Use the following formatting rules when creating AI note templates to get consistent, structured, and high-quality note output.
1. Use clear section headings
Structure your template into clear, labelled sections (e.g. Chief Complaint, Medical History, Treatment Plan). This improves consistency in how the AI formats and returns notes.
Example:
History: [Medical history] [Social history]
Examination: [Extraoral/Intraoral exam details]
Treatment plan and Discussion: [Treatment 1] / [Treatment 2]
2. Use brackets to define input and options
When providing multiple options or expected input, use square brackets. This helps the AI understand the field and the type of information it should return.
Example:
Smoking: [Never / Ex-smoker / Daily / Occasional]
3. Use Bullet Points or Numbering for Lists
To create structured lists, use bullet points or numbered formats in your template.
Example bullets:
Plan:
- [Topical fluoride]
- [Oral hygiene advice]
Numbered steps:
Post-Treatment Instructions:
1. [Rinse mouth]
2. [Avoid eating for 30 minutes]
4. Write reusable phrases as fixed text
If a line should always appear as-is, write it into the template exactly how you want it.
Example:
Patient consent obtained.
This ensures the AI includes the text unchanged.
Optimised clinical AI notes outcomes
Below you can see an example side by side of the initial Dentally 'AI Adult Exam' template (left) before generating a summary, and the outcome of the generated summary (right) after dictation. You can clearly see it has kept the structure, header and fixed text. Whilst choosing one option where prompted and filling in bullet points as needed.
💡 Top Tip - Start with a Dentally template! Use existing Dentally templates (like AI Adult Exam) as a starting point. These are designed specifically for AI use and already include best practice formatting.
Want to further customise these templates? Head over to our dedicated article on cloning and editing a clinical note template here 👈
Why this matters?
When your template has clear structure and formatting hints, the AI knows how to follow your lead — and you’ll get cleaner, more predictable note outputs every time. If your template is vague or empty, the AI will do its best to fill in the blanks… but results will vary.
What if you don’t follow these steps?
Templates with unclear or missing structure may:
Return inconsistent or restructured notes.
Vary in formatting between uses.
Make dictation harder by requiring more manual input after dictation.
Use these best practice guidelines to save time and improve accuracy across your clinical notes.