One of the most significant insights from the AAO 2025 Annual Session was how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping not just treatment, but the people who make practices run—particularly those at the front lines: front office staff and financial treatment coordinators. As our CEO Dr. Greg White observed, AI isn’t replacing people; it’s redefining their value.
From Routine to Strategic: The New Role of Front Office Teams
Traditionally, front office staff have focused on tasks like answering phones, scheduling appointments, and managing paperwork. But AI is automating many of these routine functions. Smart scheduling tools, automated reminders, chatbot-based initial patient engagement, and real-time insurance verification are becoming standard.
What Does This Mean for Your Team?
- Shift from transactional to relational: With automation handling basic tasks, front staff can spend more time building patient relationships, managing expectations, and guiding the patient journey from the first call to post-treatment follow-up.
- Higher-level responsibilities: Team members will be expected to understand the technology in use, analyze data from AI-driven platforms, and make decisions based on that data. This could include monitoring no-show rates, optimizing schedules for production, or improving the patient experience based on feedback trends.
- Communication as a skillset: As AI takes over logistics, interpersonal communication becomes even more valuable. Staff must become ambassadors of the practice brand—able to explain treatment options, payment structures, and differentiate the practice in a competitive market.
Financial Treatment Coordinators: From Calculators to Consultants
Financial coordination is also evolving rapidly. AI-powered tools now assist with:
- Instant insurance benefit checks and coverage explanations
- Predictive modeling for treatment acceptance
- Automated payment plans and follow-up reminders
Instead of simply quoting fees, financial treatment coordinators will serve as financial consultants, helping patients understand their options in a transparent, empathetic way.
What changes?
- More strategy, less paperwork: Automation reduces data entry, freeing up time for one-on-one conversations that help patients say “yes” to treatment.
- Stronger sales and communication training: Financial coordinators must be equipped to communicate complex financing options clearly and confidently.
- Ongoing tech training: As AI tools become more integrated with practice management systems, coordinators will need to understand how to use, interpret, and troubleshoot these platforms.
Training and Talent Development: What Practices Need to Do Now
To thrive in this new landscape, practices must rethink their hiring, onboarding, and professional development strategies.
- Hire for adaptability and tech fluency: New team members need to be comfortable using digital tools and willing to learn continuously.
- Invest in training: Regular sessions on AI tools, patient communication, and data interpretation will be essential—not just for onboarding, but as an ongoing process.
- Evaluate roles and compensation: With fewer staff doing higher-value work, compensation models should reflect increased responsibility and skill. Consider performance-based incentives tied to treatment acceptance, patient retention, and operational efficiency.
In Summary: Fewer People, Greater Impact
AI doesn’t eliminate the need for human talent—it amplifies it. In the orthodontic office of the future, success depends on having a lean, highly skilled, tech-savvy team that uses AI to elevate the patient experience and drive business growth. Those who invest in their people now—through training, clear role evolution, and smarter hiring—will be best positioned to thrive in the years ahead.