How Automation Is Reshaping the Dental Industry (and What That Means for Your Practice in 2025)

By: Sarah Beth Herman

Founder & CEO | Host of No Silver Spoons

Hey friends, it’s Sarah Beth Herman here — and if you’re reading this, you’re already doing something most leaders don’t: you’re staying ahead. We’re living in a moment where automation isn’t just something we’re preparing for — it’s already here. It’s influencing how we hire, how we manage tasks, and how we scale patient care. This free training is your no-fluff, no-filler walkthrough of what automation actually looks like inside dental offices, why it matters, and how to make sure it helps your practice, not hurts it.

This blog post is the companion to my latest podcast episode from No Silver Spoons, sponsored by Dentistry Support®. You can listen to the full episode here — it’s packed with even more examples and stories you won’t want to miss.

Why This Matters More Than Ever in 2025

The truth? Dentistry has always required agility. Patients need care, front office teams juggle a hundred plates, and business owners feel the pressure to do it all. Add outdated systems to the mix, and you're looking at burnout waiting to happen. Automation offers relief. Not replacement — relief. The right tools free up your team so they can do more of what they love and less of what drains them. This isn't about cutting corners. It's about cutting waste.

Let’s break down where you might be losing time — and how automation can fix it.

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Hiring in the Age of AI

“I can’t find good help.”

If you’ve said this recently (or heard your office manager say it), you’re not alone. According to the ADA’s Health Policy Institute (2024), nearly 37% of dental practices reported staffing shortages as their number one challenge.

But here’s the thing: the hiring game has changed.

What’s Working Now:

• AI-powered screening tools: These can filter resumes by qualifications, experience, and even culture fit — before you ever schedule an interview.

• Platforms like Mayday or TempMee: These apps connect you with temp or short-term dental staff instantly. No group posts. No reshares. Just coverage when you need it.

• Behavioral analysis integrations: New tools help predict job performance based on personality and past experience.

  
  

The result? You skip the Craigslist guesswork and walk into interviews with five pre-vetted candidates who already match your vibe and mission.

Real Talk: This isn't about replacing you in the hiring process. It’s about giving you your time back so you can focus on culture, retention, and training.

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Automation in Daily Dental Operations

From patient communication to billing, we’re seeing automation streamline the "have-to" tasks — and freeing up room for the "get-to" parts of your job.

Here’s Where You Might Already Be Using It (Without Realizing It):

• Text-based appointment reminders

• Digital forms synced to PMS systems

• Automated recall and re-care messages

• AI-driven insurance eligibility checks

• Real-time KPI dashboards

  
  

According to a 2025 case study published by the Journal of Dental Informatics, practices that implemented AI-driven systems for front-office tasks saw a 22% increase in productivity and a 16% improvement in patient satisfaction within the first 90 days.

But this only works if the systems are smart and the staff is trained. It’s not a magic fix — it’s a tool that works best when paired with leadership and clarity.

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Where It Gets Tricky: Insurance and Billing

Let’s talk about what nobody likes to talk about: billing.

Dental billing is one of the biggest bottlenecks in the practice. And while there are great automated tools out there for submitting claims and checking eligibility, most practices still need human strategy behind those tools.

At Dentistry Support®, we’ve worked with practices that came to us drowning in over-90 aging claims, only to clean it all up within 30 days using our blend of:

• Automated claim processing tools

• Live AR analysis

• Real-time reporting dashboards

• Human auditors who understand EOBs inside and out

Key takeaway: Automation helps — but only when it’s paired with experience.

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What About Outsourcing?

This is where people get nervous.

Outsourcing doesn’t mean losing control. In fact, it can mean gaining support.

When you partner with companies (like us), you're getting people who do this work full time — who know the codes, spot mistakes in seconds, and offer insights your in-house team might miss.

Here’s how to think about it:

• Outsourcing = Extending your team, not replacing it

• Use outsourcing for tasks that burn out your team, like eligibility checks, AR cleanup, and claims research

• Let your in-house team focus on relationships, treatment planning, and patient care

With the right setup, your in-house team thrives — and your outsourced team becomes your secret weapon.

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The Automation Readiness Checklist

Not sure where to begin? Start here. These seven questions will help you quickly audit where your practice stands:

1. Are your current systems cloud-based and accessible remotely?

2. Do you have appointment and recall automation in place?

3. Are your hiring processes digital or manual?

4. Is your insurance eligibility process manual or automated?

5. Can your team track their metrics in real-time?

6. Do you have a clear process for outsourcing tasks?

7. Are you using a team communication platform like Slack or Microsoft Teams?

Scored “No” on more than three? It’s time for an upgrade. And that’s okay. This isn’t about judgment — it’s about recognizing opportunities.

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SEO Keywords You Should Know (and Use)

Because this is a training page, let’s actually help your site too. If you’re writing about automation in dentistry or building your own patient-facing content, here are some 2025 SEO terms to start using:

• “Dental office automation tools”

• “AI dental scheduling”

• “Outsourced dental billing services”

• “Dental insurance verification automation”

• “Dental practice hiring tools”

• “Dental office productivity tips”

• “How to scale a dental practice”

• “Virtual dental team support”

We’ve optimized this entire blog with these keywords to help your practice show up when patients (or colleagues) Google questions about automation, efficiency, or modern dentistry.

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Final Thoughts from Sarah Beth

Here’s what I really want you to remember:

• Automation doesn’t eliminate jobs. It unlocks people. Your best team members want to use their strengths — automation lets them.

• You don’t have to do this alone. Support exists. You just need to raise your hand.

• Your systems shouldn’t hold you hostage. They should serve you. And if they don’t, it’s time to change them.

Leadership in 2025 is about strategy. It’s about choosing to run a practice that thrives, not just survives.

And if this sparked something in you — if you're nodding and thinking, “Yes, I need this,” then here’s your next step:

👉 Listen to the full podcast episode of No Silver Spoons right here

👉 Download your Automation Readiness Checklist

👉 Schedule a free consult with our team to talk about next steps

About Dentistry Support®

With over 600 team members and more than a decade of experience, Dentistry Support® offers outsourced dental billing, eligibility verification, credentialing, hiring support, virtual phone systems, and more — all powered by people and backed by automation.

We're not just systems. We’re support. The real kind.

If you’re ready to work smarter, reclaim your time, and finally get your systems in order — we’re here for you.

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Disclaimer:

To learn more about Sarah Beth Herman, the author of all free training content you can read her bio here. These materials are intended to provide helpful information to dentists and dental team members. They are in no way a substitute for actual professional advice based on your unique facts and circumstances. This content is not intended or offered, nor should it be taken, as legal or other professional advice. You should always consult with your own professional advisors (e.g. attorney, accountant, or insurance carrier). To the extent, Dentistry Support ®has included links to any third-party website (s), Dentistry Support ® intends no endorsement of their content and implies no affiliation with the organizations that provide their content. Further, Dentistry Support ® makes no representations or warranties about the information provided on those sites. You can view our privacy policy and terms and conditions by clicking those pages in the footer of our website.