This guide walks you through everything needed to get your AI receptionist answering real calls today. You can stop after any step and pick up later — your progress is saved automatically.
Step 1 — Create your practice (≈3 min)
After you sign up, the Setup Assistant opens automatically. It will ask for:
- Practice name — the business name your AI will use on calls (e.g., Sunny Dental).
- Industry — picks the right service templates and terminology (dental, vet, spa, medical, etc.).
- Timezone — controls business-hours logic and appointment offers.
You can edit any of this later under Settings → Organization.
Step 2 — Pick a phone number (≈3 min)
You have two options:
- Buy a new number. Pick an area code and we'll provision a number in seconds. Best for testing, marketing campaigns, or new locations.
- Forward your existing number. Keep your current number and forward calls into FrontDesk only when you're closed, busy, or always. We'll give you the forwarding instructions for your carrier.
See Purchase a phone number or Set up call forwarding.
If you're in the US and plan to send SMS (e.g., booking confirmations), also complete A2P 10DLC registration — it can take 1–3 business days.
Step 3 — Choose a voice and write your greeting (≈5 min)
Pick from our voice library (preview each one) and write the first sentence your callers hear. A good greeting:
- Names your practice ("Thanks for calling Sunny Dental")
- Sets expectations ("I'm Sunny, the AI assistant — I can book appointments, answer questions, or transfer you to a human")
- Is under 12 seconds
Step 4 — Set business hours (≈3 min)
Your AI uses hours to decide when to book vs take a message, and which transfer numbers to try. Add:
- Regular weekly hours (e.g., Mon–Fri 8a–6p)
- Lunch breaks if you don't book during them
- Holiday closures
Step 5 — Add appointment types (≈5 min)
Each service you offer becomes an option the AI can book — Cleaning, New patient exam, Grooming, Massage, etc. For each, set:
- Duration (15, 30, 45, 60 min)
- Whether new patients are allowed
- Which providers can perform it
We pre-fill common services for your industry. Tweak names and durations to match your practice.
Step 6 — Connect your calendar (optional, ≈3 min)
Connect Google Calendar so the AI books into the right provider's schedule and never double-books. You can skip this and let bookings go to an internal queue if you prefer.
Step 7 — Place a test call (≈2 min)
This is the moment of truth. From the dashboard, click Test Call — we'll ring your phone. Try:
- "I'd like to book a cleaning next Tuesday morning"
- "What are your hours?"
- "Can you transfer me to a human?"
Listen for awkward phrasing or missing info — the Setup Assistant can fix scripts, voices, and policies for you in the chat panel on the right.
Step 8 — Go live
When you're happy with the test call, point real callers at your FrontDesk number — either by buying it or by enabling call forwarding from your existing line. Most teams flip the switch at the start of a business day so they can monitor the first few real calls in the live call panel.
What to do next
- Invite your team so they can listen to recordings and pick up transfers — see Invite teammates.
- Add online booking so callers and website visitors can book themselves.
- Review compliance settings if you handle PHI — see HIPAA compliance overview.
You're live. Welcome to FrontDesk.