Dental · head to head
Planet DDS vs Lighthouse 360
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Planet DDS planet DDS publishes no price for any of its products; the site directs buyers to a sales phone number or a demo request; Lighthouse 360 sold as part of the Henry Schein One line rather than standalone, and lighthouse360.com no longer resolves
- They diverge on capability: Planet DDS covers Cloud-based scheduling, Lighthouse 360 covers Cloud scheduling.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Planet DDS and Lighthouse 360 actually diverge.
| Attribute | Planet DDS | Lighthouse 360 |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $199/month | $399/month |
| Founded | 2015 | 2009 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Dental).
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 Planet DDS
- Cloud-based scheduling
- Mobile app
- Insurance management
- Dolphin Imaging
Only in Lighthouse 360
- Cloud scheduling
- Billing system
- Insurance processing
- RevenueWell
Both cover
- Digital charting
- Patient portal
- Imaging integration
- Treatment planning
- Analytics dashboard
- DEXIS
- Carestream
- Apteryx
- HIPAA Compliant
- SOC 2 Type II
- SSL Encryption
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
- Ios support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Planet DDS
- Cloud practice management for dental groups and support organisationsnot Lighthouse 360
- Cloud based 2D and 3D dental imaging across multiple device brandsnot Lighthouse 360
- Orthodontic practice management and integrated patient paymentsnot Lighthouse 360
Lighthouse 360
- Automated appointment reminders by text, email and phonenot Planet DDS
- Reducing no-shows in dental practicesnot Planet DDS
- Recall management for overdue patientsnot Planet DDS
- Pre-visit forms collected before the appointmentnot Planet DDS
- Review requests after a visitnot Planet DDS
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Planet DDS
- Planet DDS publishes no price for any of its products; the site directs buyers to a sales phone number or a demo request
- Practice management, imaging, orthodontics and payments are separate products, Denticon, Apteryx, Cloud 9 and Planet DDS Pay, rather than one licence
- Planet DDS Pay is stated to be designed for Cloud 9 and Denticon, so the payments option is tied to those products
Lighthouse 360
- Sold as part of the Henry Schein One line rather than standalone, and lighthouse360.com no longer resolves
- Pricing is not published and requires a demo
- Offered in the United States, Canada and the UK only
Pricing, plan by plan
Planet DDS
$199/month- Starter$199/month
- Scheduling
- Patient portal
- Basic charting
- Growth$349/month
- Advanced scheduling
- Complete charting
- Imaging integration
Lighthouse 360
$399/month- Core$399/month
- Scheduling
- Charting
- Billing
- Complete$599/month
- All core features
- Imaging integration
- Insurance management
Which should you pick?
Choose Planet DDS if
- You need cloud-based scheduling.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want mobile app.
Choose Lighthouse 360 if
- You need cloud scheduling.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want billing system.
Questions people ask
- Is Planet DDS or Lighthouse 360 better?
- Neither clearly leads. Planet DDS starts at $199/month and Lighthouse 360 at $399/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Planet DDS or Lighthouse 360?
- Planet DDS starts at $199/month and Lighthouse 360 at $399/month.
- Does Planet DDS or Lighthouse 360 run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is Planet DDS best used for?
- Planet DDS is most often used for cloud practice management for dental groups and support organisations, cloud based 2d and 3d dental imaging across multiple device brands, orthodontic practice management and integrated patient payments. Of those, cloud practice management for dental groups and support organisations and cloud based 2d and 3d dental imaging across multiple device brands are not what Lighthouse 360 is typically brought in for.
- What can Planet DDS do that Lighthouse 360 cannot?
- Planet DDS covers Cloud-based scheduling, Mobile app, Insurance management, Dolphin Imaging. Lighthouse 360 covers Cloud scheduling, Billing system, Insurance processing, RevenueWell. Both handle Digital charting, Patient portal, Imaging integration, Treatment planning.