# 24/7 call answering

> 24/7 call answering gives callers to your practice a helpful answer at any hour. Intavia answers questions, handles appointments and passes anything that needs a person to your team, so reception can focus on patients in the practice.

Type: Workflow (Inbound)
Last reviewed: 3 October 2026
Web page: https://www.intavia.ai/docs/call-answering
Product page: https://www.intavia.ai/capabilities/call-answering

## At a glance

- What it does: Answers inbound calls, handles requests and passes on anything that needs your team
- Channels: Inbound calls, with additional channels available
- Integrations: Your phone line and practice management system, such as Dentally
- What you can customise: When Intavia answers, what callers can do, when calls go to your team and what happens next
- What your team sees: Bookings in your system, a summary of every call and tasks for anything that needs a person
- Setup: Done for you by our team, around how your reception works

## How it works

Call answering runs on rules built around your practice. Our team does the setup work: we agree with you how each kind of call should be handled, turn that into rules, and Intavia applies them to every call that reaches it, at any hour or at the times you choose.

1. Plan: we agree with you how calls should be handled, from what callers can do themselves to when your team takes over. Our team builds the rules from that.
2. Answer: calls reach Intavia on your existing number and are answered with your practice's greeting. Returning callers can be recognised from their number.
3. Understand: Intavia works out what the caller needs, whether that's an answer, an appointment, a message or a person. Identity is confirmed before any personal details are shared.
4. Act: questions are answered from your approved practice information, and appointments are booked, moved or cancelled directly in your system, following your practice rules.
5. Outcome: every call ends with a recorded outcome, a summary and a transcript in your dashboard.
6. Next step: anything that needs a person can be transferred to your team while reception is open, or becomes a message and a task for them to pick up.

## Rules

These are the options we agree with you, not fixed settings. Each one can be shaped around how your practice works, and anything not listed here can be built into the plan.

| Rule | What we agree with you |
| --- | --- |
| Coverage | When Intavia answers, such as all calls, outside reception hours or when your team can't pick up |
| Practice information | What callers can be told about your services, prices, opening hours and policies |
| Appointments | Which appointment types can be booked, moved or cancelled on the call, and which go to your team |
| Messages | What details are taken for a message, such as a callback number, and what callers are told about the next step |
| Urgent calls | How urgent concerns are recognised and handled, from safety advice to a transfer or an urgent task |
| Hand-over | The situations that go to your team, such as a request for a person, a complaint or a clinical question, and whether they are transferred or become a task |
| Alerts | Who on your team hears about new tasks, by SMS or email |
| Fallbacks | Alternative routes that keep things moving, such as offering another time, taking a message when your team is busy or sending details by text |

## Outcomes

Each outcome has a default next step. Any of them can be changed to suit your practice.

| Outcome | What happens next |
| --- | --- |
| Question answered | Recorded with a summary, with nothing for your team to do |
| Booked, moved or cancelled | The change is made in your system and confirmed with the caller |
| Transferred to your team | The caller is put through, and the call summary is in your dashboard |
| Message or call back requested | A task is created with the details already captured |
| Running late | Your team gets a task with the appointment and roughly how late the caller expects to be |
| Urgent concern | Your urgent call rules apply, such as a transfer or an urgent task |

## Safeguards

- Identity is confirmed before any personal or appointment details are shared.
- Answers come from your approved practice information. Intavia doesn't diagnose or suggest treatment, and clinical questions can go to your team.
- Bookings are checked against live availability in your system before they're confirmed.
- Transfers go only to the numbers you choose, and only while your team is set to take them.

## Works together with

- [Appointment booking, changes & cancellations](https://www.intavia.ai/capabilities/appointment-booking): Appointments booked, moved and cancelled during the call, directly in your system.
- [Practice knowledge & pricing answers](https://www.intavia.ai/docs/practice-knowledge): Clear answers about your services, prices and practice, from information you approve.
- [Identity verification](https://www.intavia.ai/docs/identity-verification): Identity confirmed before personal details are shared, including for people calling on someone's behalf.
- [Call routing & transfers](https://www.intavia.ai/capabilities/call-routing): Calls that need a person reach the right one, with context.
- [Team hand-off, tasks & alerts](https://www.intavia.ai/docs/team-hand-off): Clear tasks and alerts so your team knows exactly what to do next.
- [After-hours & missed calls](https://www.intavia.ai/capabilities/after-hours-call-answering): Calls answered and enquiries moving outside reception hours, including bank holidays.

## FAQs

### Which channels does call answering cover?

Phone calls to your practice number are the default. The same receptionist can also handle enquiries by text, WhatsApp or your website widget.

### Do we need a new phone number?

No. Patients keep calling your existing number, and your phone system forwards calls to Intavia at the times you choose. Our team helps you set up the forwarding with your phone provider. Some phone providers charge for forwarded calls, so our team checks this with you during setup.

### What about calls that aren't from patients?

Calls from suppliers, other clinicians or anyone else about your practice's business are taken as a message for the right person, or transferred if you prefer. They don't go through patient identity checks.

### Can patients tell you they're running late?

Yes. Intavia takes which appointment it is and roughly how late they expect to be, and passes it to your team. Your team decides what happens next.

### Can the rules change after launch?

Yes. Tell your support team what you need and they update the rules. There's nothing for you to configure.