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Healthcare · head to head

Open Dental vs VisionVPM

Open Dental logo

Open Dental

Healthcare

Powerful, Affordable Practice Management

From
$169/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
VisionVPM logo

VisionVPM

Veterinary

On-premise practice management for veterinary groups in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Ireland

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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; VisionVPM it needs a Windows server, a backup regime and someone responsible for both, so the true cost includes IT support that cloud competitors absorb into their subscription.
  • They diverge on capability: Open Dental covers Patient scheduling, VisionVPM covers Local database.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Open Dental and VisionVPM differ
AttributeOpen DentalVisionVPM
Starting price$169/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWindows, Web, ApiWindows
CategoryHealthcareVeterinary
Founded2003Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Open Dental

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

Only in VisionVPM

  • Local database
  • Large and mixed animal modules
  • Stock and wholesale ordering
  • Debtor and account management
  • Multi-site consolidation
  • Clinical reminders

What people use each for

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

Open Dental

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

VisionVPM

  • A rural mixed practice where internet connectivity is too unreliable to depend on a browser-only systemnot Open Dental
  • A corporate group that requires clinical and financial data to remain on infrastructure it controlsnot Open Dental
  • A farm-heavy practice needing herd recording and monthly account billing that companion-animal cloud systems handle poorlynot Open Dental
  • An established VisionVPM site weighing an upgrade against the cost and disruption of migrating to a cloud systemnot Open Dental

Where each one falls short

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

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

VisionVPM

  • It needs a Windows server, a backup regime and someone responsible for both, so the true cost includes IT support that cloud competitors absorb into their subscription.
  • Upgrades are scheduled events with downtime rather than transparent releases, which means version drift across a multi-site group and a coordination burden at each release.
  • Covetrus is steering customers towards its cloud product, so development effort is unlikely to favour VisionVPM long term and buyers should assume a migration eventually.
  • Remote and out-of-hours access requires a remote desktop or Citrix layer, which adds licensing, latency and another system to secure.
  • Ordering and prescription workflows are built around Covetrus as the supplier, so a practice buying from other wholesalers loses the automated parts and reverts to manual entry.

Pricing, plan by plan

Open Dental

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

VisionVPM

On request
  • VisionVPM$undefined/year
    • Licence and annual support quoted per practice
    • Server hardware and Windows licences bought separately
    • Data migration quoted per site

Which should you pick?

Choose Open Dental if

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

Choose VisionVPM if

  • You need local database.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want large and mixed animal modules.
VisionVPM review

Questions people ask

Is Open Dental or VisionVPM better?
Neither clearly leads. Open Dental starts at $169/month and VisionVPM at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Open Dental or VisionVPM?
Open Dental starts at $169/month and VisionVPM at On request.
Does Open Dental or VisionVPM run on more platforms?
Open Dental runs on Windows, Web, Api. VisionVPM runs on Windows.
What is Open Dental best used for?
Open Dental is most often used for practice management, charting and scheduling for dental offices, dental insurance claims, billing and treatment planning, running an open source dental system with direct database access. Of those, practice management, charting and scheduling for dental offices and dental insurance claims, billing and treatment planning are not what VisionVPM is typically brought in for.
What can Open Dental do that VisionVPM cannot?
Open Dental covers Patient scheduling, Clinical charting, Insurance claim processing, Treatment planning. VisionVPM covers Local database, Large and mixed animal modules, Stock and wholesale ordering, Debtor and account management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
VisionVPM: Can VisionVPM run in the cloud?

Only by hosting the Windows server yourself or through a partner and connecting over remote desktop. It is not a browser application and hosting it does not make it one.

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
VisionVPM: Is VisionVPM still being developed?

It receives maintenance and compliance updates, but its owner sells a separate cloud product and directs new development there. Plan on a migration within the life of your next server.

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

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

Source
VisionVPM: Does it work outside Australasia and the UK?

It is sold and supported in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Ireland. Tax handling and supplier integrations are built for those markets.

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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