Moving Patient Data from Dentrix to Open Dental

Switching practice management software can feel like a monumental task, especially when it involves moving patient data from Dentrix to Open Dental. It's a big decision, and while the process is designed to be as smooth as possible, it's crucial to have realistic expectations about what transfers, the timeline, and the adjustments your team will need to make.

What Converts and What Doesn't

When you're moving patient data from Dentrix to Open Dental, the goal is to bring over as much critical information as possible to ensure continuity of care and billing. However, it's important to understand that not everything translates perfectly between two different software systems.

Typically Converts:

• Patient Demographics: Names, addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, social security numbers, employer information, and primary/secondary insurance details.
• Appointment History: Past and future appointments, including appointment types and providers.
• Procedure History: Completed procedures with dates, codes, teeth, surfaces, and associated providers.
• Account Balances: Patient and insurance balances, including outstanding claims and unapplied payments.
• Insurance Plans: Basic insurance plan details, including carrier names, group numbers, and subscriber information.
• Clinical Notes: Often converts as plain text. While the content is preserved, formatting, specific charting elements, and attachments from Dentrix's more graphical charting interface may not transfer directly into Open Dental's note fields. You'll have the information, but it might look different.

Typically Does NOT Convert:

• Custom Reports: Any custom reports you've built or heavily relied on in Dentrix will not transfer. You'll need to recreate these in Open Dental or find equivalent standard reports.
• Letter Templates: Custom letter templates, consent forms, and patient communication templates will need to be re-created in Open Dental.
• Some Image Formats: While many common image formats (like X-rays) can be converted, proprietary image formats or specific image linking within Dentrix might not transfer seamlessly. This often requires a separate image conversion service.
• Preferences and Settings: All your practice-specific settings, defaults, user permissions, operatory setups, and fee schedules will need to be configured from scratch in Open Dental.
• Treatment Plans: While completed procedures convert, active or proposed treatment plans often do not transfer in a usable format. You'll need to re-enter these for active patients.
• Perio Charting: Detailed periodontal charting data often does not convert in a structured, editable format. It may come over as a note or not at all.

Dentrix users often appreciate its robust, pre-built reporting suite and its highly visual charting interface. While Open Dental (current stable version 25.2, latest 25.3) offers powerful reporting capabilities and graphical charting, the look, feel, and workflow will be different. You'll find Open Dental's flexibility with custom queries (using the Query button in the Reports Module) to be a significant advantage once you learn it, but the initial transition from Dentrix's familiar reports can be an adjustment.

The Conversion Timeline

A typical conversion from Dentrix to Open Dental is a multi-step process that usually takes 4 to 8 weeks from your initial inquiry to your go-live date. This timeline allows for thorough data review and staff training.

1. Initial Inquiry & Data Submission: You'll contact Open Dental Software, Inc. to initiate the conversion process. They will provide instructions on how to securely send a copy of your Dentrix database.
2. Test Conversion (1-2 weeks): Open Dental performs a free test conversion of your data. This is a crucial step where your Dentrix data is converted into an Open Dental database.
3. Review Period (2-4 weeks): Once the test conversion is complete, you'll receive access to your converted data in a test environment. This is your opportunity to meticulously review the data. Check patient demographics, appointment histories, procedure codes, and account balances for accuracy. This is the time to identify any discrepancies or missing information.
4. Feedback & Adjustments: You'll provide feedback to the Open Dental conversion team based on your review. They may be able to make adjustments or clarify how certain data points converted.
5. Final Conversion Scheduling: Once you're satisfied with the test conversion, you'll schedule your final conversion date. This is typically done over a weekend or during off-hours to minimize practice disruption.
6. Final Conversion (Approx. 3 hours): On the scheduled date, your most recent Dentrix database is converted. During this time, your practice should not be using Dentrix.
7. Post-Conversion Setup Session (2 hours included): After the final conversion, Open Dental provides a two-hour remote setup session to help you get started with initial configurations and answer immediate questions.

Cost Breakdown

Understanding the costs involved is essential for budgeting your switch to Open Dental.

• Conversion Fee: The fee for converting your data from Dentrix to Open Dental typically ranges from $500 to $2,000+, depending on the complexity and size of your database. This is a one-time fee paid directly to Open Dental Software, Inc.
• Monthly Open Dental Software Fee:
  • First 12 Months: $179 per month.
  • After 12 Months: $129 per month.
    This fee includes software updates, support, and access to all modules (Appointments Module, Account Module, Manage Module, Chart Module, Family Module, Treatment Plan Module, Imaging Module, etc.). Unlike many other software, Open Dental does not charge per provider or per workstation.
• Image Conversion Fee: If you have a large volume of images (X-rays, intraoral photos, etc.) that need to be converted from a proprietary Dentrix format or linked correctly, there may be a separate, additional fee for this service. This is often quoted based on the volume of images.
• Hardware: Ensure your existing computers meet Open Dental's system requirements. You may need to upgrade some workstations or your server, which would be an additional cost.
• Training: While Open Dental offers extensive free online resources and a robust manual, you may opt for additional paid training sessions for your staff, either from Open Dental directly or from third-party consultants.

What Will Surprise You

Even with careful planning, some aspects of switching from Dentrix to Open Dental can catch practices off guard:

1. The Interface Looks Different: Dentrix has a very distinct visual style and workflow. Open Dental's interface, while intuitive, will look and feel different. It takes a few days, sometimes weeks, for staff to become comfortable navigating the new menus and modules. Don't expect to find buttons in the exact same places.
2. You'll Need to Re-set All Your Preferences and Defaults: From operatory schedules and provider settings to insurance plan defaults and e-claims configurations, almost everything will need to be set up from scratch in Open Dental. This is a significant time investment in the first few weeks.
3. Reports Won't Be Identical: While Open Dental offers a comprehensive suite of standard reports (e.g., Reports > Standard > Monthly > Outstanding Insurance Claims) and powerful custom query capabilities, the specific layouts and data points you relied on in Dentrix will likely not exist in the same format. You'll need to learn Open Dental's reporting structure and potentially build new custom queries to get the exact data you need.
4. Charting Workflow Changes: Dentrix users are often accustomed to its highly graphical charting. Open Dental's charting, while robust, often relies more on templates and text-based entries, though it does offer graphical charting options. The process of documenting procedures, conditions, and treatment plans will require a new workflow for your clinical team.
5. Learning Curve for New Workflows: Tasks like scheduling, checking patients in/out, posting payments, and submitting claims will all have a slightly different flow in Open Dental. Allow ample time for staff to practice these new workflows before your go-live date.

Your First 30 Days

The first month after your final conversion is critical for establishing efficient workflows and maximizing your investment in Open Dental. Here's a priority checklist:

1. Configure Providers and Schedules: Set up all your providers, their production goals, and their daily/weekly schedules in the Appointments Module.
2. Customize Operatory Templates: Design your operatory templates to reflect your practice's flow and appointment types.
3. Set Up Insurance Carriers and Fee Schedules: Accurately enter all your frequently used insurance carriers and their associated fee schedules. This is crucial for accurate billing and treatment planning.
4. Configure E-Claims and E-Prescribing: Set up your electronic claims submission and e-prescribing (if applicable) to ensure smooth operations.
5. Train Staff on Basic Workflows: Focus on core tasks:
   • Scheduling appointments in the Appointments Module.
   • Checking patients in/out in the Appointments Module.
   • Posting procedures and payments in the Account Module.
   • Submitting insurance claims in the Account Module or Claims Module.
   • Basic charting in the Chart Module.
6. Explore Reports: Familiarize yourself with Open Dental's standard reports (e.g., Reports > Standard > Daily > Daily Production and Collection) and begin to understand how to use the Query button for custom data extraction.
7. Set Up Patient Communication: Configure automated reminders, recall systems, and patient portal access.

Once you're on Open Dental, DentalCanvas gives you the visual analytics dashboard that Dentrix never had — and that Open Dental doesn't include.

This article is provided by opendentalsupport.com, an independent community resource. We are not affiliated with Open Dental Software, Inc.