Dr Anuj Gupta • 6 minute read • Updated June 2, 2026
Best AI Dental Scribe Software & Note-Taking Tools (2026)
Written by a dentist - an honest comparison of every AI clinical documentation tool worth considering, including
the one I built.
I'm a dentist. I've used, tested, or closely followed every AI clinical documentation tool in this space. I also
built one of them - Dentascribe - so I'll be upfront about that bias. But I've tried to be as fair
and honest as possible here, because I genuinely want you to find the right tool for your clinic, even if it isn't mine.
This guide covers the six tools that matter in 2026 for UK dental professionals: what each does well, where each
falls short, how much they cost, and who each one is actually best suited for.
Each tool, reviewed honestly
1. Dentascribe
Our pick
Full disclosure: I built this one. Read the others and make your own call.
Dentascribe is purpose-built for UK dentists and covers everything the older platforms do: clickable templates,
ambient AI audio notes, smart dictation, and patient letters. But with the most affordable paid plans on the
market.
The free plan includes unlimited clickable notes. Paid plans start at just £29/month for audio notes
and smart dictation, and £39/month adds letters and team features.
Setup is incredibly easy. You can quickly generate notes that sound like you, using your own templates, with the
speed and detail of AI. Notes come out structured exactly how UK dentists expect, complete with proper
Palmer/FDI notation and terminology. And the more you use it, the better it gets.
Sign up free →
Strengths
- Generous free plan with unlimited clickable notes
-
Most affordable paid plans in the market offering full audio notes, letter writing and consent form
generation from £29/month
- Easily import and use your own personal templates
- AI that learns from your edits and clinical style
- Zero-knowledge encryption, NHS DSPT compliant, UK Cyberessentials
Limitations
- No direct PMS integration (copy-paste workflow)
Best for: The default choice for dentists who need faster, higher quality
clinical notes and letters. It offers everything other platforms offer, whilst costing up to 3x less.
2. Kiroku
Kiroku was one of the first platforms to speed up clinical record writing, and it popularised the structured,
clickable note approach. It has a loyal following, especially in hospital and secondary care settings where its
DCB0129 compliance is valued.
For UK primary care dentists, though, Kiroku was built for dentists generally, not with UK-specific workflows in
mind. It does not natively centre UK dental examination structure, Palmer/FDI notation, or the record format UK
GDPs expect. It is also a more expensive option, from £29/month for basic templates up to £120/month for letters, with no free plan, no AI that learns your style, and no predictive AI.
Full Kiroku vs Dentascribe comparison →
Strengths
- Longest track record, established in 2017
- DCB0129 compliant and suitable for secondary care (hospitals)
Limitations
- Very difficult to import your own personal note and letter templates
- AI audio notes are less mature and don't work as well as other tools
- Letters are very expensive (£120/mo) and don't use dynamic AI generation
- AI recommendations are very limited and users have reported that they are not useful
Best for: Dentists already embedded in Kiroku's structured-note workflow,
particularly in hospital or secondary care settings where DCB0129 compliance matters. Worth noting that the core strengths
(structured notes, clickable templates) are all available for free in Dentascribe.
3. DigitalTCO
DigitalTCO popularised AI audio notes in dentistry and was one of the first to market. If you've heard of AI
dental scribes, there's a good chance DigitalTCO is the name that comes to mind. The transcription quality is
decent and the tool does what it says.
The trade-off is price and output style. At £118.80/month, it's the most expensive tool on this
list. The notes tend to be long, paraphrased blocks of text with extensive bullet points. There's no AI learning
over time, and no practice-managed template sharing. You may find yourself spending significant time editing and
trimming output after generation, or find that the output does not adhere to your clinical style.
Full DigitalTCO vs Dentascribe comparison →
Strengths
- Well-known brand in dental AI
- Established track record with audio notes
- Dental-specific
Limitations
- Most expensive tool on this list (£118.80/mo)
- Its 'premium' performance is now overstated, other tools are now more accurate
- Users have reported it being frustrating since its V2 update
- Does not work as well when using with your own personal templates
- Notes are verbose and require heavy editing
- Audio-only focus - does not offer clickable notes
Best for: Dentists already comfortable with DigitalTCO's longer, paraphrased
note style who'd rather stick with a familiar tool than switch, and don't mind paying a premium for familiarity. Worth
noting that its core feature set - audio notes, patient letters, and consent forms - is now matched (or bettered)
by alternatives at a fraction of the price.
4. Heidi
Heidi is arguably the most popular AI scribe in UK healthcare - but it was built for doctors and GPs, not
dentists. The AI is excellent at medical consultations, SOAP-style notes, and GP workflows. Many dentists have
tried it because of the buzz, and some have made it work.
The challenge is that dentistry has fundamentally different documentation needs. Heidi doesn't natively
understand Palmer notation, BPE scoring, dental charting shorthand, or the UK dental examination structure.
You'll spend time correcting dental terminology and restructuring notes to match what dental records should look
like. At £72/month, it's also one of the more expensive options.
Full Heidi vs Dentascribe comparison →
Strengths
- Excellent for medical/GP consultations
- Large user community across healthcare
- Very polished, mature product
Limitations
- Not designed for dental terminology or workflows
- Does not work as well for dentists even though it claims to support dentists
- Created by an Australian tech company, not dentists
- Expensive (£72-£78/mo)
Best for: Clinicians who work across both medical and dental settings, or
dentists who don't mind correcting terminology and restructuring AI output.
5. Chairsyde
Chairsyde's primary strength is patient education - the treatment animation library is genuinely unique and
useful for case acceptance. AI note-taking is a newer add-on rather than the core product.
The audio notes are currently in early access (free), which makes it an interesting option if you're already
using Chairsyde for animations and want basic AI notes at no extra cost. However, the note-taking features are
less mature: there are no clickable notes, no AI learning, and no practice-managed template sharing. If your
main goal is clinical record-taking efficiency, you'll find purpose-built tools offer a more refined experience.
Full Chairsyde vs Dentascribe comparison →
Strengths
- Unique patient education animations
- AI notes currently free (early access)
- Good for case acceptance workflows
Limitations
- AI notes are an add-on, not the core product
- No clickable notes or custom templates
- No AI learning or smart dictation
- No practice-managed template sharing
- Early access pricing may change
- Notes need more review and corrections
Best for: Dentists who already use Chairsyde for patient animations and want
basic AI notes bundled in, without paying extra for a separate tool.
6. Dentistry Dashboard
Dentistry Dashboard is a newer entrant that originally focused on practice analytics and management dashboards
for dental professionals. It has some interesting tools for practices that you may find very helpful.
Audio notes, letters, and custom templates are available from £41/month, with practice tools
including template sharing, invoice managers, and staff rota at £99/month. However, the
note-taking features are relatively basic: there are no clickable notes, no AI learning, and no smart dictation.
The product is less established and has a smaller user base compared to the other tools on this list.
Full Dentistry Dashboard vs Dentascribe comparison →
Strengths
- £41/mo includes audio notes, letters, and custom templates
- Dental-specific
- Practice analytics features
Limitations
- No free plan
- No AI learning or smart dictation
- Newer, less-proven platform
- Smaller user base and less polished platform
Best for: Dentists who want a combined practice management dashboard and
basic AI note-taking in a single platform.
