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Software · head to head

Dentrix vs Open Dental

Dentrix logo

Dentrix

Software

The Most Trusted Name in Dental Practice Management

From
$299/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Open Dental logo

Open Dental

Software

Powerful, Affordable Practice Management

From
$169/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Dentrix the Dentrix product page publishes no price and no licence term, and directs buyers to request a demo or contact the vendor; 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: Dentrix covers Electronic health records, Open Dental covers Digital imaging integration.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dentrix and Open Dental actually diverge.

Attributes where Dentrix and Open Dental differ
AttributeDentrixOpen Dental
Starting price$299/month$169/month
Founded19892003

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Windows, Web, Api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Dentrix

  • Electronic health records
  • Imaging integration
  • Revenue cycle management
  • Dexis Imaging
  • Patterson Imaging
  • Dentrix Smart Image
  • eServices
  • Patient Engage

Only in Open Dental

  • Digital imaging integration
  • Reporting and analytics
  • eServices integration
  • Dexis
  • Planmeca
  • Carestream
  • Schick
  • Weave

Both cover

  • Patient scheduling
  • Treatment planning
  • Insurance claim processing
  • Clinical charting
  • Patient communication
  • QuickBooks
  • HIPAA Compliant
  • On-premise deployment

What people use each for

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

Dentrix

  • Practice management, charting and scheduling for dental offices
  • Dental insurance claims, treatment planning and patient billingnot Open Dental
  • Managing imaging alongside clinical records in one systemnot Open Dental

Open Dental

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

Both are used for practice management, charting and scheduling for dental offices, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

Dentrix

  • The Dentrix product page publishes no price and no licence term, and directs buyers to request a demo or contact the vendor
  • Automatic software updates, in product chat support and priority access to specialists come through the paid Connected Care Essentials plan rather than the base software
  • Dentrix is sold as customisable packages and suites rather than one product, so what a practice gets depends on which suite it buys
  • Henry Schein One sells two separate practice management systems side by side, Dentrix and Dentrix Ascend, so buyers must choose between them rather than moving between editions

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

Dentrix

$299/month
  • Dentrix G7$299/month
    • Patient scheduling
    • Treatment planning
    • Insurance management
  • Dentrix Enterprise$499/month
    • Multi-location support
    • Centralized management
    • Advanced analytics
  • Dentrix Ascend$399/month
    • Cloud-based platform
    • Automatic updates
    • Remote access

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 Dentrix if

  • You need electronic health records.
  • You work on Windows, Web, Api.
  • You also want imaging integration.
Dentrix review

Choose Open Dental if

  • You need digital imaging integration.
  • You work on Windows, Web, Api.
  • You also want reporting and analytics.
Open Dental review

Questions people ask

Is Dentrix or Open Dental better?
Neither clearly leads. Dentrix starts at $299/month and Open Dental at $169/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dentrix or Open Dental?
Dentrix starts at $299/month and Open Dental at $169/month.
Does Dentrix or Open Dental run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Dentrix best used for?
Dentrix is most often used for practice management, charting and scheduling for dental offices, dental insurance claims, treatment planning and patient billing, managing imaging alongside clinical records in one system. Of those, dental insurance claims, treatment planning and patient billing and managing imaging alongside clinical records in one system are not what Open Dental is typically brought in for.
What can Dentrix do that Open Dental cannot?
Dentrix covers Electronic health records, Imaging integration, Revenue cycle management, Dexis Imaging. Open Dental covers Digital imaging integration, Reporting and analytics, eServices integration, Dexis. Both handle Patient scheduling, Treatment planning, Insurance claim processing, Clinical charting.
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