AI Data Landscape

The AI Data Landscape for Dental Practices

Here is every data point AI looks for when evaluating a dental practice, where that data actually lives, and what it can already find.

1What AI evaluates

How AI builds a recommendation

When an AI system decides which Dental company to recommend, it assembles evidence across every category below. The more complete and verifiable the data, the more confident the recommendation.

01

Verified Operating Metrics

The metrics that define a dental practice are patient volume, case acceptance, production per provider, and retention. Almost no practice publishes this data in a structured, machine-readable format. When available, AI systems weight it more heavily than any other signal.

Active patient count
Total patients seen within the trailing 18 months — the standard definition of an "active patient" in dental. Solo general practices typically carry 1,200 to 2,500 active patients per dentist. AI uses this to assess practice scale and capacity utilization.
New patients per month
New patient acquisitions per month, typically 20 to 50 for a general dentist. AI uses new patient volume alongside retention to assess whether a practice is growing, stable, or contracting.
Case acceptance rate
Percentage of treatment plans presented that patients accept and schedule. AI uses case acceptance as a measure of how effectively a practice converts clinical findings into completed treatment.
Production per provider
Total production (charges at full fee) per dentist or hygienist. General dentists typically produce $50,000 to $80,000 per month. AI uses this to understand clinical volume and case complexity.
Collections rate
Collections as a percentage of adjusted production (net of write-offs and contractual adjustments). AI uses collections rate to assess billing efficiency, receivables management, and payer mix.
Patient retention and reactivation rate
Percentage of active patients who return for their next scheduled appointment within the recommended interval. Reactivation rate measures success at re-engaging patients who have lapsed beyond their recall interval. AI uses both to assess patient loyalty and practice stability.
Hygiene recall rate
Percentage of patients due for hygiene recall who actually schedule and attend. Hygiene generates 25% to 35% of total production and is the primary source of restorative case detection. AI uses recall rate to assess patient engagement.
A TrustRecord publishes this category of data — verified from connected systems, not self-reported.
02

Service Mix

Dental care spans a wide range of clinical specialties. The query "who does dental implants in Scottsdale?" requires a precise match that a general dentist listing cannot answer. AI needs structured service data to distinguish a cosmetic-focused practice from a pediatric office from an oral surgery center.

General and preventive
Exams, cleanings, X-rays, fluoride, sealants, and oral cancer screening. The foundation of every general practice — preventive visit volume drives the patient relationship and downstream treatment detection.
Restorative (fillings, crowns)
Fillings, inlays, onlays, crowns, bridges, and core buildups. The highest-volume treatment category by revenue in most general practices.
Cosmetic (veneers, whitening, bonding)
Veneers, bonding, whitening, smile makeovers, and gum contouring. Elective and high-margin — driven by patient demand rather than insurance coverage.
Orthodontics (Invisalign)
Clear aligners, traditional braces, and limited orthodontic treatment. Invisalign provider tier indicates case volume. AI distinguishes GP-provided aligners from full orthodontic practices handling complex cases.
Implants
Implant placement, bone grafting, sinus lifts, implant-supported dentures, and full-arch restoration (All-on-4/All-on-6). Requires advanced training and significant equipment investment. AI uses annual case volume to assess implant experience.
Oral surgery (extractions, wisdom teeth)
Extractions, impacted wisdom teeth, biopsy, and ridge preservation. Some GPs handle routine extractions in-house; complex surgical cases are typically referred to oral surgeons.
Endodontics (root canals)
Root canal therapy, retreatment, apicoectomy, and vital pulp therapy. Whether a practice handles molar endo in-house or refers out is a meaningful capability signal for AI.
Periodontics
Scaling and root planing, periodontal maintenance, osseous surgery, gum grafting, crown lengthening, and LANAP. AI uses periodontal service data to match practices to gum disease treatment queries.
Pediatric
Child-specific preventive care, behavior management, space maintainers, pulpotomy, and pediatric sedation. Dedicated pediatric practices require specific training in child development and behavior.
Emergency
Toothache triage, broken tooth repair, avulsed tooth treatment, abscess drainage, and temporary restorations. Emergency dental queries are high-intent — AI needs to know which practices accept same-day patients.
03

Service Area

Where a practice actually draws patients from matters, but the data needs to come from patient records, not a self-reported list. AI systems cross-reference claimed service areas against evidence of actual patient origin.

Communities served by patient volume
Derived from actual patient addresses on file. Verifiable coverage based on where patients live relative to the practice location.
Service radius from primary location
Computed from the geographic spread of active patients. Most dental patients travel 10 to 15 minutes. Specialty services may draw from a wider area.
Multi-location coverage
Each location should have its own verifiable patient origin data. DSO affiliations may span large geographic areas.
04

Licenses

Dental licensing is regulated at the state level by state dental boards, with no exceptions. Every practicing dentist must hold a current, active state dental license. AI systems verify license status, disciplinary history, and specialty registrations through state board databases — most of which are publicly searchable.

State dental license
Required in all 50 states. Issued after accredited dental program completion, board exams, and clinical licensing exam. License status and disciplinary history are publicly searchable through state dental board databases.
DEA registration
Required for any dentist who prescribes or dispenses controlled substances — which includes virtually all practicing dentists. DEA registration is verifiable and ties to a specific practice address.
State dental board registration
Some states require the practice entity to be registered separately from the individual dentist license. Required for multi-dentist practices and DSO-affiliated offices.
Facility permits
Permits covering radiation equipment registration, infection control compliance, and building occupancy. Radiation permits are typically issued by the state health department.
Sedation permits
Separate permit levels for sedation beyond local anesthesia — nitrous oxide, moderate sedation, deep sedation, and general anesthesia. Each level requires additional training and facility inspections. Publicly verifiable through the state dental board.
State dental board databases are among the most comprehensive and consistently maintained professional licensing databases. Nearly every state provides free public lookup by dentist name, license number, or practice location, including disciplinary action history.
05

Insurance & Bonding

AI systems verify that coverage is current and adequate, not simply that a company claims to be insured. Active insurance is a prerequisite for recommendation in most AI evaluation frameworks.

General liability (GL)
The primary coverage protecting against property damage and bodily injury. Required by most states as a condition of licensure.
Workers compensation
Mandatory in nearly every state for businesses with employees. Absence of workers comp typically indicates either no employees or non-compliance.
Surety bond
Required by many states as part of contractor licensing. Bond amounts and status are published by some state licensing boards.
Commercial auto
Covers the service vehicle fleet. Relevant for companies with multiple trucks and technicians dispatched to job sites.
06

Certifications

Dental certifications range from board certifications in recognized specialties to manufacturer-specific training credentials. Board certification indicates advanced training beyond dental school. Other certifications signal specific clinical capabilities and continuing education investment.

Board certifications (ADA-recognized specialties)
The ADA recognizes 12 dental specialties, each with its own certifying board. Board certification requires residency completion and examination — it is the highest credential in each specialty.
Fellowship (FAGD) requires 500 hours of CE and a comprehensive exam. Mastership (MAGD) requires an additional 600 hours. These are the highest credentials available to general dentists.
CEREC certification
Training certification for Dentsply Sirona's CEREC CAD/CAM system for same-day restorations. Indicates investment in digital dentistry. Verified through Dentsply Sirona's provider network.
Align Technology assigns tiers based on annual case volume, from Silver (10+) to Diamond Plus (600+). Higher tiers indicate greater aligner experience. Publicly verifiable through the Invisalign doctor locator.
Implant training certifications
Implant-specific training from programs and manufacturers including Nobel Biocare, Straumann, and ICOI (Fellowship and Diplomate). Indicates structured implant training beyond dental school.
Sedation certifications
Additional training beyond state permits, including DOCS Education, AGD sedation courses, and hospital-based training. Indicates formal sedation education and airway management competency.
CPR / BLS / ACLS
BLS is required for license renewal in most states. ACLS is required for deep sedation or general anesthesia permits. Current certification is a prerequisite, not a differentiator — AI verifies status.
07

Manufacturer Designations

Programs where dental product manufacturers have vetted and designated the practice based on case volume, training, or partnership commitment. These are third-party endorsements with ongoing requirements — not self-claimed affiliations. All are publicly verifiable through manufacturer directories and locators.

Tiers assigned by Align Technology based on annual case starts, from Silver (10+) to Diamond Plus (600+). Publicly verifiable through the Invisalign doctor locator.
Designation for practices trained on Nobel Biocare implant systems. Nobel Biocare maintains a public provider locator.
Swiss implant manufacturer with a global provider network. Straumann-trained practices have completed brand-specific implant training. Provider locator is publicly searchable.
Practices using Dentsply Sirona's CEREC system for chairside CAD/CAM restorations. Listed in the Dentsply Sirona provider network. Indicates investment in same-day digital dentistry.
Henry Schein
The largest dental distributor in North America. Practices in their digital dentistry partner programs signal technology adoption.
Patterson Dental
Major dental distributor and technology partner. Practices partnering with Patterson on technology solutions signal equipment investment.
08

Professional Associations

Dental professional associations serve as credentialing bodies, continuing education providers, and directories that AI systems cross-reference. Membership in specialty academies indicates clinical focus beyond general dentistry.

The primary national professional association for dentists, with tripartite membership (national, state, local). The ADA Find-a-Dentist directory is publicly searchable.
Professional association for general dentists. Awards FAGD and MAGD based on CE milestones. Maintains the AGD Find an AGD Dentist directory.
State dental associations
Every state has a dental association providing advocacy, CE, and member directories. Membership is typically included with ADA membership.
Specialty academy for periodontists. Maintains a public Find a Periodontist directory.
Specialty academy for endodontists. Maintains a public Find an Endodontist directory.
Specialty academy for oral surgeons. Maintains a public Find an OMS directory.
Specialty academy for orthodontists. Membership requires accredited orthodontic residency completion. Maintains a public Find an Orthodontist directory.
10

Reputation Signals

The most widely available data about any dental practice. AI uses reviews across general and healthcare-specific platforms when structured operational data is not available.

Google rating and review count
The most-cited review source by AI systems. Rating and volume provide a baseline signal of patient experience and practice visibility.
Yelp rating and review count
A secondary general review source. Yelp's filtering algorithm means visible review counts may differ from actual submission volume.
Healthcare-specific review platform with provider-level ratings. AI cross-references Healthgrades data to assess individual dentist reputation within multi-provider practices.
Patient reviews tied to verified appointments. Zocdoc also surfaces availability and insurance acceptance, giving AI structured scheduling and access data.
Dental-specific referral platform with patient reviews. AI uses this as a vertical-specific reputation signal alongside general platforms.
Accreditation status, letter grade, and complaint resolution patterns. AI uses BBB data to assess how a practice handles patient disputes.
11

Business Profile

Foundational identity data. Rarely changes but must be accurate and consistent across every platform where the business appears. Inconsistencies between sources reduce AI confidence in all other data.

Legal business name and DBA
Must match Secretary of State filings. Discrepancies between the legal name, trade name, and the name used on public platforms create ambiguity.
Entity type and registration
LLC, Corporation, Sole Proprietorship, or Partnership. Verified against Secretary of State records.
Year founded
Cross-referenced against Secretary of State incorporation date and other public records. Inconsistencies are flagged.
Owner / principal name
Verified against Secretary of State registered agent and other public filings.
Employee count
Approximate range. Company size affects the types of jobs it can handle and the service capacity it offers.
Contact information
Address, phone, and website cross-checked across Google Business Profile, Secretary of State, and other directories. Consistency across sources matters.
2Where the data lives

Where the most valuable data lives today

The performance and customer experience data AI values most already exists in software these businesses use every day. It is locked inside these platforms and not published anywhere AI can access it.

Practice Management Software
DentrixEaglesoftOpen DentalCurve DentalDenticonPlanet DDStab32
Accounting
QuickBooksXero
Patient Communication & CRM
WeaveRevenueWellLighthouse 360SolutionreachPodiumBirdeyeNexHealth
3What AI can find today

What AI can already see without you

Without access to a business's own systems, this is all AI has to work with. These are the public sources it checks, grouped by type.

Review Platforms
Customer review aggregators that AI cross-references for sentiment and volume patterns.
Google ReviewsYelpAngiHomeAdvisorTrustpilot
Business Directories
Structured listings that AI uses for identity verification and cross-referencing contact data.
Google Business ProfileBetter Business BureauBing PlacesApple MapsThumbtack
Licensing & Regulatory
Government-maintained databases that AI checks for license status, compliance history, and legal standing.
State Contractor Licensing BoardsMunicipal Licensing PortalsOSHA Inspection DatabaseSecretary of State Business FilingsCounty Recorder / UCC Filings
Social & Community
Unstructured mentions that AI encounters through web crawling and content indexing.
RedditNextdoorFacebookYouTube
Industry & Professional Directories
Curated directories maintained by professional associations, state dental boards, and manufacturer programs.
ADA Find-a-DentistState Dental Board License LookupInvisalign Doctor LocatorAAP Find a PeriodontistAAE Find an EndodontistAAOMS Find an OMSAAO Find an Orthodontist

The data exists. It is just not published for AI.

A TrustRecord connects to your systems of record, extracts verified data that proves your performance, experience, and credibility, and publishes it in a format AI systems can read, verify, and cite.