Softwr

Healthcare · head to head

Cerner PowerChart vs Open Dental

Cerner PowerChart logo

Cerner PowerChart

Healthcare

Advanced clinical charting and documentation system within Cerner EHR

From
On request
Rated
-
Open Dental logo

Open Dental

Healthcare

Powerful, Affordable Practice Management

From
$169/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cerner PowerChart no publicly published pricing rates available; Open Dental uS support is $199 per month per location on an initial 12 month contract, dropping to $149 per month only after that year
  • They diverge on capability: Cerner PowerChart covers Clinical Documentation, Open Dental covers Patient scheduling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cerner PowerChart and Open Dental actually diverge.

Attributes where Cerner PowerChart and Open Dental differ
AttributeCerner PowerChartOpen Dental
Starting priceOn request$169/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, DesktopWindows, Web, Api
Founded19792003

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

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 Cerner PowerChart

  • Clinical Documentation
  • Intelligent Templates
  • Evidence-Based Content
  • Clinical Decision Support
  • Workflow Automation
  • Real-time Alerts
  • HL7
  • FHIR

Only in Open Dental

  • Patient scheduling
  • Clinical charting
  • Insurance claim processing
  • Treatment planning
  • Digital imaging integration
  • Patient communication
  • Reporting and analytics
  • eServices integration

Both cover

  • On-premise deployment

What people use each for

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

Cerner PowerChart

  • Patient Carenot Open Dental
  • Medical Recordsnot Open Dental
  • Practice Managementnot Open Dental
  • Telehealthnot Open Dental

Open Dental

  • Practice management, charting and scheduling for dental officesnot Cerner PowerChart
  • Dental insurance claims, billing and treatment planningnot Cerner PowerChart
  • Running an open source dental system with direct database accessnot Cerner PowerChart

Where each one falls short

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

Cerner PowerChart

  • No publicly published pricing rates available

Open Dental

  • US support is $199 per month per location on an initial 12 month contract, dropping to $149 per month only after that year
  • The monthly fee covers up to 3 providers per location; each additional provider is $20 per month
  • Fees are charged per location, so a multi site practice pays for every office
  • eServices are charged separately per location, including eClipboard at $45 a month, ODMobile at $35 a month and eConfirmations at $25 a month
  • Electronic prescribing through DoseSpot costs $57 per month per prescribing provider
  • Conversion and implementation fees are not published and require consultation

Pricing, plan by plan

Cerner PowerChart

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Cerner PowerChart review.

Open Dental

$169/month
  • Standard$169/month
    • Full software access
    • Unlimited workstations
    • Technical support
  • Cloud$249/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Cloud hosting
    • Automatic backups

Which should you pick?

Choose Cerner PowerChart if

  • You need clinical documentation.
  • You work on Web, Desktop.
  • You also want intelligent templates.

Choose Open Dental if

  • You need patient scheduling.
  • You work on Windows, Web, Api.
  • You also want clinical charting.

Questions people ask

Is Cerner PowerChart or Open Dental better?
Neither clearly leads. Cerner PowerChart starts at On request and Open Dental at $169/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cerner PowerChart or Open Dental?
Cerner PowerChart starts at On request and Open Dental at $169/month.
Does Cerner PowerChart or Open Dental run on more platforms?
Cerner PowerChart runs on Web, Desktop. Open Dental runs on Windows, Web, Api.
What is Cerner PowerChart best used for?
Cerner PowerChart is most often used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth. Of those, patient care and medical records are not what Open Dental is typically brought in for.
What can Cerner PowerChart do that Open Dental cannot?
Cerner PowerChart covers Clinical Documentation, Intelligent Templates, Evidence-Based Content, Clinical Decision Support. Open Dental covers Patient scheduling, Clinical charting, Insurance claim processing, Treatment planning. Both handle On-premise deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cerner PowerChart: What is Cerner PowerChart pricing?

Cerner PowerChart, now part of Oracle Health, does not publish standard pricing. Enterprise healthcare EHR solutions require custom pricing based on hospital size, bed count, and module selection. Contact Oracle Health sales for quotes.

Source
Open Dental: How much does Open Dental cost?

Open Dental costs $199/month per location or office with a 12-month contract minimum. After the initial 12-month term, pricing continues on a month-to-month basis at a reduced rate.

Source
Cerner PowerChart: How do I get a demo or pricing information for Oracle Health?

Oracle Health provides a contact form and demo request option on its website. You can request a demo or contact the sales team to discuss your healthcare organization's needs and receive pricing information.

Source
Open Dental: What does the $199/month fee include?

The monthly fee includes software access, full telephone support, all software releases, imaging and video capture, patient portal and web forms, and automated reminder features for up to 3 dentists per location.

Source
Open Dental: Does Open Dental offer a money-back guarantee?

Open Dental includes a 90-day money-back guarantee on subscription fees.

Source
Open Dental: What additional costs are there?

Data conversions from other dental software systems incur additional fees. Customized training with an Open Dental trainer is also available at extra cost.

Source
Share

Related pages

Other head to heads