You’re on the hunt for a new practice management software for your dental practice. But with so many options available, the research and selection can be a little overwhelming. To help you with this challenging task, we’ve compiled a list of the top PMS for dental practices.
As an outsourced managed service provider for dental offices, our IT support team has experience troubleshooting and working in most of the available PMS options. With a thorough evaluation of vendor websites and customer reviews, we’re comparing seven popular practice management systems for dentists in the industry:
- CareStack
- Carestream Dental
- Curve Dental
- Denticon
- Dentrix
- Eaglesoft
- Open Dental
The goal of this article is for you to gather more insight (features, cost, deployment/hosting, user demographics) about each software to find the right fit for you and your practice.
Dental Practice Management Software Comparison Chart
CareStack
CareStack is an all-in-one cloud-based dental practice management software that offers a range of features to support various needs of dental service organizations (DSOs), dental startups, and single-office practices.
Features:
- Online scheduling and appointment reminders
- Treatment plans
- Revenue cycle management
- Reporting and analytics
- Automated patient communication
- Online payments and dental payment plans
- Digital imaging integrations
Cost: According to Capterra, CareStack starts at $698/month/user. But we recommend reaching out to CareStack directly for pricing.
Deployment/Hosting: Cloud
Who Uses It: Medium to large dental practices including single-offices, group practices, DSOs, mobile dental practices, specialists, and dental startups.
Carestream Dental
Carestream Dental boosts a variety of imaging and practice management solutions to meet the needs of general and specialized practices, such as orthodontists and oral surgeons. Their practice management solutions include Sensei Cloud, OrthoTrac, PracticeWorks, Softdent, and WinOMS.
Features:
- Sensei: Payment manager, patient manager rapidqueue, customizable reports and dashboards, eServices, patient forms, multiple payment options
- OrthoTrac: Treatment card, scheduling, billing, patient and staff communication, image integration, optional add-on modules
- PracticeWorks: Claims, billing, scheduling and appointments, patient accounts, treatment plans, charting, optional add-on modules
- Softdent: Treatment planning; patient records, appointment, and claims management; imaging and x-ray integration; optional add-on modules
- WinOMS: Claims, billing, scheduling and appointments, patient accounts, treatment plans, optional add-on modules such as digital forms and anesthesia records
- Seamless integration with Carestream’s imaging solutions
Cost: Carestream Dental offers customized pricing based on the needs of the practice. We recommend contacting Carestream for pricing details.
Deployment/Hosting: Cloud, On-Premise
Who Uses It: General practice, orthodontics, and oral surgeons that operate in single and multi-location practices (including group and DSOs).
Curve Dental
Curve Dental is an all-in-one dental practice management solution that delivers office management via the Cloud to independent and multisite practices. It is known for its intuitive design and ease of use.
Features:
- Charting and patient records
- Scheduling
- Billing/payment processing
- Smart forms
- Patient portal
- Customizable treatment options with eSignature
- Dental reporting
- Built-in imaging
- ePrescribe
- Integrates with various partners for payment processing & financing, patient engagement, online reputation management, and eSolutions
Cost: According to Capterra, Curve Dental starts at $200/month and includes one (1) dentist with special pricing available for start-up dental practices. Curve identifies two options on their website – Hero and SuperHero. We recommend contacting the vendor for pricing details.
Deployment/Hosting: Cloud, On-Premise
Who Uses It: Small to medium-sized practices including new startups, single- and multi-location dental practices.
Denticon
Denticon is a cloud-based practice management software product of California-based Planet DDS. It consolidated various types of dental clinic software and is designed for multi-location dental practices. In addition to Denticon, the vendors offers a dental imaging solution, Apteryx.
Features:
- Easy-to-use scheduler
- Intuitive patient communications
- Native online patient tools
- Integrated imaging
- Customizable patient charting
- Automated claims and insurance
- Simple revenue cycle management
- Centralized reports with insights
- Mutli-specialty functionality
- Native patient payments
Cost: According to Capterra, Denticon costs $200/month. We recommend reaching out to Denticon for pricing details.
Deployment/Hosting: Cloud
Who Uses It: Large, multi-location practices, and DSOs (Dental Service Organizations).
Dentrix
Dentrix by Henry Schein One is a well-established, comprehensive practice management software with a strong reputation in the dental industry. They have three package options (Starter, Accelerator, Pro).
Features:
- Front Office
- Dentrix Pay: payment manager
- Month end and task scheduler
- Dentrix Appointment Book: simplified scheduling
- Dentrix Ledger: claim validation
- Dentrix Document Center: store and retrieve documents
- Dentrix Treatment Planner: track patients throughout their care
- Optional add-ons: Dentrix Communications Manager, Dentrix Kiosk and Questionnaires (forms), Dentrix QuickBill™ and eClaims™
- Clinical
- Dentrix Smart Image
- Dentrix 3D Patient Charting: customized views of patient information and synchronize digital images with patient records
- Automate treatment planning
- Dentrix Perio Chart: expedite perio charting
- Dentrix Progress Notes: organize clinical notes quickly and accurately
- Submit and monitor lab cases digitally
- Business
- Dentrix Practice Advisor: measure financial progress
- Dentrix Daily Huddle: daily task report
- Dentrix Profitability Coaching
- Dentrix Mobile: access patient and schedule information on the go
Cost: According to G2, Dentrix is 32% more expensive than the average Dental Practice Management product. For pricing details, contact Henry Schein One.
Deployment/Hosting: Cloud, On-Premise
Who Uses It: Independent practices, multi-location group practices, and DSOs.
Eaglesoft
Eaglesoft by Patterson Dental, is a Windows based dental practice management system. It helps dental professionals track patients’ treatment plans, records, outstanding balance with easy-to-use interface and numerous integrations with 3rd party software and hardware.
Features:
- Insurance and billing
- Business intelligence and reporting
- Workflows
- Appointment scheduling
- Document management
- Accounting and payment processing
- Treatment planning
- Patient engagement
- e-Prescribing
- Dental imagining integration
Cost: According to G2, Eaglesoft is 12% more expensive than the average dental practice management product. For pricing details, contact Patterson Dental Supply.
Deployment/Hosting: On-Premise
Who Uses It: Designed for dental offices of all specialties and sizes.
Open Dental
Open Dental is an open source practice management software product created by a dentist for dentists. It includes a wide array of time-saving features developed to keep practice management costs low and data control in the hands of the user. Open Dental offers a free trial version for dental offices looking to evaluate the software before purchasing.
Features:
- Discount plans
- Electronic prescriptions
- Graphical tooth chart
- Reports (standard, graphic, custom)
- Bridges (links) to external programs (imaging programs, marketing and communication platforms, credit card processing, electronic forms, etc.)
Cost: Only upfront cost is the first month of support fees ($179/month/location or office – 12-month contract) plus any additional functionality required. Based on software review site, G2, Open Dental is 41% less expensive than other dental practice management products on the market.
Deployment/Hosting: Cloud, On-Premise
Who Uses It: General Dentistry, Endodontics, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry, Prosthodontics, Periodontics that have a single office or multiple locations.
Conclusion
In evaluating the various dental practice management software options available, each solution clearly presents unique advantages tailored to different practices. Open Dental stands out for its cost-effectiveness and customization capabilities, making it an appealing choice for practices of all sizes. Conversely, other platforms like Dentrix and CareStack offer robust features that may suit larger practices or those in need of comprehensive integration.
Not every dental office is the same, which is why it’s great there are plenty of practice management software options for dentists to choose from. Ultimately, the best software choice will depend on the specific needs, budget, and growth aspirations of your dental practice. We suggest scheduling a free demo with your top choices to see which solution aligns with your dental organization's operational goals and enhances patient care. And, when in doubt, consult with your dental IT company or IT support team to gather additional insight on changing your practice management software.
If you’re planning to transition to new software, there are certain steps to keep in mind. To help implement new software seamlessly, check out our article on “How to Transition Your Dental Practice onto New Software”.
Dental IT. Remove the Burden. Embrace the Use.
Quality patient care – it's ultimately why you became a dental professional. But, some business operations can get in the way (such as pesky computer issues or lack of IT support). That’s where Pact-One Solutions can help! Our passion lies in supplying reliable, responsive dental IT support and security that practices can count on.
Whether you’re looking for dental IT services for your startup or searching for more responsive dental IT support – our team of dental IT specialists have you covered. With team members throughout the United States, we offer nationwide support to dental practices of all sizes. Our wide range of dental IT services ensure your data is secure, accessible, and protected.
Don't let technology challenges hinder your ability to deliver exceptional dental care. Contact us at info@pact-one.com or 866-722-8663 to join 350+ dental practices thriving with the support of a dedicated dental IT team.
Note: The vendors outlined in this post are in alphabetical order. We do not necessarily endorse, nor do we receive monetary compensation from any of these software companies. We are a recognized vendor for a select few and have experience working with these dental practice management solutions.
Sources:
- G2: https://www.g2.com/categories/dental-practice-management
- Capterra: https://www.capterra.com/dental-software/
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