Ambient scribes save documentation time but record patient conversations — audio retention, BAA coverage and PMS write-back are the key questions.
From our data: We track 19 AI scribes.
How it works
A microphone in the operatory or on a phone records the visit. Speech recognition and a language model turn the conversation into a structured note, and some products also fill the perio chart and suggest procedure codes. The provider reviews, edits and signs.
What to check
Patient consent for recording under your state law, how long audio is kept and whether it is used to train models, a signed BAA and whether the note is written into the chart in your PMS or has to be copied across.
Go deeper
More glossary terms
BAA (Business Associate Agreement)Case acceptance rateCBCTCDT codesCE marking (EU MDR)ClearinghouseCloud PMSData conversionDeferred interestDental chartingDICOMDSO (dental service organization)ERA (electronic remittance advice)FDA 510(k) clearanceHIPAAHuman in the loopNet collection ratioOpen APIOpen vs closed architecturePeriodontal chartingPMS (practice management system)Real-time eligibilitySOC 2 Type IISoft credit checkSTL, PLY and OBJ filesTCO (total cost of ownership)Tooth surfaces and numberingWrite-back (PMS integration)