Eaglesoft vs Open Dental (2026)
Where each runs, how each is priced and what each sells as an add-on, taken only from Patterson’s and Open Dental’s own websites. If you’re weighing a change, CarifyOne is in the third column.
Eaglesoft is an on-premise system that requires a physical server, and Open Dental runs on Windows computers with a database server the practice runs.* Patterson prices Eaglesoft through its sales team; Open Dental lists $199 a month per location for the first 12 months, then $149, for up to three providers.* Texting and online booking are higher-tier plans in Eaglesoft and cost extra in Open Dental.*
From each vendor’s own website, September 2026.
Eaglesoft vs Open Dental, Side by Side
Setup, cost, patient tools and clinical add-ons, with CarifyOne alongside.
| Feature | Eaglesoft | Open Dental | CarifyOne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | |||
| Where it runs | Server-basedNeeds a physical server on site. Fuse is Patterson’s separate cloud system.* | Self-hostedOn Windows computers and a database server you run. Open Dental Cloud: $430/mo per location for one provider, in limited release.* | CloudNo server in the back office. Works from any device. |
| Cost and support | |||
| Price | Quote onlyFive Service Club plans, each with a 24-month enrollment; pricing comes from a sales representative.* | $199/mo per locationFirst 12 months, then $149, for up to 3 providers. Texting, online booking and e-prescribing cost extra.* | From $799/moStarter $799, Growth $1,299, 20% off billed yearly. Enterprise custom. No setup fees. |
| Support | Service ClubChat, email and phone support, part of the plan.* | In the monthly feePhone, chat and email, up to two issues per call.* | IncludedHands-on onboarding, including migration, plus ongoing support from a team that knows dental. |
| Data conversion | Paid serviceTypically 4–6 weeks; full fee not published.* | About $1,450Typical US fee per database, not included in support. Image and x-ray conversions are extra.* | IncludedMigration and onboarding included, reconciled line by line before go-live. |
| Patients | |||
| Two-way texting and reminders | $Foundations plan and above; eReminders alone from $80/mo for up to 300 calls or texts* | $eReminders free on support; texting $5/mo per location plus 4¢ per outgoing text* | ✓On your practice number, in the same login |
| Online booking | $Professional plan and above* | $Web Sched, $75/mo per location* | ✓Live availability, with a booking inbox |
| Online intake forms | $Foundations plan and above* | ✓Web Forms free on support; eClipboard check-in $45/mo per location* | ✓Pre-visit intake by link |
| Patient portal | —Not listed in Eaglesoft’s features or plans* | ✓Free on support* | ✓Book, pay, message, sign plans, fill forms and see records |
| Clinical and insurance | |||
| Real-time insurance eligibility | $Through DentalXChange Insurance, priced by package* | $Through a third-party clearinghouse* | ✓At booking, at check-in and on demand |
| Voice perio charting | $Through Bola AI, a separate product* | ✓Built in; not available on Open Dental Cloud* | ✓Carify Scribe: say the readings, the chart fills in |
| Imaging | ✓Eaglesoft Advanced Imaging* | ✓Imaging Module built in* | ✓Cloud DICOM viewer built in |
| E-prescribing | $55/mo per prescriberDoseSpot, with controlled substances.* | $57/mo per prescriberDoseSpot, with EPCS.* | Growth planE-prescribing is on the Growth plan. |
Competitor information comes from each vendor’s public website and documentation as of September 2026; each * links to its source on our Sources page. Add-ons and inclusions vary by plan and change often; if something here is out of date, tell us and we’ll correct it.
Here’s Where CarifyOne Fits.
CarifyOne runs the whole practice in the cloud. Texting, online booking, intake forms, the patient portal, real-time eligibility, voice perio and imaging come in one login, on one bill.
- Runs in the cloud, with no server in the back office
- Two-way texting on your practice number, online booking and pre-visit intake forms
- Real-time eligibility at booking, at check-in and on demand
- Carify Scribe voice perio charting and a cloud DICOM viewer
- E-prescribing and lab case tracking (Growth plan)
- Migration and onboarding included, no setup fees
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Eaglesoft or Open Dental cloud-based?
Not the core products. Patterson says Eaglesoft is currently a server-based practice management solution that requires a physical server; Fuse is its separate cloud system.* Open Dental is self-hosted, with an Open Dental Cloud hosting option at $430 a month per location for one provider, in limited release for US practices.* CarifyOne runs in the cloud, with no server in the back office.
How much do Eaglesoft and Open Dental cost?
Open Dental publishes its fees: $199 a month per location for the first 12 months, then $149, for up to three providers, with add-ons such as the $165-a-month eServices Bundle priced separately.* Patterson prices Eaglesoft’s five Service Club plans, which require a 24-month enrollment, through its sales team.* CarifyOne publishes its plans: Starter at $799 a month and Growth at $1,299, 20% off billed yearly, with no setup fees. See the software cost guide, or run the savings calculator with your own invoices.
What does it take to move between Eaglesoft and Open Dental?
Both charge for it. Patterson says a typical Eaglesoft data conversion takes about 4 to 6 weeks; conversion is a paid service, and the standard fee isn’t published.* Open Dental’s conversion is not included in support: the typical US fee is about $1,450 per database, with image and x-ray conversions extra.* Ask either vendor which data converts and how it is checked against the old system; the free switching checklist has the questions.
Do Eaglesoft and Open Dental include texting and online booking?
Not all of it in the base price. Eaglesoft’s automated reminders, two-way text and online forms start at the Foundations plan, and online scheduling at the Professional plan.* Open Dental includes eReminders, Web Forms and the Patient Portal for practices on support, and charges for texting ($5 a month per location plus 4¢ per outgoing text) and Web Sched ($75 a month per location).* In CarifyOne, two-way texting, online booking and pre-visit intake forms are part of the same login.
Can you chart perio by voice in Eaglesoft or Open Dental?
Eaglesoft works with Bola AI, a separate product, and Open Dental has voice perio charting in its perio chart, though not on Open Dental Cloud.* CarifyOne includes Carify Scribe: say the readings and the perio chart fills in, with corrections by voice.
Can I move from Eaglesoft or Open Dental to CarifyOne?
Yes. CarifyOne migrates from the major practice management systems, including Eaglesoft and Open Dental. Every migration is expert-run, with a line-by-line reconciliation before go-live. Migration and onboarding are included, with no setup fees. See how switching works.
Weighing more than these two? Our buyer’s guide to dental practice management software covers what it does, cloud versus server and the questions to ask any vendor.
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