HeyDentaHeyDenta vs Arini: which AI receptionist fits a Philippine dental clinic?
Arini answers a dental practice's phone with AI and books straight into Dentrix, Eaglesoft or Open Dental. It is well funded, fast growing, and squarely aimed at American practices and dental groups. HeyDenta is aimed at a clinic in Pasig whose new patients arrive by Messenger. Here is where each one fits, with every claim about Arini linked to the page we read.
Arini fits a US practice or dental group that loses patients on the phone and already runs a supported practice management system. HeyDenta fits a Philippine clinic that loses patients on Messenger and web chat after hours, wants Taglish replies, and needs records, calendar and reminders included.
- Arini channels: inbound and outbound phone, SMS, a web scheduling widget. Messenger is not mentioned.
- Arini languages: English and Spanish shown. Tagalog is not mentioned.
- Arini price: no pricing page on arini.ai. A third-party listing shows $499 and $799 per month.
- Arini setup: a Dentrix connection takes one to four weeks, per Arini's own guide.
The short answer
Arini is a phone-first AI receptionist. It answers inbound calls, runs outbound calls and texts for reminders and reactivation, and writes bookings into the practice's existing system in real time. Arini says more than 1,000 dentists use it, names groups like MB2 Dental, and came out of Y Combinator's Winter 2024 batch. For a US practice with a supported PMS, it is a serious option.
For a Philippine clinic the fit breaks in three places. Arini's site publishes no price and no country list, and its support is described as US-based. The languages it demonstrates are English and Spanish. And it needs Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Open Dental or Denticon underneath, with a Dentrix connection that Arini itself says takes one to four weeks and a Henry Schein API licence. HeyDenta needs none of that: the records, calendar and intake are inside, Aria speaks Taglish, and the first channel it answers is Messenger.
Side by side: Arini vs HeyDenta
The Arini column uses Arini's own words where it has them. Where a page did not state something, the cell says so rather than guessing. The HeyDenta column describes the product as it is today.
| Factor | Arini | HeyDenta |
|---|---|---|
| Answers Facebook Messenger | Not mentioned on any Arini page we checked. | Yes. Aria answers messages sent to your Facebook Page, your website chat and your booking page. |
| Web chat on your website | A web scheduling widget you can embed. No live web chat is stated. | Yes, on your website and booking page. |
| Phone calls | Yes. Inbound calls, plus outbound calls and SMS for reminders and reactivation. | Voice calls on your website today. A clinic phone line is an add-on bundle with a dedicated local number. |
| Languages | English and Spanish shown, with automatic switching mid-call. Tagalog is not mentioned. | English, Tagalog and Taglish. Aria mirrors how the patient writes. |
| Where it serves | No country list published. Contact number and support are US-based. | Built for Philippine clinics. Cloud-based, usable anywhere. Support in the Philippines. |
| Price as shown on their site | No pricing page (arini.ai/pricing returned 404 on 18 September 2026). Capterra, a third-party site, lists a $499 Starter and a $799 Growth package per month. | From ₱4,990/month. Founding clinics lock in ₱3,490/month for life (limited). |
| Practice system needed | Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Open Dental, Denticon and others. Dentrix needs a Henry Schein One API licence, OAuth and a connector app on your server. | None. Patient records, calendar and intake forms are part of HeyDenta. |
| Records, calendar and reminders | Records stay in your practice management system. | Included: patient records, calendar, SMS reminders, recalls, weekly report. |
| Setup | One to two weeks in Arini's Dentrix guide, two to four weeks in the same guide's FAQ. | Live in about 48 hours. Founder-led setup for Metro Manila clinics. |
| Contract | Not stated on Arini's product or enterprise pages. | Monthly. Cancel anytime, no commitment. |
| Free trial | Not stated. | 14 days, no card required. |
Checked 18 September 2026. Products change; if Arini has updated something on this table, email hello@heydenta.com and we will correct it within a day. Prices are quoted as shown on each site and exclude taxes.
Where each one fits
Neither tool wins every clinic. The fit depends on where the clinic is, where its patients talk, and what system sits underneath.
Arini fits better when
- Your practice is in the US and runs Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Open Dental or Denticon.
- The phone is where you lose patients, and you want outbound reactivation calls too.
- You run a group with many locations and want a vendor that already serves large DSOs.
- Your patients speak English or Spanish.
HeyDenta fits better when
- Your new patients message your Facebook Page or website, often at night.
- You want replies in Tagalog or Taglish.
- You do not run a US practice management system, and a four-week integration is not on your list.
- You want a price you can see, in pesos, and a free trial you can start today without a card.
What each one shows as proof
Arini says more than 1,000 dentists use it and that it has booked over a million appointments. Those are Arini's own figures. Capterra showed no user reviews when we checked.
HeyDenta is younger and smaller, so instead of a customer count we show the product: the demo answers a real patient conversation in Taglish and books the slot on a live calendar. Bring your own clinic's hours and services and watch Aria handle them before you decide. Our comparison with hiring a front-desk receptionist covers the cost side.
Common questions
Is Arini available in the Philippines?
Arini's site does not list the countries it serves. Its support is described as US-based and the practice management systems it connects to are US products. We found no mention of the Philippines on any Arini page.
Does Arini speak Tagalog?
Arini demonstrates English and Spanish, with automatic language switching mid-call. Tagalog and Filipino are not mentioned anywhere on its site. HeyDenta's Aria answers in English, Tagalog and Taglish.
How much does Arini cost?
Arini does not publish pricing on its own site; the pricing page returned a 404 when we checked. Capterra, a third-party listing, shows a $499 per month Starter package and a $799 per month Growth package. HeyDenta starts at ₱4,990 a month, with a founding-clinic rate of ₱3,490 a month for life while spots last.
Does HeyDenta answer phone calls like Arini?
Aria answers voice calls on your website today, and a clinic phone line with a dedicated local number is available as an add-on bundle. Most Philippine clinics start with Messenger and web chat, because that is where their patients already are.
What we checked
Every Arini statement on this page comes from one of these pages, read on 18 September 2026. Third-party sources are named as such.
- Arini homepage: channels, real-time booking claim, customer figures: https://www.arini.ai/
- Arini AI receptionist page: capabilities, Spanish example, US-based support: https://www.arini.ai/ai-receptionist-page
- Arini enterprise page: location tiers, MB2 Dental: https://www.arini.ai/enterprise-ai-partner
- Arini pricing page (returned 404 on 18 September 2026): https://www.arini.ai/pricing
- Arini Dentrix integration guide: licence, connector, timeline: https://www.arini.ai/blog/dentrix-integration-guide
- Y Combinator: Arini, W24 batch: https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/arini
- Capterra listing for Arini (third party): package prices, PMS list: https://www.capterra.com/p/10036210/Arini/
Other comparisons: HeyDenta vs Weave · HeyDenta vs Dental Intelligence · HeyDenta vs Dentina · All comparisons
Related guides: What is an AI dental receptionist? · AI dental receptionist cost & ROI · Is it compliant with the PH Data Privacy Act? · Messenger automation for dental clinics
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