DearDoc
Step-by-step implementation guide — pre-implementation checklist, onboarding, staff training, go-live runbook, and ROI tracking.
DearDoc — Implementation Playbook (DSO)
DearDoc Implementation Playbook
AI-Powered Marketing & Patient Acquisition Platform
A Strategic Guide for DSO Operations Leaders
1. Executive Summary
What DearDoc Does
DearDoc is an AI-powered marketing and patient acquisition platform that automates website chat, reviews management, lead capture, and patient communication across dental practices. The platform uses conversational AI to engage website visitors 24/7, convert them into scheduled appointments, and systematically build online reputation through automated review solicitation.
Why DSOs Specifically Benefit from AI Marketing & Acquisition Tools
DSOs operating at scale face a unique challenge: marketing performance varies wildly across locations due to inconsistent execution, local market dynamics, and varying staff capabilities. AI-powered acquisition tools like DearDoc deliver three critical advantages at scale:
Standardization of Patient Experience: Every location presents the same professional, responsive first impression regardless of staff availability or training level. A patient visiting your Phoenix location website at 11 PM receives the same quality engagement as someone chatting with your Chicago office at 2 PM.
Data Aggregation & Benchmarking: Centralized dashboards expose which locations are converting leads efficiently, which markets respond to specific messaging, and where acquisition costs are out of line—enabling data-driven resource allocation across your portfolio.
Operational Leverage: Rather than training and managing front desk staff at 30 locations to handle web leads consistently, you deploy one AI system that handles initial patient engagement uniformly, freeing staff to focus on in-office patient experience.
Expected Timeline: Decision to Full Deployment
| DSO Size | Timeline |
|---|---|
| 15–25 locations | 10–14 weeks |
| 26–40 locations | 14–18 weeks |
| 41–50 locations | 18–24 weeks |
Timeline assumes 3-wave rollout structure with 2-week buffers between waves for learning capture.
2. Pre-Implementation Checklist (Weeks 1–2)
Technical Requirements
Hardware Requirements
☐ Modern workstations at front desk (Windows 10/11 or macOS 10.15+) at all locations ☐ Tablets/devices for review solicitation (if using in-office review kiosk feature) ☐ Minimum 10 Mbps upload/download internet speed per location ☐ Webcams if video chat feature will be enabled (optional)
Software Requirements
☐ Modern browsers (Chrome, Edge, Safari—updated within last 12 months) ☐ Access to website CMS/hosting for chat widget installation ☐ Practice Management System with API access or integration capability ☐ Phone system integration capability (VoIP preferred for call tracking)
Network Requirements
☐ Firewall rules permitting outbound HTTPS traffic to DearDoc domains ☐ Whitelist DearDoc IP ranges for any network security appliances ☐ SSL certificates current on all practice websites ☐ ⚠️ DNS management access for any domain verification requirements
🔵 Vendor Onboarding Steps
| Step | Timeline | Owner | Vendor Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Execute enterprise MSA and BAA | Week 1, Day 1-2 | Legal/Compliance | DearDoc Enterprise Sales |
| Schedule enterprise onboarding kickoff | Week 1, Day 2-3 | VP Operations | DearDoc Customer Success Manager (CSM) |
| Establish dedicated Slack/Teams channel | Week 1, Day 3 | IT/Operations | DearDoc Implementation Lead |
| Receive enterprise admin portal credentials | Week 1, Day 3-4 | IT Lead | DearDoc Technical Support |
| Complete technical discovery questionnaire | Week 1, Day 4-5 | IT Lead | DearDoc Implementation Lead |
| Schedule PMS integration planning call | Week 1, Day 5 | IT Lead + PMS Admin | DearDoc Integration Specialist |
Key Contacts to Establish
☐ DearDoc Enterprise Account Executive (commercial issues) ☐ DearDoc Customer Success Manager (strategic planning, QBRs) ☐ DearDoc Implementation Lead (rollout execution) ☐ DearDoc Integration Specialist (technical connectivity) ☐ DearDoc Support Escalation Contact (Tier 2/3 issues) ☐ Your internal DearDoc project owner (single point of accountability)
Data/Access Prerequisites
Required Credentials & Access
☐ Enterprise admin login for DearDoc portal ☐ API keys for each PMS instance (or centralized if hosted centrally) ☐ Website admin access for each practice site (CMS logins or developer contact) ☐ Google Business Profile admin access for all locations ☐ Facebook page admin access for all locations (if social integration planned) ☐ 🔵 DearDoc-provided webhook endpoints or API documentation
Data to Prepare
☐ Complete location roster (legal name, DBA, address, phone, hours, timezone) ☐ Provider roster by location (name, credentials, headshot if available) ☐ Service offerings by location (some locations may have specialty focus) ☐ Insurance acceptance list by location ☐ Current website URLs and analytics access (Google Analytics) ☐ Historical new patient data by month by location (12 months)
🟣 Internal Stakeholder Alignment
Stakeholder Alignment Map
| Stakeholder | Role in Implementation | Required Action | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board/Investors | Budget approval, strategic alignment | Approve investment, receive progress updates | Pre-decision + monthly |
| CEO/COO | Executive sponsorship | Designate project owner, authorize resources | Week 1 |
| VP of Operations | Program ownership | Own rollout execution, resolve cross-functional blockers | Ongoing |
| Chief Dental Officer | Clinical workflow approval | Validate clinical messaging, provider training approach | Week 1-2 |
| CFO | ROI tracking, budget release | Approve spend cadence, define success metrics | Week 1 |
| VP of Marketing | Brand alignment | Approve chat scripts, review response templates | Week 1-2 |
| IT Director | Technical implementation | Execute integrations, manage security review | Weeks 1-4 |
| Regional Managers | Wave coordination | Prepare locations, manage local staff communication | Pre-wave |
| Office Managers | Location execution | Own local go-live, champion training | Per wave |
| Providers | Adoption, feedback | Engage with system, provide clinical input | Go-live + ongoing |
Baseline Metrics to Capture BEFORE Go-Live
⚠️ Critical: Capturing standardized baseline metrics across all locations is essential for ROI measurement and cross-location comparison. Complete this before ANY location goes live.
Marketing & Acquisition Metrics
| Metric | Source | Capture Method | Standardization Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly website visitors | Google Analytics | Export 12-month history | Ensure GA tracking consistent across all sites |
| Website-to-lead conversion rate | Current form submissions ÷ visitors | Pull from CMS/form tool | Define "lead" consistently (form, chat, call) |
| New patient calls per month | Call tracking or estimate | Phone system reports | If no tracking, estimate from appointment data |
| New patients scheduled per month | PMS report | Standardized report | Same date range across locations |
| New patient show rate | PMS report | Scheduled vs. completed | First appointment only |
| Cost per new patient acquisition | Marketing spend ÷ new patients | Finance + PMS | Include all digital spend |
| Average time to respond to web leads | Manual audit or form timestamps | Sample 20 leads per location | ⚠️ Often not tracked—establish now |
Reputation Metrics
| Metric | Source | Capture Method |
|---|---|---|
| Google review count | Google Business Profile | Screenshot/export |
| Google average rating | Google Business Profile | Record to 1 decimal |
| Monthly review volume (new reviews) | Google Business Profile | 6-month average |
| Review response rate | Google Business Profile | Responded ÷ Total |
Operational Metrics
| Metric | Source | Capture Method |
|---|---|---|
| Front desk FTE per location | HR/Payroll | Current headcount |
| % of front desk time on phones/leads | Time study or estimate | Sample observation |
| Average appointment booking time | Manual observation | Time 10 bookings |
Standardization Requirements
☐ 🟣 Define universal metric definitions in writing (what counts as a "new patient," "lead," etc.) ☐ Create standardized reporting template for all locations ☐ Assign deadline for all locations to submit baseline data ☐ Validate data quality centrally before proceeding ☐ ⚠️ Flag locations with missing/unreliable data—consider excluding from early waves
Enterprise-Level Requirements
Network Standards Across Locations
☐ Document current network topology per location ☐ Identify locations with non-standard ISPs or restricted networks ☐ Verify VPN requirements if DearDoc needs internal network access ☐ Confirm firewall policy change process and timeline
Hosting Architecture Decision
🟣 Decision Required: Centralized vs. Location-Level Hosting
| Approach | Pros | Cons | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centralized | Single config, easier updates, unified data | Single point of failure, network dependency | Recommended for DearDoc—SaaS model is inherently centralized |
| Location-Level | Local resilience | Config drift, harder to manage | Not applicable for DearDoc architecture |
☐ Confirm DearDoc's SaaS architecture aligns with your IT governance requirements
Identity & Access Management
☐ 🔵 Confirm SSO compatibility (SAML 2.0, OAuth) ☐ Map DearDoc roles to your internal role hierarchy ☐ Define access levels: Enterprise Admin, Regional Admin, Location Admin, User ☐ Document offboarding process for staff turnover
Centralized Credentialing
☐ Designate central team members with enterprise admin rights ☐ Establish credential storage protocol (password manager, SSO) ☐ Create service account for integrations (not tied to individual employee) ☐ Document break-glass procedure if primary admin unavailable
3. Location Readiness Assessment
Scoring Framework
Score each location 1–5 on the following factors, then calculate composite readiness score.
Factor 1: IT Infrastructure Maturity (Weight: 20%)
| Score | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 5 | Fiber internet (100+ Mbps), workstations <2 years old, modern PMS version, cloud-first |
| 4 | Cable internet (50+ Mbps), workstations 2-4 years old, current PMS version |
| 3 | Cable internet (25-50 Mbps), workstations 4-5 years old, PMS version 1-2 behind |
| 2 | DSL internet (<25 Mbps), workstations >5 years old, outdated PMS version |
| 1 | Unreliable internet, end-of-life hardware, PMS upgrade required before implementation |
Factor 2: Staff Tenure and Adaptability (Weight: 20%)
| Score | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 5 | Low turnover (<15%), history of successful tech adoption, staff requests new tools |
| 4 | Moderate turnover (15-25%), recent successful tech implementation |
| 3 | Average turnover (25-35%), mixed tech adoption history |
| 2 | High turnover (35-50%), previous tech rollout challenges |
| 1 | Very high turnover (>50%), known resistance to change, recent failed implementation |
Factor 3: Patient Volume (Weight: 15%)
| Score | Criteria | Impact Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | >80 new patients/month | Highest potential ROI, but also highest risk if issues occur |
| 4 | 60-80 new patients/month | Strong ROI potential, manageable risk |
| 3 | 40-60 new patients/month | Moderate impact, good for pilots |
| 2 | 20-40 new patients/month | Lower immediate impact, lower risk |
| 1 | <20 new patients/month | Minimal impact, may not justify early-wave priority |
⚠️ Note: High-volume locations (5s) should typically go in Wave 2 after workflow is proven, not Wave 1.
Factor 4: Existing Tech Stack Compatibility (Weight: 25%)
| Score | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 5 | Dentrix Enterprise, Eaglesoft, or Open Dental with known DearDoc integration; modern website on WordPress/standard CMS |
| 4 | Standard PMS with API access; website accessible for widget installation |
| 3 | PMS with partial integration; website updates require vendor coordination |
| 2 | Legacy PMS with limited integration options; custom website platform |
| 1 | Non-supported PMS; no website or website on unmaintainable platform |
🔵 Request DearDoc's current PMS integration compatibility matrix during onboarding.
Factor 5: Local Champion Availability (Weight: 20%)
| Score | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 5 | Tech-forward provider who actively wants this + engaged office manager |
| 4 | Engaged office manager with tech aptitude + cooperative providers |
| 3 | Office manager willing to champion but needs support |
| 2 | No obvious champion but no active resisters |
| 1 | Key staff actively resistant or office manager disengaged |
Composite Score Calculation
Composite Score = (IT × 0.20) + (Staff × 0.20) + (Volume × 0.15) + (Tech Stack × 0.25) + (Champion × 0.20)
Readiness Tiers
| Composite Score | Tier | Rollout Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| 4.0–5.0 | Tier A | Wave 1 candidate |
| 3.0–3.9 | Tier B | Wave 2 candidate |
| 2.0–2.9 | Tier C | Wave 3 candidate (with pre-work) |
| <2.0 | Tier D | Remediation required before rollout |
Sample Readiness Assessment
| Location | IT | Staff | Volume | Tech | Champion | Composite | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Central | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4.45 | A |
| Dallas North | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4.00 | A |
| Chicago Loop | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3.95 | B |
| Miami Beach | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3.15 | B |
| Denver West | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2.30 | C |
Rollout Sequence Recommendation
Based on readiness scoring, create your rollout sequence:
Wave 1 Selection Criteria:
- Tier A scores (4.0+)
- At least one location per region (if applicable)
- Mix of practice sizes/types to test across portfolio
- Exclude highest-volume locations to limit risk exposure
- Prioritize locations with strongest champions
Wave 2 Selection Criteria:
- All remaining Tier A and Tier B locations
- Apply lessons learned from Wave 1
- Can proceed with faster timeline due to proven playbook
Wave 3 Selection Criteria:
- Tier C locations with remediation completed
- Extended support model during rollout
- Consider pairing with high-performing Wave 1/2 location for peer support
Tier D Remediation:
- Address specific blockers before scheduling
- May require IT investment, staffing changes, or PMS upgrade
- 🟣 Executive decision: implement after remediation or exclude from platform
4. Rollout Strategy
Recommended Wave Structure
For a 30-location DSO, we recommend the following structure:
| Wave | Locations | Timeline | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wave 1 (Pilot) | 3–4 locations | Weeks 3–6 | Prove workflows, identify issues, refine training |
| Wave 2 (Expansion) | 10–12 locations | Weeks 8–11 | Scale validated approach, build internal expertise |
| Wave 3 (Completion) | Remaining 14–16 locations | Weeks 13–18 | Efficient rollout with proven playbook |
Wave 1: Pilot Selection Criteria
Select 3–4 locations meeting ALL of the following:
☐ Tier A readiness score (4.0+) ☐ Strong local champion (office manager or provider who volunteers) ☐ Representative of portfolio (at least one GP, one specialty if applicable) ☐ Geographically accessible for on-site support if needed ☐ NOT your highest-volume or flagship locations (limit risk exposure) ☐ NOT locations with recent leadership changes or major transitions ☐ Different PMS configurations if your portfolio has variation (test integration paths)
Wave 1 Timeline (Weeks 3–6)
| Week | Activities |
|---|---|
| Week 3 | Configuration, integration testing, champion training |
| Week 4 | Go-live at all Wave 1 locations simultaneously |
| Week 5 | Daily monitoring, issue resolution, workflow refinement |
| Week 6 | Performance assessment, lessons learned documentation |
Wave 2: Expansion Timeline (Weeks 8–11)
| Week | Activities |
|---|---|
| Week 7 | Buffer week—complete Wave 1 retrospective, update training materials |
| Week 8 | Wave 2 champion training, configuration |
| Week 9 | Go-live at Wave 2 locations (can stagger across 2-3 days) |
| Week 10-11 | Monitoring, support, stabilization |
Wave 3: Completion Timeline (Weeks 13–18)
| Week | Activities |
|---|---|
| Week 12 | Buffer week—Wave 2 retrospective, final playbook updates |
| Week 13-14 | Wave 3a go-live (first half of remaining locations) |
| Week 15-16 | Wave 3b go-live (second half) |
| Week 17-18 | Organization-wide stabilization, transition to BAU operations |
Go/No-Go Criteria Between Waves
Criteria to Advance from Wave 1 → Wave 2
Must Have (All Required): ☐ 100% of Wave 1 locations have stable chat widget functioning ☐ PMS integration confirmed working for appointment creation ☐ All Wave 1 champions report they can independently troubleshoot Tier 1 issues ☐ No unresolved Severity 1 or 2 issues open with vendor ☐ At least 14 days of stable operation
Should Have (Majority Required): ☐ New patient lead response time improved or maintained vs. baseline ☐ No significant patient complaints attributed to AI chat ☐ Staff satisfaction score ≥3/5 in pulse survey ☐ Chat engagement rate ≥5% of website visitors (benchmark) ☐ Review solicitation emails generating responses (if feature enabled)
🟣 Decision Authority: VP of Operations approves Wave advancement
Criteria to Advance from Wave 2 → Wave 3
☐ 90%+ of Wave 2 locations stable within 10 days ☐ Training materials validated as effective (minimal ad hoc training needed) ☐ Support request volume declining week-over-week ☐ At least 2 Wave 1 champions available to support Wave 3 peer locations ☐ No systemic integration issues unresolved
Rollback Plan
Rollback Triggers
- Severity 1 issue (system down, patient data exposure, major brand damage) unresolved >4 hours
30% of wave locations experiencing critical functionality failures
- Integration causing PMS data corruption or appointment errors
- 🟣 Executive decision based on risk assessment
Rollback Procedure
Location-Level Rollback:
- Disable DearDoc chat widget on location website (15 min)
- Redirect phone number back to direct office line if using call tracking (30 min)
- Disable automated review solicitation (immediate in portal)
- Notify office manager and staff that system is paused
- Route leads to backup process (web form or direct phone)
- Document issues for vendor escalation
Wave-Level Rollback:
- Execute location-level rollback at all affected locations
- Pause rollout of subsequent waves
- 🔵 Emergency escalation to DearDoc executive support
- 🟣 Brief C-suite on status and remediation timeline
- Conduct root cause analysis before resuming
- Revise go/no-go criteria based on learnings
Rollback Does NOT Affect:
- Locations in different waves (isolated by design)
- Historical data collected (retained in DearDoc platform)
- Baseline metrics established pre-implementation
5. Configuration & Integration (Weeks 2–3)
Practice Management System Integration
🔵 Dentrix Enterprise Integration
Prerequisites: ☐ Dentrix Enterprise version 9.0 or higher recommended ☐ eCentral services enabled ☐ API access credentials from Henry Schein/Dentrix ☐ Location IDs mapped in Dentrix matching DearDoc location setup
Integration Steps:
- ☐ Request API credentials from Dentrix support (2-5 business days)
- ☐ 🔵 Provide credentials to DearDoc implementation team
- ☐ 🔵 DearDoc configures connection in staging environment
- ☐ Test patient lookup functionality
- ☐ Test appointment availability query
- ☐ Test appointment creation/booking
- ☐ ⚠️ Verify appointment shows in correct operatory/provider schedule
- ☐ Test patient creation for new patients
- ☐ Validate data mapping (phone format, address parsing)
- ☐ Confirm bidirectional sync if cancellations/changes need to reflect
Estimated Time: 3-5 business days
🔵 Eaglesoft Integration
Prerequisites: ☐ Eaglesoft 21 or higher recommended ☐ Eaglesoft API license (may require additional purchase) ☐ Static IP or VPN access if Eaglesoft is server-based on-premise
Integration Steps:
- ☐ Confirm Eaglesoft API license is active with Patterson
- ☐ ⚠️ If on-premise: establish secure connectivity (VPN or static IP whitelisting)
- ☐ 🔵 Provide connection details to DearDoc
- ☐ 🔵 DearDoc configures integration
- ☐ Test appointment viewing/creation
- ☐ Test patient matching logic
- ☐ Validate operatory and provider mapping
- ☐ Test during business hours (on-premise servers may have availability windows)
Estimated Time: 5-7 business days (longer if on-premise with network complexity)
🔵 Open Dental Integration
Prerequisites: ☐ Open Dental version 21.1 or higher recommended ☐ Open Dental API enabled (requires Open Dental support) ☐ API key generated
Integration Steps:
- ☐ Generate API key in Open Dental (Setup → Program Links → API)
- ☐ 🔵 Provide API key and database connection details to DearDoc
- ☐ Configure user permissions for API access
- ☐ 🔵 DearDoc establishes connection
- ☐ Test patient search and creation
- ☐ Test appointment scheduling
- ☐ ⚠️ Test timezone handling if locations span multiple zones
- ☐ Validate appointment type mapping
Estimated Time: 2-4 business days (Open Dental typically fastest integration)
Website Chat Widget Installation
Standard Installation Process
For WordPress Sites:
- ☐ 🔵 Obtain widget code snippet from DearDoc
- ☐ Access WordPress admin panel
- ☐ Install via plugin (if DearDoc plugin available) OR
- ☐ Add to theme footer via Appearance → Theme Editor → footer.php OR
- ☐ Use header/footer injection plugin (Insert Headers and Footers recommended)
- ☐ Clear any caching plugins after installation
- ☐ Verify widget appears on all pages
- ☐ Test on mobile devices (responsive behavior)
For Custom/Other CMS Sites:
- ☐ 🔵 Obtain widget code snippet from DearDoc
- ☐ Coordinate with web developer or agency
- ☐ Add script to site footer (before