"Open po ba kayo Saturday?" "Magkano braces?" "Pwede tomorrow 3 PM?" Your clinic's Facebook page gets these all day, and after hours. Any one of them could be a booking, and the patient is waiting to see which clinic answers first.
A Messenger chatbot for a dental clinic in the Philippines should end that chat with a booked appointment, not a phone number to call.
Why an auto-reply isn't enough
Facebook's instant replies and saved FAQs can say "Thanks for your message, we'll get back to you." That's where they stop. A person still has to quote the price, find a time and confirm it. By then, a patient who asked at night may have moved on to the clinic that answered.
A chatbot that only answers FAQs has the same gap one step later. It can say what a cleaning costs, then hand the patient your landline.
An inbox by hand versus with OtterFlow
| By hand | With OtterFlow | |
|---|---|---|
| Message after hours | Waits till morning | Answered in seconds |
| Taglish or Bisaya | Depends who's on shift | Same language back |
| Price question | Someone types it out | Your approved prices |
| Patient goes quiet | No time to chase | Followed up |
| Booking | Back-and-forth, logbook | Open slot, SMS confirmed |
What Flo does in the chat
- Answers from what you approved. Services, prices, hours and location come from your clinic's own settings. When Flo doesn't know, it says so and flags the chat for your team. It never guesses a price.
- Works out what the patient wants. Cleaning, consultation, braces. It asks the next useful question and moves toward a booking.
- Books a real slot. It checks live availability and books under a lock, so two patients can't take the same time.
- Follows through by SMS. A confirmation the moment it's booked, a reminder the day before and an hour ahead, and a secure link to cancel or reschedule.
The fastest way to judge it is to be the patient. Message Flo on Messenger and try booking a cleaning at our demo clinic, Smile & Skin Clinic. Ask it a price in Taglish.
Will patients know they're talking to a bot?
Flo introduces itself by name. When a patient asks for a person, the chat is flagged for your team, and anyone on your team can take it over. Flo stays quiet there until you hand it back. Clinical questions go to your team too. It won't diagnose, prescribe, or tell a patient whether something is safe for them.
What it costs
Setup: ₱0. Then 4,975 a month.
We connect your Facebook page for you, build Flo's answers from your clinic's FAQs, test it with you and train your staff. The monthly fee covers hosting, AI usage, an SMS allowance and monitoring. The breakdown is in the pricing section.
Your patients' data
Your clinic stays the personal information controller for your patients' data under the Data Privacy Act (RA 10173). OtterFlow processes it on your behalf. OpenAI and Google process some of it outside the Philippines. The privacy notice has the details.
Questions clinic owners ask
Does it work on Instagram too?
The live channels are Facebook Messenger, a hosted chat page and a website widget. Ask us about anything else on the call.
Can patients reschedule in Messenger?
They use the Manage link in their confirmation text. It's tied to the mobile number on the booking, so only the person who made the appointment can move it.
Do we need to change our clinic software?
No. OtterFlow handles the conversation and the booking. Your records and billing stay where they are, and bookings can sync to Google Calendar.
Comparing chatbots? Our guide on choosing a Messenger chatbot for a dental clinic lists what to test before you pay.