AI dental receptionist and front office for California practices
Solara is an AI front office for dental practices in California. It answers every call 24/7, books appointments into OpenDental, verifies insurance and sends digital intake forms. Because Solara records every call, the main state-specific setting is California's all-party consent rule for call recording under Cal. Penal Code § 632.
- Call recording
- All-party consent
- Cal. Penal Code § 632
- Time zone
- Pacific
- Solara answers 24/7
- Licensing board
- Dental Board of California
- Dentists and hygienists
Solara in California: key takeaways
- California is an all-party consent state for recording phone calls, under Cal. Penal Code § 632.
- Practices in California should tell callers the call is recorded, which Solara's configurable greeting makes simple.
- California practices run on Pacific Time, and Solara answers 24/7 regardless of office hours.
- Dentists in California are licensed by the Dental Board of California.
- Solara works with your existing phone line and OpenDental, so there is nothing to install on site.
Does Solara work for dental practices in California?
Yes. Solara is cloud software, so a practice anywhere in California uses it the same way: it works with your existing phone line and syncs with OpenDental. There is no hardware to install and no technical setup on your side.
Practices in the Pacific time zone get the same 24/7 coverage. Solara answers every call, including after hours, at lunch and when the line is busy, and can book the patient straight into the schedule.
Can a dental practice record patient calls in California?
California is generally treated as an all-party (or two-party) consent state for phone calls: everyone on the call must agree to it being recorded. The rule comes from Cal. Penal Code § 632.
Applies to confidential communications. Separately, § 632.7 requires all-party consent for calls involving a cellular or cordless phone, regardless of confidentiality. Civil damages are available (§ 637.2).
Solara records and transcribes every call, so practices in this state should state clearly at the start of each call that it is recorded. Because you write the receptionist's greeting yourself, adding that notice takes one line.
This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your obligations with counsel familiar with the law in your state.
Can Solara answer patients' questions about Medi-Cal Dental?
Yes, if your practice accepts it. Solara answers coverage questions from the carriers, plan types and payment options you configure in settings, so adding Medi-Cal Dental to your accepted plans lets the AI receptionist answer patients consistently, in your words.
For coverage checks, Solara verifies eligibility and benefits with your configured carriers at intake, so the result is on the chart before the visit.
Who licenses dentists in California?
Dentists and dental hygienists in California are licensed by the Dental Board of California. The board's rules, together with HIPAA, govern how a practice handles patient records and communications.
Solara supports that with a signed Business Associate Agreement for every practice, encryption of patient data in transit and at rest, US data residency, and an audit log of every access to protected health information.
How much does Solara cost for a California dental practice?
Pricing is the same in every state. Essentials is $179 per month, or $149 per month billed annually, and Pro is $399 per month, or $349 per month billed annually. Enterprise is custom-priced for multi-location dental groups.
California dental practice questions
Is California a one-party or all-party consent state for call recording?
California is generally treated as an all-party consent state for phone calls under Cal. Penal Code § 632, so everyone on the call should agree to the recording. Practices using Solara should announce recording in their greeting.
Does Solara work with OpenDental practices in California?
Yes. Solara syncs with OpenDental for practices in California and every other state, keeping patients, appointments, providers, operatories, procedure codes, insurance and revenue in sync with no double entry.
Can Solara answer after-hours calls for a California dental office?
Yes. Solara answers every call 24/7 for practices in the Pacific time zone, including after hours, at lunch and during busy periods, and can book the patient straight into the schedule.
What Solara does for California practices
Bring Solara to your California practice
Book a 20-minute demo and watch Solara answer a real call, verify insurance and book into OpenDental.
First 2 months free on Essentials for founding clinics · No setup fee · Cancel anytime