What is the best AI phone system for dental practices?

Dental IT
5 days ago
3 min read

At Dental IT, we’ve spent two decades helping UK dental practices modernise their technology. From cabling and internet to Microsoft 365, cloud security and, crucially, phone systems.

Phones still matter hugely for practices: they’re how new patients find you, how existing patients manage appointments, and how teams coordinate care.

Over the years we’ve implemented (and in some cases retired) a wide range of phone platforms. Here’s a no-nonsense look at what we’ve seen - the good, the bad, and the ones that simply didn’t keep up.

Looking to upgrade your dental phone system? Here's our summary of the best AI phone systems for dental practices.

The best AI phone systems for dental practices...

Asterisk & FreePBX

Ultra-low cost, feature rich, but showing its age

We’ve run sites with 10 extensions for under £50/month - unbeatable value.
Feature set is strong (recordings, custom call flows) but it’s on-premises first.
Lacks modern reporting, has no built-in AI, and its API is complex to integrate.
Great if you need maximum control and minimum spend, but not future-proof for most practices.

3CX

Flexible, but adds hardware complexity

Can run on-premise or in the cloud, but still requires a local hardware device even in cloud mode.
Inexpensive licensing and reliable day-to-day operation.
AI is promised (currently in beta) but not yet fully there.
A solid middle ground if you want a known brand and don’t mind a small box in the cupboard.

Sangoma Switchvox

🏅 Our current go-to for many practices

Works on-premise or in the cloud - flexible deployment options.
Excellent call centre management & reporting (great for busy reception teams).
API is decent (we’ve linked it to dental PMSs like Dentally) though it could be better maintained.
AI isn’t there yet, but the price/performance balance is strong today.

Gamma

Looked good - but the costs stacked up

Attractive at first, but when you add per-trunk and usage charges, the total bill becomes unpredictable.
Complex spreadsheets of costs/features made it hard to recommend confidently.
We’ve moved away from this for most practices.

Cisco PBXs

Rock solid, but stuck in the past

Once a gold standard - and still bulletproof in reliability.
But: expensive, on-premise only, slow to innovate, and now largely legacy for SMBs.
We wouldn’t advise investing here unless you’re a very large enterprise with specific Cisco needs.

Avaya

Once big, now fading

Another platform overtaken by cloud-based innovation.
We’ve seen it struggle to keep pace with new features and integrations.

Cisco UCaaS (BroadSoft/BroadWorks)

Underpins many white-label brands (Virgin, BT, etc.) - but dated

Reliable core, but pricing and feature growth haven’t impressed.
Feels like an old telco platform repackaged for modern use.

The future for dental practices is cloud-first, AI-powered phone systems that:

Work seamlessly anywhere (practice, home, remote receptionists).
Analyse and transcribe calls, helping you improve patient experience.
Integrate with practice management software for smarter workflows.
Provide real-time analytics so you know what’s happening on the phones.

That’s why we’re investing heavily in Zoom Phone & Zoom Contact Centre - with built-in AI, call transcripts, patient call analysis, and integrations into Microsoft 365 and leading dental platforms. It’s scalable, cost-predictable, and keeps reception teams efficient.