4.8 from 173 Google reviews. We support the IT environment around Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Open Dental and Archy, and imaging systems from DEXIS, Vatech, Carestream, Planmeca/Romexis and Dolphin Imaging; see our practice management software and imaging support, our approach to dental cybersecurity, and projects we have published.