Open Dental

Overview

Open Dental is licensed dental-practice software with a separate support plan and optional patient-facing eServices. It is best suited to practices that need scheduling, patient services, and multi-location support; the trade-off is that fees and setup can vary by location, provider count, and add-ons.

An unlimited-duration trial lets a practice explore the software with up to 30 patients, but it excludes API and eServices access. It includes a blank database and a demo database of fictional patients, but not copyrighted CDT content, so it is useful for evaluating core workflows rather than the full connected-service offering.

Key features

• Patient services and scheduling: Listed eServices include a patient portal, web forms, automated messaging, texting, eClipboard, mobile access, and online scheduling. Patient self-booking, appointment reminders, online intake forms, and provider calendars are also listed. This combination suits offices looking to offer patient-facing digital workflows alongside scheduling; the trial’s lack of eServices access limits how much of that experience a prospective buyer can assess.
• Location coverage: Multi-location support is listed, and Open Dental Cloud is available to US customers for one or multiple locations. That gives growing practices a deployment option to consider, though the pricing structure still varies by location.
• Integrations and data access: Native integrations include DoseSpot e-prescribing, Global Payments, PayConnect, PaySimple, BetterDiagnostics, Pearl, DentalXChange, and EDS. Open Dental identifies its API as the approved way for third parties to write to the database, an important boundary for practices integrating outside systems.
• Security: Individual user credentials, permission groups, global security settings, and an audit trail of user actions support controlled access and review of activity. Security documentation lists TLS 1.2 for browser-based eServices and AES encryption for eConnector communication.
• Support: Monthly support includes software updates and technical support by phone, chat, and email, with up to two specific issues per call. Data conversion is outside the monthly support fee, so practices moving records should account for that separately.

Pricing

Open Dental’s pricing is freemium, with paid plans starting at $89/month on an annual basis. Fees vary with location, provider count, and additional functionality, so the entry price is not a universal total for every practice.

• Dental schools — 0.00 USD per free: Offered to dental, hygiene, and dental assisting schools, plus qualifying clinics with student rotations and adjunctive faculty clinics on school premises. It is a specific institutional option, not a general free plan for private practices.
• Developing Countries — 0.00 USD per free: The license and support plan is free, but support is limited.
• Other Countries — 89.00 USD per month: Billed at $89/month/location or office on a 12-month contract. It covers all computers at one location, up to three providers, with email and telephone support. The three-provider ceiling and per-location charge matter for larger or multi-site practices.
• United States — 199.00 USD per month: Billed at $199/month/location or office for the initial 12 months, then at the current reduced rate of $149/month/location after 12 consecutive months. It covers all computers at one location and up to three providers. The US plan’s initial term costs more than the $89 entry plan, and practices with more than three providers or multiple locations should factor in location- and provider-based fees.

Data conversion is not included in monthly support. Practices should also distinguish the free trial from a free practice plan: the trial is capped at 30 patients and lacks API and eServices access.

Platforms

Open Dental lists Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, Windows, API, and self-hosted availability, with hybrid deployment. The workstation and server requirements are more specific: supported Windows systems include Windows 11 and Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2025, while Linux or macOS can be used as an alternative server. The Open Dental client itself cannot run on Linux or Mac workstations, so teams planning desktop use on those systems need to account for that constraint.

Who it's for

Open Dental is a strong fit for dental practices that want patient-facing services, provider calendars, integrations, and multi-location support within a licensed system with ongoing technical support. It is less suitable for teams that require a fully representative trial of online services, expect the client to run natively on Linux or Mac workstations, or need pricing unaffected by location and provider count.

Pros and cons

• Pro: A broad set of patient services, including online scheduling, intake forms, reminders, and self-booking, can support digital interactions before and around appointments.
• Pro: Native integrations and an approved API write path offer practices defined options for connecting related tools and third parties.
• Pro: User permissions and an audit trail provide controls for managing access and reviewing user actions.
• Con: The trial stops at 30 patients and excludes API and eServices, so it cannot demonstrate the full patient-facing workflow.
• Con: The client program cannot run on Linux or Mac workstations, despite Linux and macOS server options.
• Con: Location- and provider-based fees, a three-provider plan cap, and separately charged data conversion complicate cost planning.

Alternatives

For a broader category comparison, browse Dental Appointment Scheduling Software.

• DentinCloud is worth considering for a small practice seeking a web-based free plan with two users, up to 250 patients, 500 MB of storage, appointment and patient management, basic reports, and email support.
• ABELDent may suit a Windows user interested in a freemium option built around the free Microsoft database, provided chargeable telephone support, training, updates, migration, and premium options fit the budget.
• Curve Dental is an alternative for practices seeking Android, iOS, macOS, web, or Windows availability; its startup implementation and license fees are specially priced.
• MolarPlus may appeal to a clinic prioritizing a low annual price: its Plus plan is $4.00 per month, billed $48/year billed annually, for one clinic, five staff logins, and monthly quotas of 500 new patients and 500 appointments.
• Apexo is another option for readers considering free software.
• Oryx Dental is an alternative for readers considering a paid dental platform with an introductory startup offer.
• Practice-Web may fit a practice focused on email marketing: its Mass Email Marketing plan is $35/mo (reg. $70/mo), with the $199 setup fee waived, a month-to-month contract, and up to 5,000 patients.
• Dentella is another option for readers considering freemium software on web, Android, or iOS.

Verdict

Choose Open Dental if your practice needs patient-facing services, integrations, and support across one or more locations, and its location-based, provider-limited pricing fits your operation. Look elsewhere if you need a Linux or Mac workstation client, want a trial that includes connected services, or need more predictable costs before accounting for providers, locations, and data conversion.