Dentrix vs Open Dental
Verdict. Open Dental leads on the overall Data Index (8.1 vs 7.4). On the 6 axes where both have evidence, Dentrix wins 1, Open Dental wins 3 and 2 are tied. Clearest gaps: support (Open Dental 6.0 vs 2.0), pricing clarity (Open Dental 8.5 vs 5.0), and vendor stability (Dentrix 9.0 vs 7.0). Users rate Open Dental higher (4.5 vs 4.3).
Table view
| Axis | Dentrix | Open Dental |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Integrations | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Pricing clarity | 5.0 | 8.5 |
| Support | 2.0 | 6.0 |
| Vendor stability | 9.0 | 7.0 |
| User rating | 8.5 | 9.0 |
Axis by axis
- Features 7.1 vs 7.1 tie
- Integrations 10.0 vs 10.0 tie
- Pricing clarity 5.0 vs 8.5 Open Dental
- Support 2.0 vs 6.0 Open Dental
- Vendor stability 9.0 vs 7.0 Dentrix
- User rating 8.5 vs 9.0 Open Dental
Dentrix or Open Dental: which should you choose?
These are the two most widely supported server-based systems, and the choice is mostly about how you like to buy software.
Open Dental publishes every fee: $199 per location per month in the first year and $149 after, with add-ons priced separately. You host the database, can query it directly and get a documented API. It suits owners who want control and are willing to manage a server or pay an IT provider to.
Dentrix is quote-only and sold with bundles of Henry Schein One services. It suits practices that prefer one large vendor for software, claims, payments and patient communication, and that value how many staff already know it.
On ecosystem they are close: more products in our database integrate with Open Dental, but Dentrix is only a few behind. On user ratings Open Dental is ahead, particularly for customer service. If you are moving from Dentrix to Open Dental, Open Dental lists a standard conversion at about $1,450 per database with a free test conversion.
Reviewed under the standards of our Editorial Board
What our reviews say
Dentrix
The most widely supported server-based dental PMS: deep features and a huge add-on ecosystem, but quote-only pricing and mixed support reviews.
Strengths- Largest third-party ecosystem of any system we track after Open Dental
- Mature clinical, billing and insurance modules with few functional gaps
- Backed by Henry Schein One, one of the largest vendors in dental software
- No public pricing; add-on bundles make quotes hard to compare
- Runs on a Windows server in the office that you must maintain and back up
- Customer support and interface age are the most frequent complaints in user reviews
Open Dental
The most transparent and most widely integrated dental PMS: $199/mo then $149, every fee public. You run the server yourself.
Strengths- Complete public price list: $199 per location per month in year one, $149 after
- Largest integration ecosystem in our database
- Documented API with a free read-only tier, plus custom queries on your own database
- Self-hosted by default: server, backups and security are your responsibility
- Patient communication, online scheduling and eRx are paid add-ons
- Interface is functional rather than polished
Side by side
| Dentrix | Open Dental | |
|---|---|---|
| Data Index | 7.4 | 8.1 |
| Category rank | #2 of 16 · Server-based PMS | #1 of 16 · Server-based PMS |
| User rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Review count | 512 | 136 |
| Starting price | — | $199/mo |
| Pricing transparency | Partially public | Full public pricing |
| License | Subscription | Subscription |
| Deployment | On-premise server | On-premise server |
| Open API | — | Yes |
| HIPAA claim | Yes | Yes |
| Company size | 1001-5000 | 201–500 |
| Markets | US | US, CA |
| Data completeness | 84% | 88% |
Features
2 of 11 tracked capabilities differ. Only Dentrix: perio charting. Only Open Dental: e-prescribing.
| Capability | Dentrix | Open Dental |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical charting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Perio charting | ✓ | ? |
| Voice perio | ✓ | ✓ |
| Treatment planning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Real-time eligibility | ✓ | ✓ |
| E-claims | ✓ | ✓ |
| ERA auto-posting | ✓ | ✓ |
| e-Prescribing | ? | ✓ |
| Imaging bridge | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-location | ✓ | ✓ |
| CDT codes | ✓ | ✓ |
Choose Dentrix if…
- Established practices that want the widest choice of third-party tools
- Offices already buying supplies, equipment or services from Henry Schein
- Teams with staff who have used Dentrix before, which shortens training
- you need perio charting
Choose Open Dental if…
- Cost-conscious practices that want every fee in writing before they buy
- Offices that want the widest choice of third-party tools and direct access to their data
- Practices with an IT provider, or an owner comfortable managing a server and backups
- you need e-prescribing
- user satisfaction is your priority
FAQ
Is Dentrix better than Open Dental?
Open Dental leads on the overall Data Index (8.1 vs 7.4). On the 6 axes where both have evidence, Dentrix wins 1, Open Dental wins 3 and 2 are tied. Clearest gaps: support (Open Dental 6.0 vs 2.0), pricing clarity (Open Dental 8.5 vs 5.0), and vendor stability (Dentrix 9.0 vs 7.0). Users rate Open Dental higher (4.5 vs 4.3).