What is the best dental software on the market? As managers and staff of dental practices realize the potential of digital technology to assist them in handling everyday tasks, many come to ask this question.
Researching the many available options and selecting the most suitable one for your practice can be overwhelming. To help you with this challenging task, we have shortlisted the top digital products by evaluating vendor websites, reading customer reviews, and exploring comparisons of the most popular dental software.
In this blog post, we will first set the context defining the different types of software a dental practice can benefit from and then reveal our list of dental software programs leading across categories.
Gone are the days of traditional dental practices. A new groundbreaking approach — digital dentistry — involves seamlessly integrating digital technology into various aspects of dental diagnosis and treatment. As a result, it elevates the dental experience to a whole new level of efficiency, precision, and patient satisfaction.
Most importantly, digitalization helps dentists focus on providing better care and reaching more patients, which is an urgent need globally when an estimated 3.5 billion people suffer from oral diseases, according to World Health Organization.
Some remarkable advancements that define the innovative field of digital dentistry are:
Digital dentistry has unquestionably revolutionized dental care, offering enhanced accuracy and improved patient comfort. As this exciting field continues to evolve, it is clear that dental experience will only get better and more advanced.
Besides transforming the core medical treatment processes listed above, software for dentists also increasingly proves value in driving efficient support activities like office workflow management and customer billing. Let's explore what it means in practice.
Dental software is a pivotal tool for streamlining administrative and clinical processes unique to dental practices. Like other medical office systems, it encompasses such essential components as patient interaction and workflow improvement. It significantly contributes to the seamless running of everyday dental operations, assisting the front desk, dental teams, and back-office functions.
The widespread adoption of dental software applications has spurred the development of additional support modules tailored to dental practices. These modules seamlessly integrate with — or are even provided alongside — the most prevalent practice management platforms, offering a comprehensive suite of capabilities. The components may include scheduling, imaging software, tailored marketing modules, and financial management tools.
In the rest of this article, we briefly describe the top 17 digital solutions for dentists across practice management, patient communication, imaging, and billing categories, starting from custom end-to-end healthcare software development that can meet all these functional needs altogether. For each product, we specify its target users, types of deployment, and five notable features.
We selected the best products of dental software copanies based on usability, client satisfaction, and market presence metrics thoroughly collected and compared using recognized vendor review sites, including Capterra, SelectHub, Software Advice, G2, and others.
When pre-packaged solutions fall short, CleverDev Software steps in with tailor-made answers that transcend expectations. Elevate your healthcare practice to new pinnacles of success with the innovative technology, meticulously designed to enhance patient care, streamline operations, and fuel exponential growth.
An experienced custom technology company with clients in the US and Europe, it has a significant track record in developing solutions for the healthcare sector. It designs and builds medical practice management software (PMS), dental practice management software, and other systems specifically tailored to the needs of each organization to cover them all without the clutter of unnecessary features. The complete end-to-end integrated solutions includes the following:
Who Uses It: All types of practices, from solo practitioners to medium and large multi-location companies
Deployment: Based on the client's requirements
Notable Features:
Effective management of dental practices has become increasingly reliant on modern software solutions, which streamline administrative tasks, enhance patient communication, and improve overall efficiency. In an era where the healthcare industry is embracing digital transformation, dental clinics are no exception. From established companies with decades of experience to innovative newcomers, a range of dental practice management software options are available to cater to diverse needs.
This established Canadian company has served medical professionals since 1977 and operates across North America. It has set an ambitious goal to become the world's leading solution provider to dental, rehab, and medical clinics by 2030. According to the vendor, more than 20,000 dental professionals use its all-encompassing suite to manage their practices.
Who Uses It: Dental offices and specialties of any size and location number
Deployment: Cloud or local server
Notable Features:
It is a cloud-based all-in-one solution for dentists from Curve Dental, a software provider in both USA and Canada. The company has specialized in cloud technology since its start in 2004 and boasts having 70,000+ dental professionals among its users. In the past year, Curve has partnered with the leading AI solution provider Pearl to augment its capabilities for better disease detection and treatment acceptance.
Who Uses It: Independent practices and multi-site / dental support organizations (DSOs) of all sizes
Deployment: Via the cloud
Notable Features:
A product of the California-based Planet DDS, Denticon is also entirely cloud-based. It consolidates different types of dental clinic software and promises to replace the high costs of legacy systems with a predictable subscription fee. Besides Denticon, the vendor offers a dental imaging solution, Apteryx, which it says is the software chosen by the US Army and US Navy personnel.
Who Uses It: Private practices, DSOs & dental groups, mobile dentists
Deployment: Cloud-based
Notable Features:
Patterson Companies operates in the oral and animal health markets, serving clients across North America and the UK. A publicly traded member of Nasdaq, it has supplied the dental industry for over a century since its founding in 1877 and has 65 branches today. Eaglesoft is the dental division's offer in practice management that integrates with various 3rd party software and hardware.
Who Uses It: Private practices and large group networks
Deployment: On-premise
Notable Features:
Arguably the world's largest provider of software and services for dentists, Henry Schein One is a global company of 2000 employees spread across North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. It is a joint venture of the digital media company Internet Brands and the Fortune 500 member Henry Schein, which has owned the first dental management software built for MS Windows, Dentrix, since 1997.
Depending on the type and size of a client practice, there are three distinct platforms to choose from: Dentrix, Dentrix Ascend, and Dentrix Enterprise. In addition, a separate brand, Easy Dental, offers an affordable entry-level PMS with simple features for budget-conscious practices, whereas Lighthouse 360 provides a system for patient communication.
Who Uses It: Solo practices, multi-site group practices and DSOs
Deployment: In the cloud (Dentrix Ascend) and on-premise
Notable Features:
This relatively new market player, based in Silicon Valley and Kansas City, came into existence in 2010, backed by health-tech venture capital, and has already gained leading positions in reviews of dentist practice management products. The vendor emphasizes its modern user experience and secure private cloud approach in contrast to the burden caused by expensive, slow, and inaccessible server-based dental PMS.
Who Uses It: One-office and multi-practice managers
Deployment: Cloud-based
Notable Features:
Unlike other dental software solutions featured in this review, Open Dental is an open-source product with the source code provided in a GitHub repository. Dental practitioners can evaluate it by installing a free trial version, limited to 30 patients, without expiration. The Open Dental software's Oregon-based owner company earns income from monthly support fees.
Who Uses It: Single offices and clinics with many locations
Deployment: On-premise
Notable Features:
"Helping Dentists Thrive!" is the slogan of this California-based company, which has served the US dental community since 1988. While it claims that other dental IT companies may address only 50% of client needs, Practice-Web has partnered with several service and software providers to deliver additional tools integrated with its core PMS in a "one-stop shop."
Who Uses It: Various dental offices, from solo practitioners to multiple clinic DSOs
Deployment: Server-based
Notable Features:
Effective communication lies at the heart of every successful dental practice. In the realm of patient care, seamless interaction between the front desk and patients can significantly influence the practice's efficiency, patient satisfaction, and overall success. The advent of dental patient communication software has revolutionized the way dental offices operate, streamlining processes and enhancing patient engagement.
Opening our dental software list on the front office side is a tool for patient messaging, dental booking, recalls, and reminders to minimize cancellations and make staff more productive. Former dental practice management consultants launched the patient reminder software to the market in 2012, promising to increase practice revenues without bringing in any new patients—just by improving recall performance for the existing ones.
Who Uses It: Practice owners, office managers & administrators, groups & DSOs
Deployment: In the cloud
Notable Features:
This vendor positions its product as a unified dental marketing platform, which supports dental offices in attracting new customers, creating better connections, and getting more done. The ADA Member Advantage program has endorsed the Chicago-based company to provide the 150,000+ members of the country-wide American Dental Association with its marketing software.
Who Uses It: Dental offices of all sizes
Deployment: Cloud
Notable Features:
Built around a VoIP phone system, this software is a communication platform designed specifically for small healthcare businesses—dental, veterinary, and optometry practices and other medical specialties. Every month, more than 88 million calls, texts, and emails get sent with Weave, according to its provided data. Similarly to other leading solutions, it integrates with top dental practice management software from large competitors.
Who Uses It: Dental practice owners and front office staff, as well as other healthcare sector professionals
Deployment: Cloud
Notable Features:
Dental imaging software plays a pivotal role in this transformation, enabling dental teams to visualize, analyze, and communicate vital information seamlessly. Time to have a look at some well-regarded dental imaging software solutions that have garnered attention within the industry for their advanced features, user-friendly interfaces, and comprehensive functionalities.
A Danish technology company with HQ in Copenhagen and production sites and offices across five continents, 3shape develops intraoral and lab scanners and CAD/CAM software, with additional business in audio devices and solutions. Apart from various studio apps for in-house design and production, it offers patient engagement apps, an open platform for dental companies, and a lab management system.
Who Uses It: Dental and hearing professionals, laboratories, and clinics
Deployment: Cloud-based collaboration in 3Shape Communicate
Notable Features:
The Atlanta-based global provider operates through three brands: Carestream Dental on the technology side, Swissmeda for clinical software, and Sensei for PMS and patient solutions. Its suite of imaging software and multiple modules cater to the needs of general and different specialized dental softwares for practices, such as orthodontists and oral surgeons.
Who Uses It: Dental practices, DSOs, and partners
Deployment: Cloud-based collaboration in 3Shape Communicate
Notable Features:
This Arizona-based vendor's offer focuses on dental sensors, PMS, and imaging software that readily connects with the latter and virtually any other most common dental software. The company's comparison of dental X-ray sensors has shown that its cheaper and thinner DentiMax Dream sensor also includes the most extensive manufacturer warranty compared to similar Dexis and Schick products.
Who Uses It: Small and mid-sized practices in the US and other countries
Deployment: In-office and cloud-based
Notable Features:
Navigating the intricacies of billing and revenue cycle management within the dental field requires specialized tools that understand the nuances of dental practice workflows. While many general practice management platforms offer integrated billing modules, there are software solutions that go the extra mile to cater solely to dental billing requirements.
While many general practice management platforms incorporate payment modules, Kareo Billing is among the software tools specializing in medical billing processes — even though it is also part of an actively promoted integrated system for independent practices. In 2021, Kareo merged with the practice growth technology company PatientPop to form Tebra, an all-in-one provider platform, reportedly helping 85 million US patients.
Who Uses It: Independent practices and physicians of all medical specialties
Deployment: Cloud-based technology
Notable Features:
A progressive financial engagement platform, Pearly offers revenue cycle management software for dental practices and reports holding close to 8 million patient records. The company from Santa Barbara promises to reduce the time spent on patient billing by 65% while increasing the collection rate by 33%. Its software supports ledger-level integrations with many practice management systems, including most of those featured above.
Who Uses It: Private dental practices, DSOs, and groups
Deployment: Cloud-based
Notable Features:
Now that you have a curated selection of 17 top software solutions for dental practices out of hundreds available on the market — or perhaps consider a few other alternatives — how exactly should you pick the one most suitable for your business? Below are some concessions we recommend paying close attention to.
In addition, it is crucial to ensure that the chosen dental software and its associated modules comply with HIPAA regulations to safeguard patient privacy and confidentiality. Opting for compliant Healthcare App Development guarantees the utmost security and peace of mind for the dental practice and its patients.
Typically, on-premise software adheres to a license or maintenance pricing model, whereas cloud-based dental software adopts a month-to-month subscription approach. For solo practitioners, the entry point is about $140-$240 per month, granting access to a comprehensive suite of features.
As for larger practices, dental software companies usually tailor the pricing structure to accommodate the number of specialists and locations. As a result, costs may scale accordingly, occasionally reaching thousands per month while ensuring seamless access across multiple settings.
While embracing cloud-based management software brings remarkable benefits, additional training and support services may incur an extra fee. These supplementary resources guarantee that dental professionals and their teams receive the necessary guidance and assistance to optimize their software utilization, thus maximizing efficiency and productivity.
Now, let's dive into the world of personalized dental software solutions — an astute move that surpasses conventional off-the-shelf alternatives. Investing in tailor-made software is like future-proofing your practice, marking a substantial commitment to scalability and gaining a competitive edge that can propel your dental practice to unprecedented heights.
Imagine the best dental management software solution meticulously designed to align with your practice's unique needs and workflow, capable of evolving and growing in tandem with your business. This bespoke approach eradicates the limitations of generic software, providing a tool that not only meets but exceeds your expectations. Beyond scalability, opting for custom dental software solutions liberates you from the ever-changing landscape of vendor plans, escalating fees, and the chaos of service complexities.
With a customized solution in place, you regain control and seamlessly align with your business strategy, allowing you to concentrate on delivering top-notch dental care without the distractions of navigating intricate vendor structures. In essence, the initial investment in custom dental software solutions is more than a mere cost; it's a strategic decision that yields dividends in scalability, competitive advantage, and freedom from uncertainties related to changing vendor plans and rising fees. Elevate your practice to unparalleled heights with a software solution as unique as your business.
Digital transformation has entered dentistry and radically changed how successful practices operate today. Top dental software is now a reliable companion throughout the entire workflow of oral health professionals, from patient visit scheduling to digital image processing and insurance claim submission. Yet, whatever the capabilities of dental software programs, the corresponding IT infrastructure needs to be in place, too.
Making the right decisions about your hardware and networks will save you from many challenges in integrating new dental software systems into your office. At CleverDev Software, we also offer IT Consulting Services where our specialists perform infrastructure assessment and design an optimal, interoperable solution. Increasing your practice's efficiency and growth potential requires advanced technology and expert knowledge — we can help you with both.
Technology and Innovation Researcher
Since 2005, Andrey has been a tech trailblazer, passionate about making complexity accessible. He melds his extensive personal research with direct contributions from experienced engineers to craft enlightening and empowering content.
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