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Healthcare · head to head

Dentrix vs OpenMRS

Dentrix logo

Dentrix

Healthcare

The Most Trusted Name in Dental Practice Management

From
$299/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenMRS logo

OpenMRS

Healthcare

Open source electronic medical record platform for low-resource settings, with no vendor and paid implementers instead

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenMRS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; OpenMRS there is no vendor and no support contract from OpenMRS itself, so a procurement that requires a named supplier with a service level must instead contract an implementer, and the quality of that implementer determines the outcome more than the software does
  • They diverge on capability: Dentrix covers Patient scheduling, OpenMRS covers Concept dictionary.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dentrix and OpenMRS actually diverge.

Attributes where Dentrix and OpenMRS differ
AttributeDentrixOpenMRS
Starting price$299/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Web, ApiLinux, Web, Windows
Founded1989Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Dentrix

  • Patient scheduling
  • Electronic health records
  • Treatment planning
  • Insurance claim processing
  • Clinical charting
  • Imaging integration
  • Patient communication
  • Revenue cycle management

Only in OpenMRS

  • Concept dictionary
  • Modular architecture
  • Modern front end
  • FHIR support
  • Offline tolerance
  • Patient matching and registration
  • Distributions

What people use each for

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

Dentrix

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

OpenMRS

  • A ministry of health standardising HIV treatment records across hundreds of facilities where per-patient licensing would be unaffordablenot Dentrix
  • A hospital network in a country where no commercial vendor supports the local language, clinical forms or reporting requirementsnot Dentrix
  • An NGO running a tuberculosis programme that must report into DHIS2 and needs the clinical record beneath it to be modifiablenot Dentrix
  • A health system that wants to own its clinical data model outright rather than depend on a vendor to extend itnot Dentrix

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

OpenMRS

  • There is no vendor and no support contract from OpenMRS itself, so a procurement that requires a named supplier with a service level must instead contract an implementer, and the quality of that implementer determines the outcome more than the software does
  • It is a framework rather than a ready product, so a deployment requires clinical content, form design, concept dictionary work and integration before a single patient is registered, and that work is months of skilled effort
  • Funding comes largely from donor programmes, which makes the pace of core development dependent on grant cycles rather than on a commercial roadmap, and priorities can shift when a funder does
  • Distribution choice, core OpenMRS against Bahmni against Ozone, locks in a different set of components and a different implementer pool, and migrating between distributions later is close to a fresh implementation
  • The people cost never goes away: a national deployment needs permanent internal informatics capacity or a permanent support contract, and organisations that budget only the zero licence fee run out of money at the point the system becomes clinically critical

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

OpenMRS

Free
  • OpenMRSFree
    • Openly licensed, no licence fee and no seat limits
    • Community support through forums and the OpenMRS Talk platform
    • No support contract available from OpenMRS itself

Which should you pick?

Choose Dentrix if

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

Choose OpenMRS if

  • You need concept dictionary.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Web, Windows.
  • You also want modular architecture.
OpenMRS review

Questions people ask

Is Dentrix or OpenMRS better?
Neither clearly leads. Dentrix starts at $299/month and OpenMRS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dentrix or OpenMRS?
OpenMRS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $299/month for Dentrix and Free for OpenMRS.
Does Dentrix or OpenMRS run on more platforms?
Dentrix runs on Windows, Web, Api. OpenMRS runs on Linux, Web, Windows.
Can I use OpenMRS for free?
Yes. OpenMRS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Dentrix starts at $299/month.
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, practice management, charting and scheduling for dental offices and dental insurance claims, treatment planning and patient billing are not what OpenMRS is typically brought in for.
What can Dentrix do that OpenMRS cannot?
Dentrix covers Patient scheduling, Electronic health records, Treatment planning, Insurance claim processing. OpenMRS covers Concept dictionary, Modular architecture, Modern front end, FHIR support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Dentrix: Does Dentrix publish pricing online?

No, Dentrix does not disclose specific pricing, subscription tiers, costs, or licensing fees on their website.

Source
OpenMRS: Who supports OpenMRS if it breaks?

Not OpenMRS itself. Support is bought from implementers such as Mekom Solutions, which offers long-term production service level agreements for OpenMRS, Bahmni and Ozone deployments, or from regional partners.

Dentrix: How can I get a Dentrix pricing quote?

Contact Dentrix's sales team via the 'Request a Demo' or 'Request Info' options on their website, call 800-336-8749, or visit their support contact page.

Source
OpenMRS: Is it really free?

The software has no licence fee. Hosting, configuration, clinical content, integration and support are the real cost, and they are ongoing.

Dentrix: Does Dentrix offer customizable packages?

Yes, Dentrix mentions 'Dentrix Packages & Suites' as customizable options, but specific details and pricing for each package are not provided online.

Source
OpenMRS: What is the difference between OpenMRS, Bahmni and Ozone?

OpenMRS is the core platform. Bahmni and Ozone are distributions that package it with billing, laboratory and inventory components. Choosing a distribution constrains your implementer options.

OpenMRS: Does it support FHIR?

Yes. FHIR support is the standard route for integrating laboratory, pharmacy and national reporting systems.

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