- A membership plan is a subscription for care, not insurance. The patient pays the practice a monthly or annual fee for defined services and a discount on the rest. No claims, no annual maximum, no insurer in the middle.
- Only 4 of the 10 tools we track publish a price, and the published models differ: a flat fee (DentalHQ $99), a fee plus a per-member rate (BoomCloud), or software at no charge that earns on processing (QuantaPay Standard).
- 7 of 10 document a PMS integration. The most-listed systems are Dentrix, Eaglesoft and Open Dental. Without a sync, someone re-keys members and balances by hand.
- Software cost is rarely the problem. At 150 members the cheapest published plan costs about $99 a month, 2% of the $5,250 the members pay (at an example fee of $35 a month). The cost that decides profit is what you give away in included care.
Most practices meet membership plans the same way: a patient without insurance asks what a cleaning costs, the front desk quotes a price, and the patient leaves to think about it. A plan turns that conversation into a yes: a fixed monthly fee, two cleanings and exams included, a discount on everything else. This guide covers the part that decides whether it works: how the money moves, what the software costs, and how many members you need before it pays.
Independent: vendors cannot buy a position here. Prices are as published on the dates in each profile; many vendors publish nothing. Read the disclosure.
What a membership plan is, and where the money goes
A membership plan is a direct contract between your practice and a patient: a recurring fee in exchange for defined services and discounts. The software handles four jobs: enroll the patient, collect the fee, track what has been used, and apply the discount at checkout. The flow below shows where each dollar goes.
- 1Patient enrolls
Signs the plan terms, pays the first fee. Card on file for renewals.
- 2Fee is collected
Monthly or annual. Processing takes a percentage; failed payments need a retry rule.
- 3Included care is used
Cleanings, exams, x-rays. Each visit is logged against the plan.
- 4Discount applies
Other treatment is priced at the member rate at checkout.
- 5Renewal or exit
Auto-renewal and cancellation rules follow your state's law.
The software is the cheap part. A tool that costs $200 a month is a rounding error beside the cost of the cleanings you give away. Price the plan from your delivery cost first, then check the software.
Membership plan, discount plan or financing: which problem each one solves
Three products are routinely confused. They serve the same patient but differ in who runs them, who collects and who carries the risk.
| In-house membership plan | Discount (savings) plan network | Patient financing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who sets the price | You. | The network’s fee schedule, which you accept. | You set the treatment fee; the lender sets terms. |
| Who the patient pays | Your practice, monthly or yearly. | The network, a yearly fee; Careington lists $129 to $189. | A lender, in installments. |
| What it covers | Preventive care plus discounts on the rest. | Discounts only; no included care. | A specific treatment plan. |
| Who carries the risk | You: included care is yours to deliver. | You, through the discounted fee. | Usually the lender, once you are paid. |
| Best for | Uninsured and under-insured patients who return regularly. | A practice that wants patients without running a plan. | One large treatment: see implant financing. |
Discount-plan and membership rules vary by state; see the legal checks below. Financing compared: patient financing tools and CareCredit vs Cherry vs Sunbit.
How to design a plan that is worth selling
Design the plan before you choose software, because software can only run what you define. A common structure has two to four plans, each a fixed bundle with a stated discount on the rest. The figures below are an example of the shape, not a benchmark: replace them with your own fees and costs.
Preventive bundle
- Two cleanings and exams a year
- Annual bitewing x-rays
- Percentage off restorative work
Growth bundle
- Two cleanings and exams
- Fluoride, sealant discount
- Lower fee than adult
Maintenance bundle
- Perio maintenance visits
- Higher fee, matching visit count
- Discount on scaling and root planing
- Cost the bundle first. Add the chair time, hygienist cost, supplies and x-rays of everything included. The fee must sit above that with room for processing and software.
- Make the discount simple. One percentage that front-desk staff can quote without a lookup table.
- Decide what is excluded. Pre-existing conditions, specialty care and lab fees need a clear line in the terms.
- Set the term and the cancellation rule before you print anything, and check them against state law.
Dental membership plan software compared
Every tool we track in the category, with the prices and integrations we could verify.
| Product | Published price | PMS | Trial | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DentalHQ | Pro $99/mo · DHQ Pro (annual) $990/yr | 5 | 90 days | $990 a year on the annual plan |
| Careington | Patients pay $12 to $18 a month ($129 to $189 a year) | – | – | Patient-paid discount network, not software |
| BoomCloud | Basic $197/mo · Pro $397/mo | 3 | – | $4.50 / $3.50 per member on top |
| Bento Dental | $4 listed (unit unclear) | – | – | |
| Clerri | Quote or not published | 9 | – | Free set-up claimed; payments to your merchant account |
| illumitrac | Quote or not published | – | – | One-time license fee, white-labeled |
| QuantaPay | Standard $0/mo · QuantaPay Light $149/mo · QuantaPay Pro $299/mo | 1 | – | Processing fees 2.39% to 2.89%; also a processor |
| Smile Advantage | Quote or not published | – | – | Customizable plans |
| Subscribili | Quote or not published | 7 | – | Cloud platform, quote |
| Plan Forward | Quote or not published | 5 | – | Five-person company |
| Wellfit | Quote or not published | 1 | – | Also patient financing |
“PMS” counts documented practice-management integrations. A dash means none found or none published. Prices are list prices before processing, set-up and taxes.
What it costs at your size: calculator
Software with published prices charges in two shapes: a fixed fee, or a fixed fee plus a rate per member. That means the cheapest tool changes as you grow. BoomCloud Basic is cheaper than Pro until about 200 members; after that Pro wins. Move the sliders to see it, and the economics of the plan itself below.
Software fee per month at your member count, before processing. QuantaPay Standard has no software fee because it earns on processing, so its true cost is the processing rate you slide above.
Uses the cheapest published software at your member count. Defaults are examples: set the fee to your own price and the delivery cost to your own cleaning, exam and x-ray cost. Break-even is the member count at which fees cover delivery, processing and software.
Does it work with your PMS?
A membership tool that does not sync forces your front desk to enter every enrollment twice and reconcile balances by hand. The matrix shows which practice-management systems each vendor documents.
| Product | Dentrix | Ascend | Eaglesoft | Open Dental | Denticon | CareStack | Curve |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clerri | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | · |
| Subscribili | ✓ | · | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | · |
| DentalHQ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | · | · | ✓ |
| Plan Forward | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | · | · |
| BoomCloud | ✓ | · | ✓ | ✓ | · | · | · |
| QuantaPay | · | · | · | ✓ | · | · | · |
| Wellfit | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| Vendors documenting it | 5 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Only documented integrations are shown; a dot means we found none, not that none exists. Check the compatibility of your exact system with the compatibility finder.
- Which fields sync? Enrollment, plan type, used benefits, balances and the member discount at checkout.
- Is it two-way? A cancelled member should stop receiving the discount without anyone remembering to change it.
- What does your PMS vendor charge for the bridge or API access?
Choose by situation
Each pick wins one stated rule from the database. None is a ranking of “best”, because the right tool depends on your size, your system and how you want money to flow.
Clerri
Documents 9 practice systems, the most in the category, including Denticon, CareStack, Oryx, XLDent and Dentrix Enterprise. Free set-up is advertised, but the monthly price is not published.
BoomCloud
The only product with both a per-location fee and a per-member rate on its pricing page: $197 plus $4.50 per active member on Basic, or $397 plus $3.50 on Pro. You can calculate your cost before talking to sales.
DentalHQ
A flat $99 per location a month ($990 on an annual plan) with a 90-day free trial, and documented links to Dentrix, Dentrix Ascend, Eaglesoft, Open Dental and Curve.
QuantaPay
Combines membership administration with payment processing. The Standard tier has no software fee and recovers its cost through processing (2.39% to 2.89%); Light is $149 and Pro $299 a month.
Plan Forward
A small vendor (about five people) that documents Dentrix, Dentrix Ascend, Eaglesoft, Open Dental and Denticon and publishes no price. Ask for references before you rely on it.
Wellfit
Combines patient financing with membership plan administration for practices and DSOs. Quote-only; we could confirm only one PMS integration.
Legal and billing checks before you launch
A plan is a recurring-payment product sold to patients, which brings rules a software tool does not remove. This is general information, not legal advice; confirm each point with your state dental association or counsel.
Not insurance, but regulated
Many states regulate discount health plans or require specific disclosures. Check how your state treats an in-house plan and use approved wording.
Clear terms and easy exit
State automatic-renewal laws set disclosure, consent and cancellation rules. State the renewal date and how to cancel on the sign-up page.
Card and PHI hygiene
Use a processor and tool that store cards securely. Ask for a signed BAA when the tool sees patient records. Keep plan data out of ordinary email.
- Do not mix with insurance billing. Do not bill an insurer at the member discount rate without checking your contract with the carrier.
- Document included services. Terms should name what is included, limits and exclusions.
- Handle failed payments consistently. Decide how many retries, when benefits pause and how patients are notified.
A 30-day launch plan
- Days 1 to 5: price the plan. Cost the included care, set two to four plans and decide the discount on other treatment.
- Days 6 to 10: legal and terms. Draft the terms, check your state’s rules and set the cancellation policy.
- Days 11 to 15: pick software. Shortlist two, ask for the same written quote and request a demo with your own plan.
- Days 16 to 22: set up. Connect the PMS, load plans, test enrollment with a staff member and a failed card.
- Days 23 to 27: train the front desk. One sentence to explain the plan, one printed sheet, one rule for who offers it.
- Day 28 onward: offer it. To every uninsured patient at check-in and to patients who decline treatment on cost. Count enrollments weekly.
Mistakes that sink membership plans
- Underpricing the bundle. A fee that does not cover included cleanings, x-rays and processing loses money with every enrolment.
- Too many plans. Staff cannot explain six options; two to four is enough.
- No one owns it. Plans grow when one person offers them to every eligible patient; they stall when it is optional.
- Ignoring failed payments. Without a retry and pause rule, members use benefits they have not paid for.
- Choosing on software price alone. A tool that does not sync with your PMS costs more in staff time than the price difference.
Related: full membership plan ranking, implant financing options, no-credit-check financing and our Clerri review.
FAQ
What is dental membership plan software?
Software that lets a practice sell and run its own in-house membership plan: enrolling patients, collecting recurring payments, tracking which included services have been used, applying discounts at checkout and handling renewals and cancellations. Many tools connect to the practice management system so the plan shows in the patient record.
How much does dental membership software cost?
Published prices in our database: DentalHQ Pro $99 a month, BoomCloud Basic $197 a month + $4.50 per member, BoomCloud Pro $397 a month + $3.50 per member, QuantaPay Light $149 a month, and QuantaPay Pro $299 a month. Several vendors, including Clerri, Subscribili, and Plan Forward, quote on request. Card processing is a separate cost, usually a percentage of every member payment.
Is a dental membership plan insurance?
No. It is a direct agreement between the practice and the patient: a fee in exchange for specified services and discounts. Because laws on discount plans and insurance differ by state, check how your state classifies and regulates in-house plans and use approved wording in your materials. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the difference between a membership plan and a dental savings plan?
An in-house membership plan is run by your practice and priced by you. A savings or discount plan, such as Careington, is run by a network: patients pay the network a yearly fee (Careington lists $129 to $189) and receive reduced fees at participating dentists. The practice agrees to the network fee schedule.
How many members do I need for a plan to pay for itself?
It depends on your fee, the cost of the care you include and your software and processing costs. Use the calculator on this page: the break-even is how many members it takes for the fee minus delivery cost and processing to cover the fixed software fee. Software is usually the smaller part; the cost of included cleanings and exams is the larger.
Which membership software works with Dentrix, Eaglesoft or Open Dental?
In our data 5 tools document Dentrix, 5 Eaglesoft and 6 Open Dental. See the matrix on this page. A documented integration does not prove depth: ask whether members, balances and used benefits sync both ways.
Do member payments go to my merchant account?
It depends on the vendor. Clerri states that member payments go directly to the practice’s own merchant account; QuantaPay is itself a processor. Ask every vendor who holds the funds, how fast you are paid and what happens to failed payments.
Can I run a plan without software?
Yes, with a spreadsheet and recurring card charges, and some small practices start that way. It breaks down as members grow: failed payments, renewals, used-benefit tracking and cancellations all need a process, and PMS reporting will not match.
Method & sources
Software, prices and integrations come from 11 tools in our membership-plan category; each value links to the vendor page it was taken from. Only published prices are used in the calculator, and card processing and any set-up fees are outside the software figure. Bento is in the comparison table but not the calculator because the unit of its listed $4 price is unclear. Plan fee, delivery cost and processing defaults are examples that you replace with your own numbers. We have not tested these products. Nothing here is legal or tax advice.
Product facts come from the Denture-ID database, where every field links to the vendor page or document it was taken from — open any product profile to see them. Rankings use the Data Index; vendors cannot pay to change a position. Found an error? Tell us.
- BoomCloud pricing — per-location and per-member rates
- DentalHQ website and PMS integrations — systems, trial and plan price
- QuantaPay pricing — tiers and processing rates
- Clerri integrations — documented systems
- Careington: compare plans — patient-paid discount plan fees
- Bento: in-office plan — listed price and unit