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Dental · head to head

NexHealth vs Open Dental

NexHealth logo

NexHealth

Dental

Omnichannel Patient Experience Platform

From
$199/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Open Dental logo

Open Dental

Healthcare

Powerful, Affordable Practice Management

From
$169/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: NexHealth no price is published for any package, and every quote requires submitting practice details; 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: NexHealth covers Omnichannel scheduling, Open Dental covers Patient scheduling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where NexHealth and Open Dental differ
AttributeNexHealthOpen Dental
Starting price$199/month$169/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWindows, Web, Api
CategoryDentalHealthcare
Founded20162003

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 NexHealth

  • Omnichannel scheduling
  • Patient portal
  • SMS/Email messaging
  • Payment processing
  • Automated reminders
  • Review management
  • Patient feedback
  • Analytics dashboard

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

  • HIPAA Compliant

What people use each for

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

NexHealth

  • Online patient scheduling and reminders for dental and medical practicesnot Open Dental
  • Digital intake forms and payments connected to a practice management systemnot Open Dental

Open Dental

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

Where each one falls short

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

NexHealth

  • No price is published for any package, and every quote requires submitting practice details
  • The product is sold as individually selected modules for scheduling, forms, communications, payments, verification and insights, so the cost depends on a combination rather than a tier

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

NexHealth

$199/month
  • Essentials$199/month
    • Scheduling
    • Patient portal
    • SMS reminders
  • Professional$399/month
    • All essentials features
    • Payment processing
    • Advanced automation

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 NexHealth if

  • You need omnichannel scheduling.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want patient portal.
NexHealth review

Choose Open Dental if

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

Questions people ask

Is NexHealth or Open Dental better?
Neither clearly leads. NexHealth starts at $199/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, NexHealth or Open Dental?
NexHealth starts at $199/month and Open Dental at $169/month.
Does NexHealth or Open Dental run on more platforms?
NexHealth runs on Web, Ios, Android. Open Dental runs on Windows, Web, Api.
What is NexHealth best used for?
NexHealth is most often used for online patient scheduling and reminders for dental and medical practices, digital intake forms and payments connected to a practice management system. Of those, online patient scheduling and reminders for dental and medical practices and digital intake forms and payments connected to a practice management system are not what Open Dental is typically brought in for.
What can NexHealth do that Open Dental cannot?
NexHealth covers Omnichannel scheduling, Patient portal, SMS/Email messaging, Payment processing. Open Dental covers Patient scheduling, Clinical charting, Insurance claim processing, Treatment planning. Both handle HIPAA Compliant.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

NexHealth: How much does NexHealth cost?

NexHealth does not disclose specific pricing on its website. The company offers modular pricing for products including scheduling, forms, communications, payments, verification, and insights. Pricing is available through month-to-month or annual subscription options with custom 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
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
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