This article outlines the set up for Dental Intelligence users who utilize Denticon as their practice management software (PMS). Dental Intelligence Online Scheduling is part of the Engagement Module. If you're interested in learning more about how Denticon works with Dental Intelligence, CLICK HERE to request a demo!
Online scheduling through Dental Intelligence allows your patients to book appointments directly from your website 24/7. This powerful feature reduces phone calls, fills gaps in your schedule, and provides convenience that today's patients expect.
To enable online scheduling, your Denticon system must be properly configured to communicate availability, provider schedules, and booking rules to Dental Intelligence. This guide walks you through each required setup step.
Step 1: Configure Provider Settings
Each provider who should be available for online booking must be configured in Denticon. Navigate to Setup > Providers > Provider Setup in Denticon and verify the following settings for each provider:
Denticon Provider Setting | Requirement |
Active | Must be set to Yes |
Visible in AppointNow | Must be set to Yes |
Works At | Configure to work at the desired office(s) |
OPs (Operatories) | Configure to work at the desired operatories |
Schedules | An effective schedule must exist for the office and provider |
Holidays | If configured, will block bookings at the specified times |
Watermarks | Must be configured for each OP/time/day the provider should be available for online booking. See Understanding Watermarks below. |
Understanding Watermarks
Watermarks define when a provider is available for online booking in specific operatories. They are critical to online scheduling functionality.
Key watermark rules:
Watermarks must be configured for every day, time, and operatory combination where online booking should be available.
The watermark type itself doesn't matter — what matters is that watermarks exist during booking hours.
Online bookings cannot overlap two watermarks — this is why it's best to configure watermarks for the entire working day.
Best Practice: Set up watermarks to cover your entire working day (e.g., 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM) rather than fragmenting them into smaller time blocks. This prevents booking conflicts and ensures patients can book appointments at any time during your hours.
Step 2: Configure Office Settings
Navigate to Setup > Offices > Office Setup in Denticon and configure the following:
Required Settings
Schedules: Ensure schedules exist for each office location.
Holidays: Configure office holidays to automatically block online bookings during closures.
# of Days Allowed to Search from Current Date (AppointNow Only): Set to 0 if you want to allow same-day bookings. This controls how far in advance patients must book.
Appointment Duration Settings
Default Patient Request Appointment Duration: This setting must be carefully configured to work with your Production Type duration.
The rule:
If your practice default duration is less than the Production Type duration, the default must be evenly divisible by the Production Type duration
If your practice default duration is greater than the Production Type duration, no divisibility requirement applies
Example: If your Production Type duration is 15 minutes, your practice default could be 15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes (all divisible by 15), or it could be any duration longer than 15 minutes without restriction.
Step 3: Configure Production Types
Navigate to Setup > Misc Setups > Scheduler Production Type in Denticon
The Production Type selected for Watermarks must be set to Active
The AppointNow 'Visible' dropdown must be set to Yes
Step 4: Configure Dental Intelligence Settings
In your Dental Intelligence Online Scheduling configuration, you'll need to set up provider availability and time blocks that, when enabled, will override your Denticon setup.
Set up Provider Availability in Dental Intelligence Online Scheduling > Providers Availability
Set up Time Blocks in Dental Intelligence Online Scheduling > Time Blocks
When finished, enable the "Override PMS configuration" toggle in Online Scheduling > General Settings
Important: Set up availability and time blocks in Dental Intelligence to mirror your Denticon provider schedules exactly.
Important Scheduling Rules
Lunch Breaks
Practice-level or provider-level lunch breaks configured in Denticon will automatically block online scheduling during those times. You don't need to take any additional action — the integration handles this automatically.
Schedule Increment Limitations
The online scheduling system cannot book appointments at time increments that aren't possible in your schedule. For example, if your schedule shows 10-minute increments, you cannot book a 35-minute appointment online. Ensure your Production Type durations align with your schedule increments.
Troubleshooting
No Appointment Times Available Online
Check the following:
Provider is set to Active and Visible in Denticon AppointNow
Denticon Watermarks are configured for the entire working day in each operatory
Denticon Production Type is Active and Visible in AppointNow
Schedules exist for both the provider and office
No holidays are blocking the dates you'e trying to book
Appointment Bookings Getting Blocked
Common causes:
Watermarks are fragmented — consider setting them for the full working day
Lunch breaks or holidays are blocking desired times
Appointment duration isn't properly aligned with Production Type duration
Best Practices
Configure Denticon watermarks for entire working days rather than fragmenting them into smaller blocks
Keep Production Type durations simple — use 15, 30, or 60-minute increments that align with your schedule
Set up holidays in advance to prevent patients from booking during office closures
Test the patient experience by attempting to book appointments online yourself to verify everything works as expected
Review bookings regularly in the first few weeks to identify any configuration issues early
Getting Help
If you've followed all configuration steps and are still experiencing issues with online scheduling, please contact Dental Intelligence support. Our team can review your specific setup and help identify any configuration gaps.
Remember: Online scheduling works seamlessly once properly configured. Taking time to verify each setting will ensure a smooth experience for both your team and your patients.