What Should an Office Manager for a Dental Office Look for in a Software?

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As digital dentistry becomes more common at dental and oral surgery practices, choosing the right software will only become more important. Your choice of software is a key part of saving time, building patient trust, and maintaining digital security at your practice. Often, this has a big impact on the dental office manager, who has to research and make suggestions to the practice owner about what software would be the right fit. 

In this blog, we will discuss what office managers for a dental office should look for when choosing software.

2025 dental trends and how they affect office managers 

To choose the right dental software, it’s important to consider the context you’re choosing it in. In 2025, five major trends are shaping the dental industry: 

1. Digital dentistry continues to advance, with AI enhancing diagnostics, treatment planning, and operations — though environmental concerns around its energy use persist. 
2. Patients’ expectations are rising alongside broader consumer standards. They want seamless, tech-enabled communication and increasingly value eco-conscious practices.
3. Cosmetic dentistry is leading innovation with personalized, tech-driven procedures like Digital Smile Design, laser gum contouring, and biocompatible materials. 
4. Dental Service Organization (DSO) acquisitions are accelerating as practitioners look to retire and DSOs seek tech-forward, patient-centric practices.
5. Staffing shortages remain a top concern, driven by burnout and workforce shifts post-pandemic. Practices are turning to automation and digital tools to ease staff burdens and maintain high-quality care. 

If we look at these trends, we see the need for dental and oral surgery practices to prioritize patient experiences — and, prioritize the well-being of their staff.

Let’s take a slightly closer look at a few of these trends and how they might affect your choice of software.

What is digital dentistry?

Digital dentistry is something most dental office managers have to consider in their daily work.  But what is it, exactly?

Digital dentistry the use of digital technologies and devices to carry out dental procedures, improve diagnostic accuracy, streamline workflows, and enhance patient care.

This includes many things, from 3D imaging and CAD/CAM restorations to AI-assisted diagnostics and cloud-based practice management systems.

As digital dentistry becomes more central to how dental and oral surgery practices do their daily work, it changes what kind of software is necessary to stay relevant. Practices must now look for software solutions that:

• Support great clinical outcomes
• Enhance patient engagement
• Automate administrative tasks 
• Integrate seamlessly with digital tools 

Staffing shortages continue in 2025

As we’ve mentioned, staffing shortages continue to be a big challenge in the dental landscape in 2025 and likely beyond. Office managers for dental and oral surgery practices often feel the effects of this first-hand.

Ongoing effects from the COVID-19 pandemic, burnout, and a shrinking labor pool have left many practices struggling to fill some roles, including administrative and support roles.

For busy practices, this shortage can lead to:

• Longer wait times
• Overburdened staff
• De-prioritized patient experiences

One of the things that is so challenging about staff shortages? Patient expectations have risen.

Patients have high expectations

In 2025, patient expectations in dentistry are higher than ever, shaped by the convenience, personalization, and responsiveness they experience in other parts of their daily lives. From online shopping to service appointments, patients are used to receiving timely reminders, clear instructions, and user-friendly digital communication — and they now expect the same from their dental care providers. 

Patient expectations include quick, accessible ways to:

• Book appointments
• Fill out forms
• Connect with the office
• Confirm appointments 

They also increasingly value transparency, environmental responsibility, and the use of modern technology in their care. A growing number of patients expect practices to use tools like AI diagnostics, 3D imaging, and digital records, seeing them as signs of professionalism and quality. 

For dental and oral surgery practices, this shift means that meeting these rising expectations isn’t just about offering excellent clinical care — it’s also about delivering a smooth, patient-centered experience. Practices that invest in digital communication tools and modern software are better positioned to keep patients satisfied, loyal, and engaged.

Why does the right dental office software matter?

Just as you want the right medical equipment during a procedure, you want the right dental office software for all your staff! When we’re looking at these trends, we see how choosing the right software becomes so key. 

Since office managers are often the operational backbone of the team, it can fall to them to make the important choices about  software for the front-desk staff. Especially when navigating tight resources, investing in scalable software that automates tasks is a common-sense move.

Again, let’s consider the trends: it’s not enough for platforms to simply manage scheduling, or appointment reminders. Software that automates routine tasks not only improves daily workflows but also frees up valuable staff time, allowing teams to focus on delivering an exceptional patient experience. 

As staffing shortages continue to impact practices across the industry, software plays a crucial role in bridging the gap. Instead of overburdening a lean team or scrambling to hire, practices can rely on digital tools to maintain quality care without compromise. These solutions support long-term sustainability by easing administrative pressure and allowing existing staff to focus on what matters most — patient care.
 

What kind of software does the front desk staff need?

The right platform can simplify complex tasks and reduce manual workload, making daily operations more manageable — especially for an office manager for a dental office who oversees these processes. Key features to look for in software include:

• Appointment scheduling with calendar syncing and waitlist management
• Automated reminders and confirmations via text, email, or phone
• Digital forms and contactless check-in to streamline intake and reduce paper use
• Two-way patient communication for rescheduling, reminders, and updates
• Centralized dashboard to monitor performance, patient flow, and staff productivity
• Referral management tools to track incoming and outgoing referrals efficiently
• Reputation management tools to collect reviews, monitor feedback, and improve online visibility
• HIPAA-compliant data management to protect patient privacy

With the right software, front desk staff can focus less on juggling tasks and more on creating a smooth, welcoming experience for every patient.

Let’s take a closer look at three key features that can save time for front desk staff. 

Digital forms 

Instead of chasing down paperwork or manually inputting patient details, utilizing digital forms simplifies intake and saves time. Whether it’s consent forms or health history updates, digital forms give teams less back-and-forth with patients.

For patients, digital forms attached to an email or a text are more convenient, because they can fill them out in the comfort of their own home, on their own time. This also means that it saves time. No more eating into an appointment slot or having to get to the dentist early to fill out forms!

They also save staff time. By moving away from clipboards and stacks of paper, front office staff can spend less time filing and more time focusing on what really matters — delivering a great in-office experience. Plus, it means fewer chances for errors or missed info when the staff are not translating from someone’s handwriting.

Here’s what digital forms bring to the table:

• Faster intake: Information is collected before patients walk through the door.
• Less manual entry: Digital data can be integrated directly with other practice systems, reducing duplication.
• Better visibility: Staff can see what’s been submitted and what’s still outstanding in real time.
• Fewer missed forms: Automated reminders help ensure patients complete everything ahead of time.

All in all, digital forms free up time, reduce stress, and help practices run more smoothly from the front desk to the operatory.

Referral management

Managing patient referrals can be one of the more time-consuming (and let’s be honest, chaotic) parts of front office life in a dental or oral surgery practice. Between forwarding records, confirming the referral got to the specialist or back to the GP, following up on appointments, and making sure nothing falls through the cracks — it’s a lot. That’s where a good referral management tool can lighten the load.

Instead of juggling emails, faxes, and sticky notes, staff can handle everything in one place. A solid system makes it easy to send and receive referrals, track patient progress, and securely share information with other offices. Less back-and-forth, more control.

Here’s how a referral management tool helps:

• Centralizes communication: Send and receive referrals in one platform — no more digging through inboxes.
• Saves time: Automatically track a referral status instead of manually checking in with other offices.
• Improves visibility: See where each patient is in their treatment journey, from referral to follow-up.
• Protects patient data: Share information securely and stay compliant with privacy regulations like HIPAA and PIPEDA.
• Simplifies transfers: Move patients between providers quickly, without printing or scanning anything.

When referrals run smoothly, the whole practice feels it — less stress at the front desk, better coordination with partners, and ultimately, a better experience for patients.

Reputation management

Reputation management might sound like a marketing job — but it’s really the front desk staff that do that majority of it!

A strong flow of positive online reviews means more new patients calling, fewer awkward conversations with unhappy ones, and less pressure to “do it all” without feedback. With the right reputation management tools in place, front desk teams can easily collect patient feedback, address concerns early, and turn great experiences into glowing reviews — all without adding more to their already full plate.

The best part? It’s mostly automated. Patients get a quick survey or review prompt after their appointment, and the system handles the rest. Happy patients share their experience online, and not-so-happy ones get a chance to voice concerns privately — giving the practice a chance to improve without a public hit.

Here’s how reputation management tools help front office staff:

• Reduce manual outreach: Automatically send review requests and feedback surveys — no follow-up needed.
• Catch issues early: Get direct feedback before it turns into a public complaint.
• Boost reviews easily: Prompt satisfied patients to leave Google or social media reviews while their visit is still top of mind.
• Attract new patients: More positive reviews = better online visibility and credibility.
• Save time and stress: Let automation do the asking so staff can focus on in-person care.

Reputation management isn’t just about the star rating — it’s about giving front office staff the tools to proactively build trust, improve service, and bring more happy patients through the door.

Intiveo proudly supports office managers for dental practices

At Intiveo, we offer a wide variety of resources for dental office managers and front desk staff, including guides, benchmark reports, template packages, and more, including our podcast, The Patient Experience Blueprint.