What to ask when evaluating a CRM for Dentally
By Oral Connect
Quick answer
Ask to see a fictional patient move through the workflow your practice actually needs. Check where information comes from, which changes return to the practice system, what happens when an update fails and how a colleague takes over. Request clear definitions for the reported outcomes rather than relying on a polished dashboard alone.
Walk through a synthetic patient journey
Choose a scenario before the demonstration begins. An existing patient with an unfinished treatment plan and no next visit tests a different job from a new enquiry. A patient due to return tests another. Ask the presenter to start with fictional information in the source system, show how the relevant record reaches the worklist and explain what tells the team that attention is needed.
Follow the scenario through the decisions a colleague would make during a working day. Ask where they find the reason for contact, how they check whether an appointment already exists and where they record an unanswered call or a request to speak later. The demonstration should distinguish a real interaction from a prepared illustration. Ask for any unshown step to be confirmed separately.
Practical checks
- Bring a specific administrative workflow you want to improve.
- Request fictional demonstration records rather than real patient details.
- Ask which steps are live, illustrated or still awaiting confirmation.
Confirm fields, permissions and sync behaviour
Turn the word integration into a written scope. Ask which records are read, which fields can be updated, which system owns each value and how quickly a change is expected to appear. Request a demonstration of an appointment update where that is part of the proposed connection. Do not assume that seeing a record in a worklist means every field is writable or that every change is immediate.
Discuss exceptions as carefully as the successful path. What appears when access is unavailable, a record cannot be matched or an update does not complete? Ask how the team distinguishes a pending change from a confirmed result, who investigates a mismatch and how duplicate actions are avoided. Agree the practice permissions and setup checks before planning a launch date.
Practical checks
- Request a written list of supported records and update directions.
- Confirm timing, permissions and the source of truth for changes.
- Ask to see an unsuccessful or pending update and its recovery process.
Test the team handover and reporting definitions
Ask a second colleague to take over the fictional scenario. Can they understand the previous conversation, identify the responsible person and find the promised next action without relying on the presenter? Check how a callback becomes visible and what happens when the usual colleague is unavailable. A useful demonstration explains the daily work behind the dashboard.
Choose a reported outcome and trace it back to its definition. Ask whether an appointment is booked, attended or cancelled, and whether a treatment amount represents a proposal, acceptance or money received. Establish how unknown states, changes and repeated records are handled. Finish with agreed acceptance checks for your practice and a list of unanswered questions; avoid treating the demo itself as evidence of a financial improvement.
Practical checks
- Have another colleague explain the next action from the record.
- Trace a reporting category back to a specific event and definition.
- Document acceptance checks and unresolved questions before rollout.
How Oral Connect supports the workflow
Oral Connect connects Sales, Open Treatment, Recall and Re-engage workflows alongside your practice management system. Explore the workflow
The Open Treatment Hub uses a two-way Dentally connection to support systematic follow-up of open courses of treatment. Confirm available fields and sync behaviour during onboarding. Explore the workflow
The Recall Hub brings due recalls into calling and nurture worklists, helping your team organise patient follow-up. Explore the workflow
Questions practice owners ask
Should we bring real patient records into a CRM demonstration?
Use fictional records to test the workflow. Describe the administrative problem without sharing identifiable patient information. A separate, appropriately arranged onboarding process can address the practice connection and access needed for actual operation.
Does a two-way integration mean every field can be changed?
No. Ask for the supported record types, fields and update directions. Confirm permissions, timing and how failures appear to the team. A successful demonstration of a particular appointment change does not establish that every record or field behaves the same way.
What should we leave the demonstration with?
Leave with an agreed workflow, a written connection scope, the responsibilities of your team and the checks needed before rollout. Record anything the presenter could not show, including pending updates, exception handling and the definitions behind reported outcomes.
Operational guidance, not clinical or legal advice. Your practice remains responsible for appropriate patient care and communications.
Explore the next step for your practice.
Use your own figures, or see how the team works through an opportunity in a demo.