The 6 best software for dentists
Ranked on clinical capability rather than price or admin. Dentrix wins on imaging breadth and Curve Dental on browser-native clinical depth. DodoDentist ranks last here: its charting is published, its imaging-device support is not.
The short answer
Dentrix has the widest documented imaging support, connecting more than 150 devices across 2D, 3D, CBCT and CAD/CAM. Curve Dental documents the deepest browser-native clinical stack, with charting, perio, treatment planning, imaging and ePrescribe each on its own feature page. Open Dental leads on sensor acquisition and imaging bridges.
What this software category is
Software for dentists splits into two jobs that rarely live in the same module. One is running the business: the appointment book, billing, claims, reporting. The other is the clinical record a dentist actually touches between patients — the odontogram, the periodontal chart, treatment plans, radiographs, clinical notes, and prescriptions.
This guide ranks the second job only. A system can be excellent at practice management and thin at the chair, and the reverse happens too, so the order below differs from a ranking built on price or administration. Every claim comes from the vendor’s own product documentation, read on the review date shown above.
How we evaluated
- Charting and periodontal records. Whether the vendor documents an odontogram, periodontal exams, dentition views, and the notation a clinician actually uses — not merely that "charting" exists.
- Imaging devices, not imaging storage. Storing an X-ray in a patient file is not the same as acquiring one from a sensor. We separate documented sensor acquisition, imaging-program bridges, and 2D/3D/CBCT support from a product that simply holds an uploaded image.
- Electronic prescribing. Whether the vendor documents e-prescribing at all, and whether it is included or separately priced.
- Clinical notes and treatment planning. Templates, histories, signatures, and whether treatment plans carry through to the ledger.
- Evidence, not adjectives. A feature listed on a marketing page with no documentation behind it is recorded as exactly that. Two products in this list are marked down for it, and one of them is ours.
What is the best software for dentists?
| # | Product | Best for | Published price | Deployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dentrix | Best imaging breadth for a clinically demanding practice | Not publishedQuote on request — no public price | Server-based Windows, with a separate cloud product line |
| 2 | Curve Dental | Best browser-native clinical stack | Not publishedQuote on request — no public price | Browser-native cloud |
| 3 | Open Dental | Best documented sensor acquisition and imaging bridges | $199 per month per locationPublished by the vendor | Self-hosted Windows, or a separately priced hosted Cloud |
| 4 | Dentally | Best charting detail for a UK clinician | From £125 per month, excluding VATPublished, but excludes required add-ons | Browser-native cloud |
| 5 | CareStack | Most complete clinical feature list, thinnest documentation | From $829 per monthPublished by the vendor | Browser-native cloud |
| 6 | DodoDentist | Charting and periodontal tracking without the imaging stack | $0, then $29 to $79 per monthPublished by the vendor | Browser, with Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS apps |
The ranked list
Dentrix
Best imaging breadth for a clinically demanding practice
- Published price
- Not published
- Price evidence
- Quote on request — no public price
- Deployment
- Server-based Windows, with a separate cloud product line
- Vendor pricing page
- Dentrix
Why it wins this category
Dentrix Imaging documents connections with more than 150 devices and workflows spanning 2D, 3D, CBCT and CAD/CAM images, with claim and ledger integration. No other product in this list documents that range. For a dentist whose diagnosis depends on the sensor, the scanner and the CBCT unit already in the operatory, device compatibility is the constraint that decides everything else.
Published price
Dentrix describes customisable packages and suites and directs prospective customers to request information or a demo. No complete public self-service base price was shown on the official pages reviewed. Imaging is a separately configured suite.
The same breadth explains the third-party ecosystem: clinical AI, imaging and patient-communication vendors tend to list Dentrix support first.
Where it falls short
The clinical depth arrives with a server, workstation licences, and no published price — you cannot evaluate the cost of the imaging suite without a sales conversation. It is also the heaviest system here to run, which is a real cost for a single-dentist practice that needs the charting but not the infrastructure.
Curve Dental
Best browser-native clinical stack
- Published price
- Not published
- Price evidence
- Quote on request — no public price
- Deployment
- Browser-native cloud
- Vendor pricing page
- Curve Dental
Why it wins this category
It is the only browser-native product here that documents each clinical capability on its own feature page rather than as a bullet: dental charting, periodontal charting, treatment planning, built-in cloud imaging, and ePrescribe. A dentist gets the full clinical loop without a Windows workstation in the operatory, which is otherwise the price of this much clinical depth.
Published price
The Curve Dental pricing page carries "Get Pricing" and "Get a personalized quote" and no self-service figure. Third-party review sites quote between $99 and $399 per user per month and disagree by roughly a factor of four, so we repeat none of them.
Built-in imaging rather than a bolted-on viewer means the radiograph and the chart live in one place, and a practice that has decided against a local server does not have to make an exception for imaging.
Where it falls short
No published price, so the clinical capability cannot be weighed against its cost without entering a sales process. Browser-native imaging also means device compatibility is the question to press hardest in the demo — verify your exact sensor and scanner models against their supported list before assuming the loop closes.
Open Dental
Best documented sensor acquisition and imaging bridges
- Published price
- $199 per month per location
- Price evidence
- Published by the vendor
- Deployment
- Self-hosted Windows, or a separately priced hosted Cloud
- Vendor pricing page
- Open Dental
Why it wins this category
Its imaging module documents scanned documents, radiographs, forms, direct image acquisition, supported sensors, and bridges to external imaging programs — and it is the only vendor here that publishes the limits as plainly as the features. The export documentation warns that a DICOM file carries the original image, not later drawings, edits, or rotation. A dentist can plan around a documented limitation; an undocumented one is discovered during a migration.
Published price
Self-hosted Full Version, up to three providers, on a 12-month contract; $149 per month after 12 consecutive months. E-prescribing is an eService, priced separately from the licence.
Periodontal charting is documented in the manual rather than asserted on a feature page, and the practice-controlled database means clinical data can be queried and reported on directly.
Where it falls short
It is a Windows application, so the clinical stack ties the operatory to a maintained workstation and server. E-prescribing, secure email and patient forms are separately priced eServices, so the clinical loop costs more than the $199 licence. The hosted Cloud edition documents changed imaging, voice-perio and signature behaviour versus self-hosted.
Dentally
Best charting detail for a UK clinician
- Published price
- From £125 per month, excluding VAT
- Price evidence
- Published, but excludes required add-ons
- Deployment
- Browser-native cloud
- Vendor pricing page
- Dentally
Why it wins this category
Its clinical documentation is the most specific here about what a UK dentist records: mixed and permanent dentition views, root data, treatment plans and templates, BPE and BEWE history, periodontal exams, images and clinical history. BPE and BEWE are not generic charting features — a system that names them has been built for the examination a UK dentist actually performs.
Published price
Starter from £125, Essentials from £220, Pro from £320 per month excluding VAT. Dentally Vision is not included in Starter and is billed per site with its own subscription, onboarding and image-conversion charges.
Clinical AI note allowances are included on the higher plans, which shortens the write-up between patients rather than adding another window to it.
Where it falls short
Imaging is the gap. Dentally Vision is an add-on billed per site, its conversion service covers supported 2D data and not 3D volumes, and the imaging bridge opens supported external software rather than replacing it. A dentist doing CBCT should treat imaging as a separate purchase and a separate compatibility check.
CareStack
Most complete clinical feature list, thinnest documentation
- Published price
- From $829 per month
- Price evidence
- Published by the vendor
- Deployment
- Browser-native cloud
- Vendor pricing page
- CareStack
Why it wins this category
On paper the clinical coverage is complete: general and periodontal charting, clinical notes with templates, treatment planning with e-signatures, digital imaging integrations, and electronic prescriptions. Treatment plans carrying e-signatures is genuinely useful — consent and the plan stay in one record instead of a scanned PDF attached afterwards.
Published price
Essentials starting at $829 per month and Intelligence starting at $1,299 per month, with custom plans on request.
It publishes a price, which none of the two products ranked above it do, so the clinical capability can at least be weighed against a number.
Where it falls short
The features are listed but not documented: at review, the clinical links on the site resolved to placeholders rather than feature pages, so there is no public detail on notation, supported imaging devices, or how prescribing is provisioned. That is why it sits below products with narrower but evidenced clinical scope. Ask for the imaging device list and a charting walkthrough on your own cases before treating the list as verified.
DodoDentistPublished by DodoDentist — not a neutral review site
Charting and periodontal tracking without the imaging stack
- Published price
- $0, then $29 to $79 per month
- Price evidence
- Published by the vendor
- Deployment
- Browser, with Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS apps
- Vendor pricing page
- DodoDentist
Why it wins this category
It publishes visual dental charting, periodontal tracking, treatment planning, clinical notes, patient histories and X-ray storage, and it is the only product here a dentist can evaluate against real cases for nothing. For a clinician whose radiographs are captured on separate imaging software and who wants the clinical record itself to be simple and reachable from any device, that is a fair trade.
Published price
Free at $0 per month with 33 appointments and three reminders. Solo $39 monthly or $29 per month billed yearly; Studio $59 or $49; Clinic $79 or $69.
The free odontogram, periodontal chart and tooth-numbering tools on our site are usable without an account, so the charting notation can be checked before any evaluation starts.
Where it falls short
We publish this ranking and we have placed ourselves last, because on clinical criteria that is where the evidence puts us. Sensor acquisition, imaging-program bridges, supported device lists, diagnostic tooling, 3D handling and image-conversion support are not established in our public materials, and no e-prescribing is documented. A dentist who acquires radiographs inside the practice-management system, or who prescribes electronically, should choose one of the five above.
What is the best software for dentists?
What software do dentists actually use day to day?
Two things, usually from the same vendor and occasionally not. The practice-management system holds the appointment book, the ledger and the patient record. The clinical modules — odontogram, periodontal chart, treatment plans, notes, imaging — are what a dentist opens between patients. Dentrix, Open Dental, Curve Dental, Dentally, CareStack and DodoDentist all provide both, but the clinical half varies far more between them than the administrative half does, which is why this list is ordered differently from a price comparison.
Does dental software include imaging, or is that separate?
It depends, and this is the most expensive assumption in the category. Dentrix documents connections to more than 150 devices spanning 2D, 3D, CBCT and CAD/CAM. Open Dental documents direct acquisition, supported sensors and bridges to external imaging programs. Curve Dental documents built-in cloud imaging. Dentally sells imaging as Vision, an add-on billed per site that converts supported 2D data but not 3D volumes. DodoDentist stores X-rays but documents no sensor acquisition. "Includes imaging" can mean any of these.
Which dental software has the best periodontal charting?
Dentally documents periodontal charting in the most clinical detail of the six, naming BPE and BEWE history alongside dentition views and root data — terms that indicate the system was built around a UK examination rather than adapted to it. Open Dental documents perio charting in its manual, including voice-driven entry, though the hosted Cloud edition notes changed voice-perio behaviour. Curve Dental and CareStack both document a dedicated perio module. Chart a real complex case in a trial before deciding; notation preferences are personal and rarely survive a demo dataset.
Can a dentist e-prescribe from the practice software?
From four of these six. Curve Dental documents ePrescribe, CareStack lists electronic prescriptions, Open Dental offers e-prescribing as a separately priced eService, and Dentrix supports it within its suites. Dentally is UK-focused with different prescribing arrangements. DodoDentist documents no e-prescribing. Where it exists, confirm whether it is included or an add-on, and which prescribing network it connects to in your country — this is a common source of an unexpected line on the first invoice.
Is free dental software good enough for clinical work?
For the clinical record, sometimes. For imaging and prescribing, no. DodoDentist publishes a free tier with charting, periodontal tracking, treatment planning and clinical notes at 33 appointments a month, which is enough to evaluate the notation against real cases. Open Dental offers a non-expiring trial capped at 30 patients that excludes eServices and licensed CDT content. Neither is a substitute for written security, retention and — in the US — Business Associate Agreement terms before production patient records are stored anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best software for dentists?
On clinical capability, Dentrix has the widest documented imaging support, connecting more than 150 devices across 2D, 3D, CBCT and CAD/CAM. Curve Dental documents the deepest browser-native clinical stack, with charting, periodontal charting, treatment planning, imaging and ePrescribe each documented separately. Open Dental documents the most detailed sensor acquisition and imaging bridges of the self-hosted options. For a UK clinician, Dentally documents BPE and BEWE history alongside dentition views and root data.
What software do dentists use for charting?
All six systems reviewed document an odontogram and periodontal charting: Dentrix, Open Dental, Curve Dental, Dentally, CareStack and DodoDentist. They differ in the detail published about notation and examination types — Dentally names BPE and BEWE, Open Dental documents voice-driven periodontal entry, Curve Dental and CareStack document dedicated perio modules. DodoDentist also publishes free odontogram, periodontal chart and tooth-numbering tools that can be used without an account.
Which dental software works best with imaging sensors?
Dentrix documents the widest device support, with more than 150 connections across 2D, 3D, CBCT and CAD/CAM. Open Dental documents direct radiograph acquisition, supported sensors and bridges to external imaging programs, and publishes the limitation that DICOM export carries the original image without later drawings, edits or rotation. Curve Dental documents built-in cloud imaging. Verify your exact sensor and scanner models against the vendor’s supported list before committing — this is the most common late discovery in a dental software migration.
Is there free software for dentists?
DodoDentist publishes a free tier at $0 per month with 33 appointments and three reminders, including charting, periodontal tracking, treatment planning and clinical notes. Open Dental offers a non-expiring trial limited to 30 patients that excludes the API, eServices and licensed CDT content. Both are ways to evaluate a clinical workflow, not evidence of a security posture; get written security, retention and BAA terms before storing real patient records.
Do dentists need separate imaging software?
Often, and the answer decides the shortlist. Dentrix, Open Dental and Curve Dental all document imaging within the practice-management system, though Open Dental also bridges to external imaging programs. Dentally sells imaging as the Vision add-on, billed per site, covering supported 2D data rather than 3D volumes. DodoDentist stores X-rays in the patient record but documents no sensor acquisition, so a practice using it would keep its existing imaging software.
Is this an independent review?
No. DodoDentist publishes this page and sells one of the six products in it. We disclose that at the top, and on these clinical criteria we have ranked ourselves sixth of six — behind every competitor — because that is where the public evidence puts us. Each vendor links to its own documentation so every claim here can be checked at source.
How current is this comparison?
Every claim was read from the vendor’s own product documentation on the review date shown at the top of this page. Clinical modules and imaging device support change without announcement, and two vendors list clinical features without publishing detail behind them. Confirm every decision-critical clinical requirement directly with the vendor, on your own cases and your own hardware, before signing.
Sources
Public sources checked on August 5, 2026.
- Dentrix: imaging and clinical-device compatibility
- Open Dental manual: imaging module and image export
- Open Dental: Cloud feature differences (imaging, voice-perio)
- Open Dental: fees, eServices and separately priced add-ons
- Curve Dental: dental charting
- Curve Dental: periodontal charting
- Curve Dental: imaging
- Curve Dental: ePrescribe
- Dentally: plans, clinical features and Vision imaging
- CareStack: clinical workflows and pricing
- DodoDentist: free odontogram
- DodoDentist: free periodontal chart
- DodoDentist: pricing and plan limits
Dentrix, Open Dental, Curve Dental, Dentally, CareStack, and related names are trademarks or product names of their respective owners. DodoDentist is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or recommended by any of them. This ranking is published by DodoDentist, which sells one of the products reviewed and has ranked itself last on these criteria. It uses public official documentation read on the review date shown above; clinical modules, imaging device support, prices and contract terms change without notice. Verify every clinical, imaging, prescribing, security, legal, regulatory and migration requirement directly with each vendor, using your own cases and your own hardware. This page is not clinical, legal, compliance, security, or accounting advice.