Using the ambient scribe

The ambient scribe listens to the appointment through your microphone and writes the clinical note as you work. You talk naturally with the patient; Rebrief turns what it hears into note text and updates the tooth chart, so you spend less time typing and more time chairside.

What the scribe does

While it is on, the scribe does two things with what you say:

• Drafts the clinical note. Spoken updates become structured note text. The raw transcript is kept alongside the note too, so nothing you said is lost.
• Updates the chart. When you describe findings or treatment on specific teeth, the scribe recognizes them and updates the tooth chart for you.

You stay in control. The note and chart fill in as you talk, and you can edit anything by hand at any time.

Turning it on

The simplest way to start is to begin an appointment:

1. In the sidebar, select New Appointment.
2. Rebrief opens a new appointment and starts the scribe for you. The first time, your browser may ask to use your microphone, choose Allow so the scribe can hear you.
3. Start working. As soon as you speak, the note and chart begin to fill in.

Note: The scribe needs permission to use your microphone. If access is blocked, it shows a "Microphone permission was denied" message. Re-enable microphone access for Rebrief in your browser, then try again.

Pausing and turning it off

You don't have to leave the scribe running the whole visit.

• Use the End button in the appointment header to stop listening, for example during an off-the-record conversation. Select Resume to pick back up; the note you've built so far stays in place.
• To turn the scribe off entirely, select its icon in the sidebar scribe row. When it's off, the row disappears. Starting another appointment turns it back on.

Reading the indicators

You can tell what the scribe is doing at a glance:

• A rippling line along the bottom of the appointment header means the scribe is actively listening. The line reacts to your voice, lifting as you speak and settling when the room is quiet. A plain, flat divider means the scribe is paused or off.
• The scribe row in the sidebar shows a status you can hover for detail: Listening (microphone live, waiting for speech), Recording speech (it hears you talking), Ambient scribe idle, or Ambient scribe off. A glowing dot on the row marks active recording.

Tip: If you ever lose track of whether the scribe is on, glance at the header line. Movement means it's listening.

Privacy basics

• The scribe only listens while it is on — ending the appointment stops capture right away.
• Audio is used to produce the transcript and note. It is processed for your clinic's workspace, and the resulting note is saved to the patient's record.
• Each plan includes a monthly transcription allowance. If you reach it, the scribe stops and shows a message about upgrading, your existing notes are unaffected.

Tips for the best results

• Speak naturally. You don't need special phrasing. Describe findings the way you normally would to your assistant.
• Name the tooth clearly when you want a chart update, say the tooth number along with the finding or treatment so the scribe can place it correctly.
• Stop capture for side conversations (End, then Resume when you're back) so personal or non-clinical talk doesn't end up in the note.
• Review before you finish. The draft is a strong starting point, but always read the note and chart and fix anything before completing the appointment.
• Reduce background noise where you can. A quieter operatory gives the cleanest transcript.