CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for optometry practices in Montana
94 optometry practices operated in Montana in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 94CBP 2023
- Employees
- 697mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 8.3U.S. 6.6
- State rank
- 42nd of 51by count
The optometry practice industry in Montana
Montana had 94 optometry practices in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 621320, Offices of Optometrists). They employed 697 people in mid-March and reported $32.2 million in annual payroll. That is the 42nd highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Optometry practices make up 0.22% of the 42,566 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Montana has 8.3 optometry practices, 24.9% above the national rate of 6.6. The average establishment has 7.4 employees against 6.6 nationally. Payroll per employee is $46,172, 5.6% below the U.S. figure of $48,910.
| Measure | Montana | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 94 | 22,501 |
| Mid-March employees | 697 | 147,931 |
| Annual payroll | $32,182,000 | $7,235,361,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 7.4 | 6.6 |
| Payroll per employee | $46,172 | $48,910 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 8.3 | 6.6 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Where optometry practices in Montana are concentrated
Census published optometry practice counts for 6 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Montana. The largest is Billings, MT, with 18 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 65% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT | 18 | 185 | 9.3 |
| Missoula, MT | 12 | 44 | 9.4 |
| Bozeman, MT | 12 | — | 9.5 |
| Kalispell, MT | 7 | 46 | 6.1 |
| Great Falls, MT | 7 | — | 8.3 |
| Helena, MT | 5 | 53 | 5.2 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at optometry practices in Montana
43.6% of Montana's optometry practices with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 47.9% nationally. 77.7% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 41 | 43.6% | 47.9% |
| 5–9 employees | 32 | 34.0% | 32.2% |
| 10–19 employees | 14 | 14.9% | 15.5% |
| 20–49 employees | 7 | 7.4% | 4.0% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 0.4% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Calls an optometry practice in Montana has to catch
Eye-care offices combine exam scheduling with eyewear and contact-lens orders, so callers want both appointments and order status. Calls about broken glasses or eye irritation also need to reach someone quickly. That holds for optometry practices in Montana as much as anywhere.
Calls an optometry practice in Montana might handle in a typical week include:
- A patient calls to reorder contact lenses.
- The office calls patients when an order arrives.
- A parent calls to book a child's eye exam before the school year.
After-hours calls
After-hours messages are typically order questions or appointment requests that can be returned the next business day.
Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.
What a phone system costs an optometry practice in Montana
Optometry practices in Montana average 7.4 employees, so the comparison uses a 7-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 7 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $210.00 a month and 7 on Ooma Office Pro cost $174.65. On Callata the same 7 people cost $139.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $852. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $139.00 | $1,668.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $133.00 | $1,596.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $161.00 | $1,932.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $174.65 | $2,095.80 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $189.00 | $2,268.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $210.00 | $2,520.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Montana
Montana has 1 geographic area code in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your patients know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 406 | 754 | Mountain | 1947 | none |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for optometry practices in Montana
Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.
If you already have a number in Montana, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Practices that handle protected health information should review their own privacy obligations before recording calls, enabling AI summaries or texting appointment details, and keep clinical conversations out of text messages unless their policies allow it.
Frequently asked questions
How many optometry practices are in Montana?
94 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 697 people in mid-March.
Which Montana metro area has the most optometry practices?
Billings, MT, with 18 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 7-person optometry practice?
$210.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $174.65 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $139.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Montana number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.