The Next Generation of Dental Practice Owners are ready to open their doors

Dream Squat Manchester Event gave dental practice entrepreneurs a platform to explore, alongside industry experts, how business VoIP solutions can help them build connected practices from day one

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Manchester, UK, 30 September 2026: A new generation of dental practice owners are preparing to open their doors. Across the UK, dentists are planning new practices and exploring how technology can help them deliver an outstanding patient experience from day one.

The VoIP Shop was proud to sponsor Dream Squat Manchester 2026 at The Midland, Manchester. The conference is built for dentists moving from associate to practice owner. Opening a practice means hundreds of decisions, from chairs and imaging to software and staffing. Phone solutions and patient communications are often left until the last minute, and that is where we came in.

Over the event, we met delegates at every stage, from those still hunting for premises to owners’ weeks away from seeing their first patient. The conversations were practical, honest and, for us, a great reminder of why we love working with dental teams.

Your phone line is your front door

For a new practice, the phone is usually the first point of contact a patient has with you. Before they see your reception or meet your clinicians, they call to ask about registering, prices or an emergency appointment. If that call goes unanswered, most patients will not leave a voicemail. They simply ring the next practice on the list.

For a practice trying to build its patient book from zero, every missed call is a missed patient and lost revenue.

AI Receptionist enters the conversation

At the event, The VoIP Shop highlighted with delegates the AI Receptionist, which is designed to provide additional support when the human reception team is unavailable or already busy.

It can answer incoming calls, handle routine enquiries and direct callers to the appropriate next step. For a new practice, this provides an additional layer of support without replacing the personal service patients expect.

The receptionist can focus on the patient at the desk while AI helps ensure that callers are not simply left waiting.

The next generation is building differently

The conversations at Dream Squat also highlighted the importance of planning for new owners, this can mean considering local numbers, call routing, opening hours, out-of-hours calls and how the system will respond as demand grows alongside the patient list.

VoIP allows practices to build these requirements into their communications from the outset and adapt them as the practice develops. For a new practice owner, that means one less piece of infrastructure to worry about.

For The VoIP Shop, attending and sponsoring the event offered an opportunity to meet future practice owners, understand their needs and explore how modern communications, including AI Receptionist, can support them from the outset.

Opening a practice? Let's talk

If we missed you at the event, or you are planning a new practice, get in touch for a free, no-obligation consultation. We will map out your call flow, recommend the right setup and give you a clear timeline to be live before opening day. Visit the VoIP Shop at thevoipshop.co.uk for a free quote.