Run the forwarding test

Run the forwarding test only after the office phone is saved and the office's phone system forwards unanswered calls to the MCD AI number.

What the test checks

1. Missed Calls Dental places a controlled test call to the saved office phone.
2. The office phone should ring.
3. Nobody answers, rejects, or manually transfers the call.
4. The office phone system forwards the unanswered call automatically.
5. Missed Calls Dental verifies that the controlled call reached the correct MCD AI number.
6. Forwarding confirmed appears.

The test verifies the direction office phone → MCD AI number. It also checks the expected controlled caller ID for the test.

Before starting

Confirm all of these items:

• The saved office phone is the regular number patients call.
• The forwarding destination exactly matches the MCD AI number shown for the same location.
• When unanswered, No Answer, or the equivalent rule is active.
• The forwarding rule runs before office voicemail or an auto attendant answers.
• Forward all calls, Always, and Unconditional are off.
• Staff know not to answer the next test call.

Start the test

1. Open Phone setup for the correct location.
2. Check I set up call forwarding.
3. Select Test forwarding.
4. Keep the page open.
5. When the office phone rings, do not answer it, reject it, or transfer it.
6. Let the phone system forward the call automatically.

The screen reports these stages:

• Calling your office phone
• Forwarded call reached your MCD AI number
• Forwarding confirmed

The test normally finishes within about 45 seconds. If it expires, correct the forwarding settings and start a new test.

If someone answers

The result may show Test call was answered too early. Start a new test and let the office phone continue ringing until the phone system forwards it.

Voicemail, an auto attendant, a receptionist, or another answering service can also answer too early. Configure the forwarding rule to run before that destination.

What this test does not prove

The automated test primarily confirms the unanswered-call path. It does not create a busy condition on a multi-line system, call queue, hunt group, or line with call waiting.

Run a separate busy or overflow test

Use a quiet time, a controlled external test phone, and the phone-system administrator when needed. Do not use a real patient call for this test.

1. Confirm that the main number's Busy, Overflow, Queue full, or No agents available rule points to the same MCD AI number.
2. Determine what makes the public office number busy. On a multi-line or queue system, one employee being on a call is usually not enough.
3. Safely make every line or agent in that inbound flow busy or unavailable. For a queue, the administrator may need to use a temporary no-agents-available test state.
4. From the separate test phone, call the regular public office number.
5. Do not answer, reject, or manually transfer the test call.
6. Confirm that the busy or overflow route reaches the MCD AI experience before voicemail or a busy signal.
7. Confirm that the forwarded call preserves the external test phone's caller ID rather than replacing it with the office number.
8. Restore any temporary queue, agent, or line settings immediately after the test.

If the busy state cannot be created safely, ask the phone-system administrator to verify the exact busy or overflow route and then schedule a controlled test. Do not assume the unanswered MCD test proves this second condition.

A normal forwarded call should preserve the original caller's phone number. If the phone system replaces it with the office number, ask the provider or administrator to preserve the original caller ID.

If the automated test does not pass, see The forwarding test failed.