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Group Dentistry Now asked members of its Editorial Board—comprised of thought leaders in clinical care, strategy, operations, HR, and marketing, etc. within the DSO space—for their perspectives on how technology is shaping the future of dentistry. Their insights formed the foundation of this article, offering a comprehensive view of how AI and other innovations are transforming diagnostics, streamlining practice management, and revolutionizing patient acquisition strategies across the industry.
Smarter Dentistry: How AI is Driving the Future of Clinical, Operational, Recruitment, and Marketing Excellence
In 2025, artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a future-facing buzzword in dentistry—it’s a central driver of transformation across clinical care, operational efficiency, recruitment and patient acquisition strategies. As DSOs and dental practices face rising demands for performance, consistency, and growth, AI technologies are stepping in as powerful tools that support smarter decisions and scalable improvements.
According to Roshan Parikh, DDS, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at DSO Strategy:
“Key Technological Trends that are carrying over from 2024 into 2025 hover around a deeper and more robust AI integration into both the clinical and administrative sides of dentistry and the DSO space. Further adoption of AI-powered imaging software for enhanced diagnostics. AI tools for predictive analytics for optimized practice management and clinical efficiency. The need for real-time data-driven insights for informing strategic decision-making is now becoming the norm. No more time left to be reactive, by nature.
As more and more DSOs are moving towards a single, integrated PMS platform, that also will help enable more automation of tasks, such as patient scheduling, payment posting and other RCM functions, and documentation with 2-way read/writeback.
In essence, 2025 is shaping up to be a year of significant technological advancement in the dental and DSO space, with AI, advanced diagnostics, and data-driven solutions playing a central role.”
Advancing Clinical Precision and Operational Efficiency
AI-powered diagnostic tools are reshaping how dental teams assess patient health. Imaging software enhanced by machine learning is now offering real-time assistance that supports both new and seasoned clinicians. These systems act as second sets of eyes, reducing the risk of oversight and increasing diagnostic accuracy. The outcome is a higher standard of care and a stronger foundation for clinical confidence.
This support is particularly beneficial in high-volume environments, where consistency in diagnosis and treatment planning is essential. By standardizing assessments and providing actionable insights, AI enables clinicians to focus more on patient interaction and outcomes rather than navigating uncertainty.
Simultaneously, the migration toward unified practice management systems is eliminating silos and increasing automation across revenue cycle management, documentation, and communication. These platforms allow seamless two-way data flow, reducing manual errors and freeing up staff to focus on higher-value tasks. The result is greater operational efficiency and enhanced scalability for growing DSOs.
Marisa Dolce, RDH, Vice President of Hygiene at Advanced Dental Brands, said:
“AI technology has been transforming medicine for years, enhancing areas like imaging, genomics, telemedicine, and real-time patient monitoring. It’s only natural that dentistry would follow suit.
At Advanced Dental Brands, we have recently implemented diagnostic AI, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. I believe this technology will be a game-changer for our providers.We’ve positioned it as a diagnostic assistant, offering critical support to both new and experienced clinicians. For hygienists and dentists early in their careers, it provides an extra layer of confidence as they refine their assessment skills. Even seasoned professionals are not immune to human error, and diagnostic AI ensures that potential conditions are not overlooked.
Having dedicated my entire career to dentistry—as a clinician, leader, and trainer, I know that efficiency is everything. AI’s ability to streamline diagnostics and administrative tasks allows clinicians to focus more on patient care, ultimately leading to better outcomes. I’m excited to see how AI continues to shape the future of dentistry.”
Marketing Transformation Through AI-Powered Tools
AI is also transforming how dental groups attract and retain patients. Marketing strategies are becoming more cost-effective and efficient thanks to AI-driven SEO tools, which improve online visibility at a fraction of traditional costs. Dental practices that once leaned heavily on pay-per-click advertising are now balancing that spend with smarter, organic growth strategies.
In tandem, AI-powered platforms are improving lead conversion by capturing and managing inbound inquiries in real time. These systems address one of the most persistent gaps in dental marketing: the missed call. By converting inquiries into booked appointments automatically, practices are no longer losing potential patients to voicemail or follow-up fatigue.
Ryan Torresan, Chief Marketing Officer at Peak Dental Services, shared:
“Marketing a dental practice has evolved drastically in recent years. Gone are the days when a simple website and a few Google Ads could maintain a full schedule. The emergence of AI-driven technology over the past year has completely transformed the landscape, making it easier and more cost-effective for dental groups to enhance organic traffic and boost patient acquisition.
AI-powered SEO tools are improving search rankings at a fraction of traditional costs, turning SEO from a budget-draining headache into a practical, affordable strategy for every office. Meanwhile, AI-powered solutions are ensuring that no call—or revenue opportunity—is missed, eliminating the dreaded “Oops, we missed your call!” text and effortlessly converting inbound inquiries into booked appointments.
While organic traffic—through SEO, reputation management, and social media—remains a critical element for patient acquisition, many dental groups still over-rely on pay-per-click and fail to fully capitalize on the long-term value of organic growth. AI-driven SEO offers a smarter, scalable solution to maintaining visibility without draining marketing budgets while complimenting your pay-per-click.
But driving traffic is only half the battle. Lead conversion is just as critical. That’s where AI-powered front-office assistants addressing missed calls and poor tracking ensure that potential patients are scheduled, not lost in voicemail. Do you know your lead conversion percentage? As someone with experience in both marketing and operations in the dental industry, I’ve seen firsthand how these innovations are reshaping the way we grow and scale successful practices.”
Rethinking Recruitment in a Competitive Market
Recruiting has become more complex and fast-paced than ever before. With increased competition for talent, especially in high-demand fields like healthcare and dentistry, organizations need tools that not only attract qualified candidates but also streamline internal communication and decision-making. Manual tracking and scattered processes can slow things down and result in missed opportunities. To keep up, many companies are turning to smarter, more centralized solutions.
According to Priyanki Amroliwala, Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition at 42North Dental:
“An Applicant Tracking System is software that is all about managing candidates during the hiring process. It’s a Recruiter’s best friend, a way to stay organized, and the best tool to have in house to communicate on all openings companywide that typically gets directed from Operations. It not only manages the applicants that come in, but it also manages the recruiting and hiring process, including job postings and applicants that come in through those job postings.
The goal of using this system is to communicate internally on current openings within the company and it speeds up HR’s review of applicants/resumes and keeps them along with the hiring team organized all throughout the hiring process.
Below are the main functions/reasons for utilizing an ATS:
- Job descriptions/ads – lets organizations reuse job descriptions/ads for multiple positions and helps keep the branding/messaging relevant and consistent.
- Job postings – it can post and manage job postings/ads on the organization’s internal and external career sites as well as across multiple job boards (i.e., indeed, LinkedIn, etc.).
- Database – it maintains the records/resumes of new applicants and people who have applied for jobs in the past that could be prospects for future employment.
- Aggregator – it aggregates information about the candidates, including any communications and jobs they may have applied to in the past to create a single view and profile of each candidate.
- Sort/Rank – it helps with the sorting of candidates and ranking them as well, for example, conducting an initial scan to select candidates who best fit the job criteria.
- Automation – it assists with setting up automatic responses, send out interview reminders, and alert people in the database of new job opportunities which helps the recruitment team in being proactive.
With so many applicant tracking systems on the market—it can be challenging to determine which one is the best fit for your DSO. A smart approach is to narrow it down to three strong options and involve the internal team who will be using the system daily. Their hands-on experience and feedback are essential to selecting a platform that truly meets your operational needs.”
A Unified Path Forward
What’s emerging in 2025 is a more integrated, intelligent model of dentistry—one that unites clinical care, back-office operations, and patient engagement under the guidance of AI. From enhancing diagnostic reliability to ensuring no marketing lead goes untracked, these technologies are enabling practices to perform with greater confidence, agility, and foresight.
For DSOs looking to scale efficiently while maintaining high standards of care, AI is proving to be an essential ally. The practices embracing it aren’t just keeping up—they’re setting the pace for what modern dentistry can and should look like.
