Open Dental vs Eaglesoft
Verdict. Open Dental leads on the overall Data Index (8.1 vs 7.3). On the 5 axes where both have evidence, Open Dental wins 2, Eaglesoft wins 0 and 3 are tied. Clearest gaps: pricing clarity (Open Dental 8.5 vs 5.0) and user rating (Open Dental 9.0 vs 8.3). Users rate Open Dental higher (4.5 vs 4.1).
Table view
| Axis | Open Dental | Eaglesoft |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Integrations | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Pricing clarity | 8.5 | 5.0 |
| Support | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Vendor stability | 7.0 | no data |
| User rating | 9.0 | 8.3 |
Axis by axis
- Features 7.1 vs 7.1 tie
- Integrations 10.0 vs 10.0 tie
- Pricing clarity 8.5 vs 5.0 Open Dental
- Support 6.0 vs 6.0 tie
- Vendor stability 7.0 vs – no data
- User rating 9.0 vs 8.3 Open Dental
Open Dental or Eaglesoft: which should you choose?
Both run on a server in your office, so this comparison comes down to price transparency, ecosystem and vendor relationship.
Open Dental publishes its full price list ($199 a month in year one, $149 after) and leads our database on third-party integrations. It asks more of you technically: the server, backups and add-on choices are yours to manage.
Eaglesoft is quote-only and sold through Patterson Dental with a support plan. It makes most sense for practices that already buy equipment and supplies from Patterson and want software from the same account team.
Users rate Open Dental higher overall. Practices leaving Eaglesoft should know that Open Dental lists Eaglesoft among the systems it converts from for a published fee.
Reviewed under the standards of our Editorial Board
What our reviews say
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
Eaglesoft
Patterson Dental's server-based PMS: complete features, a very large add-on ecosystem and solid support ratings. Quote-only and not cloud-based.
Strengths- Third-largest integration ecosystem in our database, after Open Dental and Dentrix
- Broad confirmed feature set, including eRx, real-time eligibility, ERA posting and custom reporting
- Customer service rated 4.2 out of 5 on Capterra, slightly above Dentrix
- No public pricing
- Needs a Windows server in the office; not cloud-based
- Interface described as dated in user reviews
Side by side
| Open Dental | Eaglesoft | |
|---|---|---|
| Data Index | 8.1 | 7.3 |
| Category rank | #1 of 16 · Server-based PMS | #3 of 16 · Server-based PMS |
| User rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Review count | 136 | 267 |
| Starting price | $199/mo | — |
| Pricing transparency | Full public pricing | Partially public |
| License | Subscription | Quote only |
| Deployment | On-premise server | On-premise server |
| Open API | Yes | — |
| HIPAA claim | Yes | Yes |
| Company size | 201–500 | — |
| Markets | US, CA | US |
| Data completeness | 88% | 80% |
Features
6 of 13 tracked capabilities differ. Only Open Dental: voice perio, multi-location, and cdt codes. Only Eaglesoft: perio charting, operatory scheduling, and custom reporting.
| Capability | Open Dental | Eaglesoft |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical charting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Perio charting | ? | ✓ |
| Voice perio | ✓ | ? |
| Treatment planning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Operatory scheduling | ? | ✓ |
| Real-time eligibility | ✓ | ✓ |
| E-claims | ✓ | ✓ |
| ERA auto-posting | ✓ | ✓ |
| e-Prescribing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Imaging bridge | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom reporting | ? | ✓ |
| Multi-location | ✓ | ? |
| CDT codes | ✓ | ? |
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 voice perio
- you need multi-location
- user satisfaction is your priority
Choose Eaglesoft if…
- Practices that buy equipment, supplies and service from Patterson Dental
- Single-location offices that want a mature, full-featured server system
- Teams that value built-in reporting and steady support over a modern interface
- you need perio charting
- you need operatory scheduling
FAQ
Is Open Dental better than Eaglesoft?
Open Dental leads on the overall Data Index (8.1 vs 7.3). On the 5 axes where both have evidence, Open Dental wins 2, Eaglesoft wins 0 and 3 are tied. Clearest gaps: pricing clarity (Open Dental 8.5 vs 5.0) and user rating (Open Dental 9.0 vs 8.3). Users rate Open Dental higher (4.5 vs 4.1).