Case Study: How a Solo Dentist in Edmonton Got 38 New Patients Without Hiring Another Receptionist

The Problem

One great dentist. One great admin. Not enough hands.

Dr. Sarah M. built a reputation as the friendliest dentist on the south side of Edmonton. The problem? That reputation drove more calls than her one-person front desk could handle.

"Jennifer is great, but she can only do so much. She's checking patients in, answering insurance questions, confirming appointments — the phone would ring 4 times and go to voicemail. I was losing new patients before they even got a chance to meet me." — Dr. Sarah M., Riverside Family Dental

After hours was worse. Dental emergencies — broken teeth, lost crowns, severe pain — were calling at 9 PM and getting voicemail. By morning, they'd found another dentist on Google.

"I'd get in on Monday morning and have 6–7 missed calls over the weekend. Some left messages. Some didn't. Each one who booked elsewhere was a long-term patient I never got the chance to win." — Dr. Sarah M., Riverside Family Dental

Hiring a second receptionist would solve the problem — but at $22–26/hour, a part-time hire was $800+ per week before a single new patient paid a bill. For a 2-chair solo practice, the math didn't work.

$250

Average new patient value (first visit) — every missed inquiry was money walking out the door

12–15

Calls going to voicemail every day — a mix of in-hours overflow and after-hours inquiries

40%

Of missed callers don't leave a voicemail — they just call the next clinic on Google

The Solution

An AI receptionist warm enough for a dental patient.

Dr. Sarah heard about MPG from another Edmonton dentist. She was worried about how it would sound to patients — dental patients expect a human touch. A cold or robotic voice would do more damage than a missed call.

She was skeptical. She signed up anyway.

"I was shocked. It sounds professional, warm, natural. It tells them my name, my practice name, asks if they're an existing patient or new. It books new patient appointments directly into my schedule." — Dr. Sarah M., Riverside Family Dental

Setup took 8 minutes. Dr. Sarah configured her clinic hours, listed her services (cleanings, fillings, emergency dental, cosmetic), and set emergency protocols for dental pain, broken teeth, and knocked-out teeth. Then she went live.

That evening, her first after-hours call came in. The patient had a cracked crown and was worried about eating. MPG answered, gathered the details, flagged it as urgent, and texted Dr. Sarah. She called back within 20 minutes. The patient became a regular.

The Results

What happened in month one.

First Week

After-hours calls captured for the first time

19 after-hours calls captured (previously all voicemail)

11 new patient appointments booked directly into schedule

3 dental emergencies escalated and called back same-day

Full Month 1

The complete picture

38 new patient appointments booked

$9,500 in first-visit revenue

Jennifer freed an estimated 2 hours/day previously spent on phone tag

0 emergency calls missed

"My patients now get a response at 11 PM if they're in pain. And Jennifer actually has time to focus on the patients in front of her instead of the phone. This is what I needed."

Dr. Sarah M. · Riverside Family Dental, Edmonton AB

How it worked

The features that made the difference.

🚨

Emergency Dental Protocol

Tooth pain, broken teeth, and knocked-out teeth are escalated immediately — not left in a voicemail queue. Dr. Sarah gets a text and calls back within the hour.

📋

New Patient Booking

MPG captures insurance info, preferred appointment times, and reason for visit — so the first call does all the intake work Jennifer used to handle manually.

🧘

Jennifer's New Role

With phone tag off her plate, Jennifer focuses entirely on the patients sitting in front of her — check-ins, insurance coordination, and the in-person experience that keeps patients coming back.

How a Solo Dentist in Edmonton Got 38 New Patients Without Hiring Another Receptionist