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Dental · head to head

CareStack vs Dolphin Imaging & Management

CareStack logo

CareStack

Dental

All-in-One Cloud Dental Software

From
$829/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Dolphin Imaging & Management logo

Dolphin Imaging & Management

Dental

Advanced Orthodontic Imaging & Practice Solution

From
$4500/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CareStack essentials plan starting price $829/month is per location, not per user; Dolphin Imaging & Management dolphin Imaging and Management publishes no online pricing for its orthodontic imaging and practice-management software; the vendor's own site (dolphinimaging.com) offers only a phone number and a Contact/Email form, with product pages rendered by client-side data bindings that never expose a price list.
  • They diverge on capability: CareStack covers Cloud-based platform, Dolphin Imaging & Management covers Cephalometric analysis.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CareStack and Dolphin Imaging & Management actually diverge.

Attributes where CareStack and Dolphin Imaging & Management differ
AttributeCareStackDolphin Imaging & Management
Starting price$829/month$4500/one-time
Pricing modelsubscriptionone-time
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWindows, Web
Founded20151988

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Dental).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in CareStack

  • Cloud-based platform
  • Patient scheduling
  • Clinical charting
  • Revenue cycle management
  • Patient communication
  • Online booking
  • Insurance verification
  • Business intelligence

Only in Dolphin Imaging & Management

  • Cephalometric analysis
  • 3D treatment simulation
  • Superimposition tools
  • VTO (Visual Treatment Objective)
  • Letter generator
  • Image morphing
  • Practice management
  • Cloud storage

Both cover

  • Carestream
  • HIPAA Compliant
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CareStack

  • Dental practice management and patient schedulingnot Dolphin Imaging & Management
  • Multi-specialty charting and digital imagingnot Dolphin Imaging & Management
  • Insurance eligibility verification and claims managementnot Dolphin Imaging & Management
  • AI-powered clinical notes and diagnosis assistancenot Dolphin Imaging & Management

Dolphin Imaging & Management

  • Cephalometric analysisnot CareStack
  • Treatment planningnot CareStack
  • Patient educationnot CareStack
  • Progress documentationnot CareStack

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CareStack

  • Essentials plan starting price $829/month is per location, not per user
  • Intelligence plan adds $470/month minimum to base Essentials cost
  • Pricing based on number of locations, chairs, and providers (not per-user)
  • Core charting and imaging capabilities limited to base Essentials plan
  • AI-powered clinical features require Intelligence plan upgrade

Dolphin Imaging & Management

  • Dolphin Imaging and Management publishes no online pricing for its orthodontic imaging and practice-management software; the vendor's own site (dolphinimaging.com) offers only a phone number and a Contact/Email form, with product pages rendered by client-side data bindings that never expose a price list.

Pricing, plan by plan

CareStack

$829/month
  • Essentials$829/month
    • Scheduling, charting, imaging
    • Patient portal
    • Insurance management
  • Intelligence$1299/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • AI-powered clinical notes
    • Voice perio charting

Dolphin Imaging & Management

$4500/one-time
  • Dolphin Imaging$4500/one-time
    • Cephalometric analysis
    • 3D imaging
    • Treatment simulation
  • Dolphin Management$6500/one-time
    • Everything in Imaging
    • Practice management
    • Scheduling
  • Aquarium$249/month
    • Cloud-based imaging
    • Aquarium IQ
    • Remote access

Which should you pick?

Choose CareStack if

  • You need cloud-based platform.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want patient scheduling.
CareStack review

Choose Dolphin Imaging & Management if

  • You need cephalometric analysis.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want 3d treatment simulation.
Dolphin Imaging & Management review

Questions people ask

Is CareStack or Dolphin Imaging & Management better?
Neither clearly leads. CareStack starts at $829/month and Dolphin Imaging & Management at $4500/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CareStack or Dolphin Imaging & Management?
CareStack starts at $829/month and Dolphin Imaging & Management at $4500/one-time.
Does CareStack or Dolphin Imaging & Management run on more platforms?
CareStack runs on Web, Ios, Android. Dolphin Imaging & Management runs on Windows, Web.
What is CareStack best used for?
CareStack is most often used for dental practice management and patient scheduling, multi-specialty charting and digital imaging, insurance eligibility verification and claims management, ai-powered clinical notes and diagnosis assistance. Of those, dental practice management and patient scheduling and multi-specialty charting and digital imaging are not what Dolphin Imaging & Management is typically brought in for.
What can CareStack do that Dolphin Imaging & Management cannot?
CareStack covers Cloud-based platform, Patient scheduling, Clinical charting, Revenue cycle management. Dolphin Imaging & Management covers Cephalometric analysis, 3D treatment simulation, Superimposition tools, VTO (Visual Treatment Objective). Both handle Carestream, HIPAA Compliant, Cloud deployment, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CareStack: How much does CareStack cost?

CareStack starts at $829 per month for the Essentials plan and $1,299 per month for the Intelligence plan. Pricing is customized based on the number of locations, chairs, and providers. Custom plans are available and implementation fees may apply.

Source
Dolphin Imaging & Management: How do I get pricing information from Dolphin Imaging?

Dolphin Imaging does not publish pricing on their website. To obtain pricing details, contact their team at +1.818.435.1368 during business hours (Monday-Friday, 5:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. PT).

Source
CareStack: What is included in each CareStack plan?

The Essentials plan ($829/month) includes scheduling, charting, imaging, patient portal, and insurance management. The Intelligence plan ($1,299/month) adds AI-powered clinical notes, voice perio charting, X-ray analysis, and clinical diagnosis features.

Source
CareStack: Are there additional fees for CareStack add-ons?

Yes, CareStack offers optional add-ons including VoiceStack (AI phone system), CareRevenue (RCM services), and ACE DSN (dental procurement) that can be added to either plan at additional cost. No other additional charges apply beyond the monthly subscription.

Source
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