How should Canadian dental clinics handle after-hours calls?

After-hours calls represent some of the highest-value patient inquiries for Canadian dental clinics — patients calling after hours are often in pain or have urgent needs and will book the first clinic that responds. Options range from answering services ($200-500/month) to automated SMS response systems (one-time setup). The most effective approach: automatic text acknowledgment within 60 seconds of any missed call, regardless of time, followed by a prompt to book online or receive a callback the next morning. This captures urgent patients before they find an emergency dental clinic.