Why AI Notes Are Changing the Game for Australian Dentists

Dentistry is as much about documentation as it is about diagnosis. Every treatment, conversation, and observation must be recorded accurately - not just for compliance, but to ensure continuity of care. Yet, for many clinicians, note-taking remains one of the most time-consuming parts of the day.

But we get it. You didn't get into dentistry to do heaps of documentation. With the launch of clinical AI notes, available for all Australian Dentally users, that’s about to change.

Dentally, Henry Schein One’s cloud-based dental practice management software, has introduced a way for clinicians to create high-quality clinical notes faster and more consistently - simply by typing or dictating a short summary of the appointment. The feature is free to use during early access, giving practices across the country a chance to test its impact before a pricing model is introduced in 2026. 

What is the problem with manual notes?

Most clinicians would agree that writing notes isn’t the hard part - it’s finding the time. Depending on the appointment, comprehensive notes can take five to ten minutes to complete. Multiply that across a day of full appointments, and suddenly it’s not just an inconvenience; it’s hours of extra work each week.

In many practices, clinicians finish their notes after hours or even at home, long after the last patient has left. This not only affects accuracy and compliance, but also takes a toll on work-life balance. The time meant for rest, family, or personal wellbeing is often spent catching up on admin - a silent strain that builds up over time.

The Dental Board of Australia and Australian Dental Association expect clinical records to be made as close to the appointment as possible. Doing so ensures details are accurate, observations are complete, and treatment notes are clear and compliant if ever reviewed. The longer the delay, the higher the risk that important information is forgotten, shortened, or missed altogether.

To reinforce this, the Dental Board’s own Code of Conduct sets a clear expectation for how clinicians should approach record keeping:

"The Board expects practitioners to maintain adequate, accurate, objective and up-to-date patient health records. Clinicians must be aware of their legal obligations and ensure records reflect relevant clinical history, findings, investigations, information provided to patients, medications and treatment details."

This isn’t just guidance. It’s a professional standard every clinician is expected to meet, and delays in documentation make that standard harder to uphold.

AI can help reduce that pressure not by replacing the clinician’s judgement, but by making the process faster and more reliable.

How does Clinical AI Notes work?

Clinical AI notes use artificial intelligence to transform a clinician’s written or spoken summary into a professional, structured clinical record.

After an appointment, you can type or dictate a short summary of what happened - the symptoms, findings, treatment plan, and any patient comments. AI then transforms that summary into a fully structured clinical note, following your practice’s templates.

Want to see how it works in real time? Check out this demo video:

You’ll see how a quick dictation becomes a polished clinical note that you can edit and save directly in Dentally. No external apps, no extra steps - just faster, cleaner documentation. Clinicians stay in full control of what’s written, with the ability to edit, approve, and save before anything is finalised.

Importantly for Australian users, clinical AI notes follow Dentally’s data security and privacy protocols. No patient information leaves the platform, dictations aren’t stored externally, and every note is included in Dentally’s built-in audit trail.

What are the early adopters saying?

For clinicians already trialling Clinical AI Notes, the difference has been immediate. Many say they’re now finishing their notes before the patient even leaves the chair - a task that previously carried over into the evening.

The result? Shorter days, fewer late-night admin sessions, and greater confidence that every record is accurate, complete, and compliant.

Across multi-clinician practices, teams have also noticed more consistency in how notes are structured. With everyone following the same format, handovers are clearer, and onboarding new associates is faster. What was once a personal task has become a shared, standardised process that saves time without sacrificing detail.

Whether you’re a solo practitioner or part of a growing group, this is a chance to see how AI can ease daily pressures. It’s not about changing how you practise, it’s about removing what slows you down.

Get in touch today to experience clinical AI notes!