What Open Dental Software does

Open Dental Software is a privately held, family-owned developer of dental practice management software (PMS), headquartered in Salem, Oregon, and founded in 2003 by Nathan Sparks. The company targets dental practices of all sizes in the United States and abroad, from solo practitioners to multi-location Dental Service Organizations (DSOs), positioning on comprehensive functionality at an affordable price. Its core platform runs on the Microsoft .NET Framework with a MySQL/MariaDB backend and is organized into seven integrated modules (Appointments, Family, Account, Treatment Plan, Chart, Imaging, and Manage), supplemented by an eServices bundle of patient engagement and practice automation add-ons (Patient Portal, Payment Portal, Web Forms, Web Sched, Secure Email, Integrated Texting, Automated Messaging, ODMobile, ODTouch, eClipboard, Message-to-Pay, Mass Email).

The product's strategic differentiator is breadth of interoperability: Open Dental ships with over 100 program bridges to third-party imaging, diagnostic, payment, and marketing software, native integrations to 20+ insurance clearinghouses, a RESTful API with 100+ documented resource endpoints, and a plug-in framework available to enterprise DSO customers after whitelisting. Reporting includes 50+ built-in standard reports and a library of 1,400+ pre-built SQL queries, and the company offers professional services for data migration from over 200 competing PMS products. In version 24.4 (November 2024), Open Dental transitioned its license from open source GPL to a proprietary license—without changes to pricing, customer experience, or database documentation access—citing closed-source security strategies and concerns about AI bots consuming source code.

Open Dental generates revenue primarily through annual software subscriptions, supplemented by recurring fees for the eServices bundle and professional services such as custom query writing, sheet design, conversion from competing systems, replication support, and incident support. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; sales are conducted directly via the company website, phone (503-363-5432), and free trial downloads. The go-to-market is hybrid: sales-led for direct conversion of inbound trial users and DSO accounts, layered with a community-led motion centered on the Open Dental user forum, Facebook user group, YouTube tutorial library, blog, and email newsletter. The company has never raised outside venture capital and operates from a 50+ acre Salem campus with 251–500 employees.

Name

Open Dental Software

Legal name

Open Dental Software

Website

https://opendental.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Open Dental Software is a privately held, family-owned developer of dental practice management software, founded in 2003 in Salem, Oregon. It serves dental practices of all sizes with a customizable .NET-based platform featuring 100+ third-party integrations, an eServices patient engagement bundle, and a comprehensive RESTful API.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dental Practice Management Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (513210), Software Publishers (51321)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Nursing, Clinical Notes & Documentation Workflow Tools (HLACAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Patient Intake, Digital Registration & eForms (HLACAEAF), Data Aggregation, Interoperability & APIs for RPM (FHIR/IoMT Gateways) (HLACAFAO)

Keywords

• Dental practice management
• Dental software
• Patient engagement
• Insurance billing
• Clinical charting

Headquarters

HQ city

Salem

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses/Subscriptions: Annual or subscription-based software licenses for dental practice management software. Pricing not publicly disclosed - requires contact with sales. Includes access to software updates, support, and core features.
2. eServices Add-ons: Optional premium services bundle including Patient Portal, Payment Portal, Web Sched, Secure Email, Integrated Texting, Automated Messaging, ODMobile, ODTouch, eClipboard, Mass Email, and Message-to-Pay. Additional subscription fees beyond base software.
3. Professional Services: Additional revenue from custom services including conversions from other PMS systems, sheet design service, custom query writing service, replication support, and incident support. Fee-based services beyond standard support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Open Dental Software provides comprehensive, highly customizable dental practice management software for dental practices of any size. The core platform runs on the Microsoft .NET Framework with a MySQL/MariaDB database and includes seven integrated modules (Appointments, Family, Account, Treatment Plan, Chart, Imaging, Manage) covering scheduling, clinical charting, insurance billing, imaging, reporting, and patient records management. The offering is supplemented by the eServices Bundle of patient engagement tools (Patient Portal, Payment Portal, Web Forms, Web Sched, Secure Email, Integrated Texting, Automated Messaging, ODMobile, ODTouch, eClipboard, Message-to-Pay, Mass Email), 100+ Program Bridges to third-party software, a RESTful API, and a Plug-in Framework for enterprise DSOs.

Product overview

Open Dental Software is a unified dental practice management platform built on the Microsoft .NET Framework with a MySQL/MariaDB database backend, featuring seven integrated modules (Appointments, Family, Account, Treatment Plan, Chart, Imaging, and Manage). The core platform is supplemented by the eServices Bundle, which provides a comprehensive suite of patient engagement and practice automation add-on services including Patient Portal, Payment Portal, Web Forms, Web Sched, Secure Email, Integrated Texting, Automated Messaging, ODMobile, ODTouch, eClipboard, Message-to-Pay, and Mass Email. Additional offerings include over 100 Program Bridges to third-party imaging and practice management software, a RESTful Open Dental API for developer integrations, and a Plug-in Framework for large organizations. The platform also includes reporting tools (50+ standard reports, 1,400+ SQL queries), digital forms (eForms and Sheets), an Imaging Module, and conversion services from 200+ competing dental PMS products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ODMobile: Mobile app for Open Dental
• ODTouch
• eClipboard
• eForms
• eServices

Products and services

• Open Dental Software (Core Platform) Comprehensive, highly customizable dental practice management software running on the Microsoft .NET Framework with a MySQL/MariaDB database backend. Includes seven integrated modules (Appointments, Family, Account, Treatment Plan, Chart, Imaging, Manage) covering scheduling, clinical charting with 3D Graphical Tooth Chart, insurance billing, imaging, treatment planning, recall management, and patient records. Supports server-based deployment with optional replication and middle tier for multi-location practices. Sold as an annual subscription.
• eServices Bundle Bundled suite of digital patient engagement and practice automation services including Patient Portal, Payment Portal, Web Forms, Web Sched, Secure Email, Integrated Texting, Automated Messaging, ODMobile, ODTouch, eClipboard, Message-to-Pay, and Mass Email. Sold as an optional add-on subscription beyond the base software.
• Patient Portal A patient-facing web portal that allows patients to access their records, view images, schedule appointments, and communicate with the dental office. Part of the eServices bundle.
• Payment Portal A secure web portal for patients to make payments online. Part of the eServices bundle.
• Web Forms Online patient forms that allow patients to fill out registration and medical history forms prior to their appointment. Part of the eServices bundle.
• Web Sched Online scheduling tool that allows patients to book appointments through the web. Part of the eServices bundle.
• Secure Email HIPAA-compliant secure email service for sending and receiving encrypted email messages. Requires additional subscription. Part of the eServices bundle.
• Integrated Texting Two-way text messaging integrated directly into Open Dental for patient communication. Part of the eServices bundle.
• Automated Messaging (eReminders) Automated appointment reminders and patient communications via multiple channels (email, text, phone). Part of the eServices bundle.
• ODMobile Mobile application companion to Open Dental for dental office staff. Part of the eServices bundle.
• ODTouch Touch-optimized interface for Open Dental on tablet or touch devices. Part of the eServices bundle.
• eClipboard Digital forms solution using eForms and Sheets for patient data collection. eForms are mobile-optimized with conditional questions and auto-importing of patient data; eClipboard 25 app and eClipboard Web allow patients to fill out forms prior to appointments. Part of the eServices bundle.
• Message-to-Pay Automated payment request messaging feature that sends patients payment links via text or email. Part of the eServices bundle.
• Mass Email Bulk email marketing and communication tool for reaching patients with announcements and newsletters. Part of the eServices bundle.
• Program Bridges Over 100 built-in bridges linking Open Dental to third-party imaging, diagnostic, payment, marketing, and practice management software. Bridges are configured via Program Links with toolbar buttons and optional command-line arguments.
• Open Dental API RESTful API enabling developers to interact with Open Dental databases via HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) on Resources corresponding to database tables. Supports CRUD operations on patients, appointments, claims, billing, and 100+ other resources. Requires BAA and API key. Distinct from FHIR API for medical system interfacing.
• Plug-in Framework Custom functionality framework for large organizations (DSOs) to add internal-only plug-ins. Requires whitelisting. Plug-ins connect to the database through the framework and can add custom tables. Replaced by API Specification for new third-party integrations. HookMethod and HookAddCode patterns supported.
• PMS Conversion Service Migration service from over 200 competing dental practice management systems, enabling practices to switch to Open Dental with data integrity. Fee-based professional service.
• Custom Query Writing Service Fee-based service for writing custom SQL queries against the Open Dental database, supplementing the 1,400+ pre-built queries in the User Queries library.
• Sheet Design Service Fee-based service for designing custom Sheets templates for patient forms, letters, exam sheets, labels, prescriptions, treatment plans, statements, routing slips, and chart layouts.
• Replication Support Fee-based support service for multi-location replication setup and ongoing maintenance for DSOs and multi-office practices.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration78 records

AI capability4 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Transworld Systems Inc. (TSI)coreTechnology or IntegrationTSI integration enables Open Dental users to send past due accounts for collections, manage accounts, suspend/cancel collections, and accept payments directly through TSI. Interface allows finding family guarantors by criteria (minimum balance, days since last payment), automatic billing type updates, and complete billing/collection management by TSI.
• CareCreditcoreTechnology or IntegrationPatient financing option integrated into Open Dental. Allows practices to offer CareCredit payment plans directly within the practice management workflow.
• Global PaymentscoreTechnology or IntegrationCredit card processing integration through Global Payments. Enables seamless payment processing within Open Dental's billing workflow.
• PayConnect / DentalxChangecoreTechnology or IntegrationCredit card processing integration. Part of Open Dental's comprehensive payment processing options alongside Global Payments and PaySimple.
• PaySimplecoreTechnology or IntegrationAdditional credit card processing integration option for practices preferring this payment processor.
• Imaging Software Partners (100+ brands)coreTechnology or IntegrationExtensive imaging software integration ecosystem including: Dexis, Schick (Dentsply Sirona), Carestream, NewTom, Vatech, Air Techniques ScanX, Gendex, iCat, Sirona SIDEXIS, Dolphin, Apteryx, and many others. Supports radiograph capture, intraoral cameras, and document scanning through TWAIN drivers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Curve Dental: Curve Dental is a cloud-native dental practice management software provider serving solo practices, group practices, and DSOs. Its pure SaaS architecture directly competes with Open Dental's primarily on-premise deployment model and is positioning to win share as dental practices migrate to cloud.
• tab32: tab32 is a cloud-based dental practice management platform with integrated imaging, patient communication, and analytics, targeting DSOs and multi-location practices. Its cloud-native architecture and integrated workflow approach directly compete with Open Dental for modernizing dental practices.
• DentiMax: DentiMax offers dental practice management software with integrated digital imaging, serving small to mid-sized U.S. dental practices. Its combined PMS-plus-imaging offering competes directly with Open Dental's bridge-based integration strategy in the SMB segment.
• Planet DDS (Denticon): Planet DDS provides Denticon, a cloud-based dental practice management platform focused on DSOs and multi-location groups. Its enterprise-focused feature set and centralized management capabilities compete directly with Open Dental's multi-location replication and DSO plugin framework offerings.
• QSI Dental: QSI Dental provides dental practice management software targeting small to mid-sized U.S. dental practices. As an established mid-market dental PMS competitor, it overlaps with Open Dental's core SMB customer segment on pricing and feature scope.

Broad incumbents

• Patterson Dental (Eaglesoft): Patterson Dental sells Eaglesoft as its primary on-premise dental practice management software, competing directly with Open Dental for U.S. dental practices. Patterson's broader dental supply distribution business and bundled hardware/software offerings give it a strong SMB sales motion similar to Open Dental's target market.
• Carestream Dental: Carestream Dental offers PracticeWorks and other dental practice management software alongside its imaging hardware and software portfolio. The integrated imaging-plus-PMS offering competes with Open Dental's bridge-based approach to combining practice management with imaging partners like Carestream's own imaging products.
• Henry Schein One (Dentrix): Henry Schein One is the largest U.S. dental practice management software provider, with Dentrix as its flagship on-premise PMS and Dentrix Ascend as its cloud platform. It competes directly with Open Dental across solo, group, and DSO segments and is bundled with Henry Schein's broader dental supply and equipment distribution business.

Others

• eClinicalWorks: eClinicalWorks is a major medical EHR/practice management provider that Open Dental integrates with via program bridge for practices that need medical-dental cross-coverage. While serving a different primary market (medical practices), it represents an adjacent PMS category and a potential integration partner or cross-sell channel.

Regional players

• ABELDent: ABELDent is a Canadian dental practice management software provider serving primarily Canadian dental practices. While geographically distinct from Open Dental's U.S. focus, it competes in the same dental PMS category with similar feature breadth, including charting, billing, and patient management.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/opendentalusersgroup
• Xx.com/OpenDent

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Open Dental Software