Dental Notes Assistant Support

Patient Consent

Before recording any clinical dictation, it is important to obtain consent from your patient. The Dental Notes Assistant records audio which is sent for transcription, so patients should be made aware of this.

What to Tell the Patient

A simple verbal explanation is usually sufficient. For example:

Key points to communicate to the patient:

• Audio is used only for transcription and is not permanently stored
• Transcription is processed via a secure EU-based service (Speechmatics)
• Patient data is anonymised during AI processing at all times
• They can decline, in which case you can type notes manually instead

Recording & Dictation

The Dictation screen is where you’ll spend most of your time. It allows you to record clinical observations using your microphone and then generate formatted notes using AI.

Starting a Recording

1. Click the microphone button by the text box. The button will turn red to indicate recording is active.
2. Start recording (with the patient’s consent) then conduct your appointment as normal. You can save yourself time by clearly stating which tooth you and the patient are talking about. For example, the patient says “this tooth down here hurts” — then you say “ah yes that one, your lower left second molar”. The other way to do this is to dictate a quick summary at the end of the appointment once the patient has gone. This can be especially useful for things like a periodontal diagnosis.
3. When you’ve finished dictating, click the microphone button again to stop recording.
4. Your transcribed text will appear in the text area on the left side of the screen.
5. Once you’re happy with the transcription, choose the output type (Exam, Treatment, Hygiene, etc.) and click the generate button.

You do not need to select the note type before recording. Simply record your dictation first, then choose the appropriate output format afterwards. This means you can decide how to format the note after you’ve finished speaking.

Editing Your Transcription

After recording, you can edit the transcribed text directly in the text area before generating your note. This is useful for:

• Correcting any transcription errors
• Adding details you may have forgotten to dictate
• Removing irrelevant speech (e.g. conversations with the patient)

Once the transcript has been processed, if any bits aren’t right, you can use the corrections box at the bottom and dictate with the microphone button.

Manual Text Entry

If you prefer typing, you can enter your clinical observations directly into the text area without using the microphone. This is also useful for adding structured data such as tooth numbers or measurements.

Side-by-Side View

Click the expand button to switch to a side-by-side layout. This shows your raw transcription on the left and the generated note on the right, making it easy to compare and verify the output.

Phone Microphone

The Phone Microphone feature lets you use your smartphone as a wireless microphone. This is useful if you don’t have a dedicated microphone. Set it going and put it in your pocket, ideally on your top half, like a tunic pocket.

How It Works

Your phone captures audio and streams it in real time to the desktop application. The transcription appears on your computer screen just as if you were using the computer’s built-in microphone.

Setting Up the Phone Mic

1. On the main Dictation screen on your computer, click the phone mic button (phone icon). A QR code or room code will appear.
2. On your smartphone, open your web browser and navigate to the phone mic URL, or scan the QR code.
3. Sign in with your Dental Notes Assistant credentials on the phone.
4. Accept the data processing notice (this confirms GDPR compliance for audio processing).
5. Grant microphone permission when your phone’s browser requests it.
6. Once connected, you’ll see a green “Connected” indicator and audio level bars on your phone screen.
7. Click record by clicking the microphone button on the Dictate page on your PC. When done, click the button again to stop. You can leave the phone as is — with the next patient, just clear the current note then click record again. You don’t need to reconnect the phone as it should still be connected.

Generating Clinical Notes

Once you have your transcription, the AI will format it into professional clinical notes. The output style depends on which note type you choose when generating.

Note Types

Exam Notes

Use for general dental examinations. The AI will structure your dictation into a formatted clinical examination report including presenting complaint, clinical findings, diagnosis, and treatment plan.

Treatment Notes

Use during or after treatment procedures. These will input your procedure details and local anaesthetic details that have been put in Settings. If you have not added these, the AI will try its best to add in what’s missing.

Hygiene Notes

Designed for hygienist visits. Generates structured notes covering oral hygiene assessment, scaling and polishing, patient education, and recall intervals.

Emergency Notes

For urgent or unscheduled appointments. Generates focused notes covering the patient’s chief complaint, examination findings, emergency treatment provided, and follow-up plan.

Generating Your Note

1. After your transcription is complete, select the output type you want by clicking the appropriate tab (Exam, Treatment, Hygiene, Perio, Email, or Letter).
2. Click the generate button. The AI will process your transcription and produce a formatted note in the output area.
3. If prompted, enter patient details (name, date of birth, address) in the dialog that appears. You can skip this if not needed.
4. Review the generated note. You can edit it directly in the output area.
5. Click the copy button to copy the note to your clipboard, ready to paste into your clinical software.

The full-screen editor button lets you expand the output area for easier reading and editing of longer notes.

Family Mode

If you’re seeing multiple family members in one session, use the Family button to switch between patients. Each family member’s notes are kept separate, and you can switch back and forth without losing any work.

Periodontal Charting

The Perio mode provides a dedicated charting interface for recording periodontal measurements, including six-point pocket charts.

Entering Perio Data

The perio chart displays a row of teeth across the screen. For each tooth, you can record:

• PPD — Probing pocket depths (six points per tooth)
• REC — Gum recession measurements
• BOP — Bleeding on probing
• PLQ — Plaque scores
• SUP — Suppuration
• Mobility — Tooth mobility grades

Use the input bar at the bottom to quickly enter probing depths. Quick-access buttons are available for common values. Click on any cell in the chart to edit it directly.

Dictating a Six-Point Pocket Chart

You can do all buccal surfaces first — the default order is patient’s right to left. This can be changed in Settings. You need to say which tooth you are charting for the numbers to be allocated.

Then do the same for the palatals:

You do not need to say the tooth number when going palatally, however if the transcript doesn’t hear one of the readings it will mess up the sequence (like with a real nurse!).

Editing and Exporting

Once the chart is completed, it can be edited on screen. If you wish to export to your notes software, this can either be downloaded as a picture (then added into your X-ray viewer via ‘import’) or downloaded as a PDF then added to the patient notes under contacts.

AI Interpretation

Once you’ve entered your measurements, the AI can generate a written interpretation of the periodontal findings. This includes a summary of pocket depths, areas of concern, BOP percentages, and recommended treatment. A colour-coded legend helps you quickly identify areas of concern visually.

Oral Health Charts

The OH chart can be accessed from formal letter or email outputs from the toolbar at the top.

What the OH Chart Records

The OH chart records the advice you give to the patient regarding flossing, use of TePe interdental brushes, floss, and toothbrushes. It will then allocate interdental brushes to a mouth map based on what you have said. This means when giving advice to the patient it’s helpful to say where the brushes need to go.

Importing Missing Teeth

If you have completed a full mouth pocket chart prior to making the OH chart, you can import the missing teeth from the chart so it is an accurate representation of where the patient’s teeth are.

Letters & Emails

Patient Emails

Select the Email tab to generate patient correspondence. Dictate or type the key points you want to communicate, and the AI will format a professional, patient-friendly email. This is useful for appointment summaries, treatment explanations, or follow-up care instructions.

Referral & Professional Letters

Select the Letter tab to generate professional correspondence such as referral letters to specialists, letters to other healthcare providers, or insurance communications. The AI will format your dictation into a properly structured business letter with appropriate clinical language.

When generating a letter, you may be prompted for additional details such as the recipient’s name and address, and the referring clinician’s details.

Findings Summary Table

When generating letters or emails, a findings summary table can be included. This provides a clear, structured overview of your clinical findings alongside a mouth map diagram, making it easy for the recipient to understand the key points at a glance.

Clippy Suggestions

The DNA assistant (Clippy) will suggest relevant photos, diagrams, and patient leaflets based on the content of your letter. For example, if you’re writing about a composite restoration, it may suggest before-and-after photos or a patient information leaflet about composites. You can accept or dismiss these suggestions as they appear.

Uploading Your Own Photos

You can upload your own photos and images directly into letters and emails using the upload function in the toolbar. This is useful for adding clinical photographs, radiographs, or any other images you have on file.

Autotext Snippets

Autotext snippets are useful for adding your own standard text into emails and letters. If you have information you regularly include — such as specific details about implants, Invisalign, or other treatments — you can save these as autotexts and insert them quickly at the cursor position when writing. Autotext snippets can be created and managed in Settings under Autotext Snippets for Use in Emails and Letters.

Resources

Patient Advice Leaflets

The Resources page allows you to build a bank of patient advice leaflets such as post-operative instructions, consent forms, and guidance leaflets. Your practice branding is applied automatically if you have set this up in Settings.

Photos and Diagrams

You can upload photos and diagrams to Resources. When writing letters, these can then be added in. For example, you could have some before-and-after photos of a composite filling which can then easily be added to any document you write about composites. If you label the picture with the procedure, it should be automatically suggested by the DNA assistant when writing about that subject (e.g. composites).

Templates

Templates let you define the structure and format of your generated notes so the AI consistently produces output that matches your preferred style.

Using the Template Library

Navigate to the Resources page from the top menu to browse the template library. Here you’ll find pre-built templates for common note types. You can apply any template to customise how your notes are structured.

Import Your Own Templates

In Settings, under the AI section, you’ll find Import Your Own Templates. Here you can paste your existing note templates from your dental software so the AI can match your preferred format.

1. Go to Settings and select the AI & Prompts section.
2. Choose the note type you want to customise (e.g., Exam, Treatment, Hygiene).
3. Paste your template or describe the format you want. You can also click Process into Template with AI to have the AI structure it for you.
4. Click Save Template. The AI will now follow your template structure when generating that note type.

Using Brackets to Instruct the AI

You can use special bracket notation to control how the AI works with your templates:

• [Square brackets] — for values the AI should fill in from your dictation, e.g. [tooth number], [shade], [material]. If you mention the value while dictating, the AI fills it in automatically. If not mentioned, the placeholder stays so you can fill it in manually.
• (Round brackets) — for instructions the AI should follow but not include in the output, e.g. (keep this section brief) or (only include if mentioned).

The AI can also follow direct instructions written into your template. For example, including “do not use special characters such as *” will control the formatting of the output. This means the AI can be used for rewriting and reformatting, not just filling in templates.

Procedure & Anaesthetic Templates

Below your imported templates, you’ll find Procedure & Anaesthetic Templates. Each template here defines how notes should be written for a specific procedure. Fill in templates for the procedures you commonly perform and leave others blank — the AI will use sensible defaults. You can add extra templates for procedures not listed using the button at the bottom.

Autotext Snippets for Emails and Letters

Autotext snippets are reusable content blocks that are automatically suggested when relevant topics are detected in your letters and emails. For example, if you have standard text about implant care or Invisalign details, you can save these as autotexts. Each snippet needs a name, trigger keywords, and the content to insert. Manage these in Settings under the AI section.

Edit Raw AI Prompts

At the bottom of the AI section in Settings, you’ll find Edit Raw AI Prompts. This is useful if you want more customisation, or if certain things aren’t working as expected. If you have a prompt from another language model like ChatGPT or Gemini that you’d like to use, you can paste it in here. Select the prompt type from the dropdown, edit the text, and click Save.

History

The History page keeps a record of all your previously generated notes. You can search, filter, and re-access any past note.

• Use the search bar to find notes by keyword or patient name
• Notes are sorted by date with the most recent at the top
• Click on any note to view, edit, or re-export it
• You can delete notes you no longer need

Settings

The Settings page lets you customise the Dental Notes Assistant to suit your practice and personal preferences.

Practice Settings

Configure your practice name, address, contact details, and website URL. You can also upload your practice logo, which will appear in the app header.

Your practice pricelist can be downloaded and edited — these values are then added to your notes and quotations automatically.

Account Settings

Update your display name, email address, and password. Enable or manage multi-factor authentication (MFA) for added security.

Clinical Settings

Set clinical preferences including tooth notation system (FDI, Palmer, or ISO), default periodontal thresholds, and clinical abbreviation preferences.

AI & Prompts

This is where you fine-tune how the AI generates your notes. You can:

• Import Your Own Templates — paste templates from your dental software so the AI matches your format
• Procedure & Anaesthetic Templates — define how notes are written for each procedure type
• Autotext Snippets for Emails and Letters — reusable content blocks suggested automatically when writing
• Edit Raw AI Prompts — advanced customisation of the underlying AI instructions, or paste prompts from ChatGPT/Gemini

Colour Theme

Choose from six colour themes to personalise the look of the app: Teal (default), Ocean, Forest, Amethyst, Coral, and Slate.

Emergency Documents

The Emergency Documents feature provides quick access to medical emergency protocols and reference materials during urgent situations.

1. Click the red cross button in the top-right corner of the navigation bar. On hover, it expands to show “Emergency”.
2. A full-screen overlay opens showing your practice’s emergency protocols.
3. Browse through the available documents, which may include PDFs and reference images.
4. Close the overlay by clicking the X button when you’re finished.

Billing & Subscription

The Billing page shows your current subscription plan and allows you to manage your subscription.

• View your current plan and subscription status (Active, Trial, etc.)
• See how many days remain on a trial
• Switch between monthly and annual billing (annual plans offer a discount)
• Manage your subscription, update payment details, or change plans via the secure portal

Tips & Troubleshooting

Best Practices for Dictation

1. Speak at a normal pace and volume, just be yourself and focus on your patient — the transcription engine is optimised for natural speech
2. Mention tooth numbers clearly (e.g. “upper right six” or “LLQ”) — this will help to give you better results. You can talk through things like X-rays too and these will be written up in your notes as well (when using the default template)
3. State your diagnosis and treatment plan after describing findings — the AI uses this structure. This can be done once the patient leaves the room, same with other things you may not discuss with the patient such as periodontal staging and grading
4. Use the correction button to fix small transcription errors by voice rather than typing — this is particularly useful if the AI has picked up the wrong tooth. For example: “change LR6 to LL5”. Done!

Common Questions

My microphone isn’t working.

Make sure you’ve granted microphone permission to the browser. Check your browser’s address bar for a microphone icon and ensure it’s set to “Allow”. If using an external microphone, check it’s selected as the input device in your system settings.

The phone mic keeps disconnecting.

Ensure both devices are on the same network. Keep the phone’s screen on during recording. Disable any battery-saving modes that may restrict background activity.

The generated note doesn’t match my preferred format.

You can customise the output format by importing your own template in Settings under AI & Prompts. Use Import Your Own Templates to paste your preferred format, or use Edit Raw AI Prompts for more advanced customisation. The AI will follow your template structure for all future notes of that type.

Can I use the app on a tablet?

Yes. The Dental Notes Assistant works on tablets and mobile devices through any modern web browser. The interface adapts to your screen size.

Data Privacy & Security

The Dental Notes Assistant is designed with data privacy as a priority. Audio is processed by Speechmatics (EU endpoint) for transcription and is automatically discarded after processing. Patient data can be anonymised before AI processing if enabled in Settings. For full details, see the Privacy Policy accessible from the login page footer.