Your greeting is the most important 12 seconds in the entire call. It determines whether the caller stays on the line, what they think your practice is like, and whether they trust the AI to handle their request.
The anatomy of a great greeting
A good greeting does four things in this order:
- Confirms the caller reached the right place. Name the practice clearly.
- Introduces who's speaking. A name and a quick "I'm an AI assistant" honesty note.
- Tells them what's possible. "I can book appointments or transfer you to the team."
- Asks an open question. "How can I help you today?"
Example — short and clear (~10 seconds)
"Thanks for calling Sunny Dental. I'm Sunny, the AI assistant — I can book appointments, answer questions, or transfer you to our team. How can I help you today?"
Example — warmer, with personality (~13 seconds)
"Hi there, you've reached Sunny Dental in San Francisco. This is Sunny, the office's AI assistant — happy to help you book a visit or get a message to the team. What can I do for you?"
How to edit your greeting
- Open Settings → AI Voice → Greetings.
- Pick the greeting variant you want to edit (open hours, after hours, holiday).
- Type your script in the text box. The preview button plays it instantly in the chosen voice.
- Click Save — changes are live within seconds.
Tip: Ask the Setup Assistant in the right-hand panel: "Rewrite my greeting in a warmer tone." It'll suggest 2–3 variations you can preview side-by-side.
What to avoid
- Naming menu options. ("Press 1 for…") Modern AI doesn't need menus — let the caller speak naturally.
- Apologizing. ("Sorry for the wait…") You haven't done anything wrong yet; don't lead with negativity.
- Long disclaimers. Save HIPAA notices for the moment they're actually needed (e.g., before collecting PHI).
- Reading hours. Callers who reach you during open hours don't need to hear your hours.
After-hours greetings
After-hours callers should hear something different — both because the call experience is different and because legally in some states you must disclose limited recording or messaging behavior.
"Thanks for calling Sunny Dental. We're closed right now — our hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM. I'm Sunny, the AI assistant, and I can book you an appointment for tomorrow or take a message for the team. What would you like to do?"
Holiday greetings
Configure these from Settings → Business Hours → Holidays. The greeting will automatically swap for the date(s) you select and revert the next business day.