Open Dental
Encyclopedia
Open Dental, previously known as Free Dental, is dual licensed Practice Management Software
available under both a commercial license and the GNU General Public License
.. It is written in the C# programming language compatible with Microsoft .NET Framework and was first released in 2003. Current versions of the software require Microsoft Windows
. Earlier versions of the software had supported other operating systems, but Linux support has been dropped. The full function version is only available under the commercial license because it includes royalty bearing, licensed materials from the American Dental Association
(ADA), the Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature (CDT).
Open Dental is owned and sponsored by Open Dental Software, Inc., which is incorporated in the State of Oregon in the United States of America. However, since anyone has the freedom to develop and support Open Dental, in a sense it belongs to the entire dental community. The features and accessibility of Open Dental make it a considerable option for use in dental business. The first Free Dental customer bought the software July 22, 2003.
database program. The structure of the data, or schema, is available for all to see and use (the data is still very secure). It is totally different than the proprietary format that all other dental software uses. Other programs can only export certain fields. In Open Dental, access to and control over every single piece of data is held by the dentist. Both local preferences and those which apply to every computer in the office will be stored in the mySQL database. This also greatly simplifies working with preferences and settings, and adding new workstations without having to spend all day setting them up.
The database schema is published and publicly viewable at http://www.opendental.com/OpenDentalDocumentation67.xml.
and MySQL
have mechanisms that can be used to keep the availability (of the database) very high. For instance, with MySQL replication
, "the active primary database ships transactions to one or more standby databases. These standby databases apply the transactions to their own copies of the data. Should the primary database fail, one of these standby databases can be activated to become the new primary database". High availability is of clear importance when a customers (patients) have expectations of service at a particular time (an appointment). Open Dental provides replication support for users whose availability, mobility or multiple physical location needs demand it.
There are about 2,000 dentists using OD, and an estimated 10,000,000 patient records.
Dr. Jordan Sparks has done most of the programming. He has done the many thousands of hours of programming in his spare time over the last few years.
Practice management
Practice management software is a category of software that deals with the day-to-day operations of a medical practice. Such software frequently allows users to capture patient demographics, schedule appointments, maintain lists of insurance payers, perform billing tasks, and generate reports.In...
available under both a commercial license and the GNU General Public License
GNU General Public License
The GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project....
.. It is written in the C# programming language compatible with Microsoft .NET Framework and was first released in 2003. Current versions of the software require Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
. Earlier versions of the software had supported other operating systems, but Linux support has been dropped. The full function version is only available under the commercial license because it includes royalty bearing, licensed materials from the American Dental Association
American Dental Association
The American Dental Association is an American professional association established in 1859 which has more than 155,000 members. Based in Chicago, the ADA is the world's largest and oldest national dental association and promotes good oral health to the public while representing the dental...
(ADA), the Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature (CDT).
Open Dental is owned and sponsored by Open Dental Software, Inc., which is incorporated in the State of Oregon in the United States of America. However, since anyone has the freedom to develop and support Open Dental, in a sense it belongs to the entire dental community. The features and accessibility of Open Dental make it a considerable option for use in dental business. The first Free Dental customer bought the software July 22, 2003.
Database
The database uses the dual licensed MySQLMySQL
MySQL officially, but also commonly "My Sequel") is a relational database management system that runs as a server providing multi-user access to a number of databases. It is named after developer Michael Widenius' daughter, My...
database program. The structure of the data, or schema, is available for all to see and use (the data is still very secure). It is totally different than the proprietary format that all other dental software uses. Other programs can only export certain fields. In Open Dental, access to and control over every single piece of data is held by the dentist. Both local preferences and those which apply to every computer in the office will be stored in the mySQL database. This also greatly simplifies working with preferences and settings, and adding new workstations without having to spend all day setting them up.
The database schema is published and publicly viewable at http://www.opendental.com/OpenDentalDocumentation67.xml.
Relational database benefits to dental practice
There are documented benefits to using a relational database when storing and retrieving data: the relational model offers "advantages over the hierarchical and network models through its simpler data representation, superior data independence and easy to use query language".t Open Dental gives the user those benefits over the non-relational platforms used by other dental practice management software programs.Availability
Relational databases like OracleOracle Database
The Oracle Database is an object-relational database management system produced and marketed by Oracle Corporation....
and MySQL
MySQL
MySQL officially, but also commonly "My Sequel") is a relational database management system that runs as a server providing multi-user access to a number of databases. It is named after developer Michael Widenius' daughter, My...
have mechanisms that can be used to keep the availability (of the database) very high. For instance, with MySQL replication
Replication (computer science)
Replication is the process of sharing information so as to ensure consistency between redundant resources, such as software or hardware components, to improve reliability, fault-tolerance, or accessibility. It could be data replication if the same data is stored on multiple storage devices, or...
, "the active primary database ships transactions to one or more standby databases. These standby databases apply the transactions to their own copies of the data. Should the primary database fail, one of these standby databases can be activated to become the new primary database". High availability is of clear importance when a customers (patients) have expectations of service at a particular time (an appointment). Open Dental provides replication support for users whose availability, mobility or multiple physical location needs demand it.
Mobility
Mobile dental programs have special needs including offline data collection, central data availability and public health reporting. All of these needs are met with Open Dental. An example of a mobile dental program that has published their experience using Open Dental is the St. David's Dental Program.Retrievability
Structured Query Language (SQL) allows the user to pull data from the database for analysis. Open Dental provides over 250 user queries that have been requested by users, and advanced users may write their own queries to get specialized information from the database.Scalability
Open Dental can be scaled from a single, one-computer user in a small office to dozens of computers per server over multiple physical locations.Goals
The project wants "this software to become the world standard dental software. We want to make it easy to access and share data. We are tired of the restrictive policies of the current dental software companies. We want the user to always have total control, not the software company. And most of all, we want software that just works well”.There are about 2,000 dentists using OD, and an estimated 10,000,000 patient records.
Dr. Jordan Sparks has done most of the programming. He has done the many thousands of hours of programming in his spare time over the last few years.
Appointment
- Support unlimited operatories and unlimited providers
- Customizable views, colors, default values
- Easy to set up and modify appointments, recalls
- Show pop-up alerts, financial and medical notes
Family
- Support complete patient records (HIPAA compliant)
- When possible, fields are filled automatically or checked for potential errors
- Save billing type and insurance information
- Track student status and referrals
- Track credit and contact notes
- Sign Procedure Notes: Digital SignatureDigital signatureA digital signature or digital signature scheme is a mathematical scheme for demonstrating the authenticity of a digital message or document. A valid digital signature gives a recipient reason to believe that the message was created by a known sender, and that it was not altered in transit...
s. Sign or initial procedure notes using a Topaz signature pad or by using a stylus on a touchscreen. - Patient Info Terminal: A way for a new patient to enter their own information from the waiting room. The receptionist controls the terminal from another computer. Can also be used to let patient update their info if it has changed. New patients can check off items in list of diseases.
- Medical History Questionnaire: Customized list of questions and answers added to pt info terminal.
Account
- Customizable and easy recall scheduling
- Send letters and emails to patients
- EmailEmailElectronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
appointment reminders, recare appointments. Supports SMTP servers that require a user name and password for sending email. Allows saving email to send later.
- Email
- Comprehensive billing system with e-claim support
- E-claims: go through a clearinghouse to submit all e-claims or submit directly to carries that support the X12 files/claims. The X12 EDI Format is the standard defined by ASC (ex-ANSI) and specified by HIPAA. Open dental claims to be the only dental practice management software which natively creates X12 format files without having to go through a clearing house for conversion.
- Track all referrals and lab cases
- Lab Cases: Each lab can be set up with its own turnaround times on each procedure type. Due dates are calculated automatically, taking into account holidays.
- Create and track payment plans
- Open Dental has built-in accounting that is intended to replace QuickBooksQuickBooksQuickBooks is a line of business accounting software developed and marketed by Intuit.-History:Intuit was founded in 1983 by Scott Cook and Tom Proulx in Mountain View, California, USA...
for small offices.- Patient's finances are organized on a patient basis, not a family basis.
- Credit CardCredit cardA credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
Processing Integrated credit card processor with swipe terminal.
Treatment Plan
- Easy to view and prioritize patients' treatment plans
- Support multiple treatment plans
- Print or send electronically insurance preauthorization forms
Chart
- Easy to enter and organize patients' clinical information
- Full featured 3D tooth charting
- Track progress and treatment notes
- Simple to write and print prescriptionMedical prescriptionA prescription is a health-care program implemented by a physician or other medical practitioner in the form of instructions that govern the plan of care for an individual patient. Prescriptions may include orders to be performed by a patient, caretaker, nurse, pharmacist or other therapist....
s- Rx Alerts: Crosslink Diseases to Rx definitions so that an alert is triggered for allergies, etc. when writing an Rx.
- Procedure codes: Currently, the following sets of procedure codesProcedure codesProcedure codes are numbers or alphanumeric codes used to identify specific health interventions taken by medical professionals.-International:...
are available as separate databases: blank, usaUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, canadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, ukUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. - Perio Charting: voice recognition software to help with charting
Images
- Add and manage all images
- Integrate with RadiographyRadiographyRadiography is the use of X-rays to view a non-uniformly composed material such as the human body. By using the physical properties of the ray an image can be developed which displays areas of different density and composition....
, scannerScannerScanner may refer to:* WikiScanner, a tool that provides a searchable database of anonymous Wikipedia edits* A personality type described by self-help author Barbara Sher-Technology:* Scanner , for searching for and receiving radio broadcasts...
, digital cameraDigital cameraA digital camera is a camera that takes video or still photographs, or both, digitally by recording images via an electronic image sensor. It is the main device used in the field of digital photography...
devices - Images can be zoomed in and out, rotated.
- Can attach Word, PDF, and Excel files
Manage
- Create and send e-claims or paper claims
- Billing automation
- Audio and visual office intercom
- Critical data backup
- Flexible user-defined queries and reports
- Track employees' hours and breaks
- Support daily, weekly & monthly task lists
- Built-in accounting module
- Secure remote access
- Language support: The code is all written to automatically adapt to the user's computer settings. The translations are specific to the culture (country), not just the language.
- Time Cards: Customizable pay periods added so that you don't have enter the date range each time. Tracks 40 hour workweek, computes overtime, allows adjustments, and prints.
- New Reporting Framework: The FLOSS RDL Project is included with Open Dental. It will also allow export to PDF.
- Import from XMLXMLExtensible Markup Language is a set of rules for encoding documents in machine-readable form. It is defined in the XML 1.0 Specification produced by the W3C, and several other related specifications, all gratis open standards....
: This allows other programs to safely pass information to Open Dental without having to worry about accidentally corrupting the database. This will eventually lead to the ability to 'send' a patient 'chart' to another office electronically. The main purpose for now is to allow new patients to fill out their forms online. - Multiple Server Support
See also
- List of FLOSS healthcare programs
- DentrixDentrixDentrix Dental Systems, a division of Henry Schein, sells and supports DENTRIX and Easy Dental . Dentrix was the first practice management software for Windows in 1989. Dentrix Dental Systems was founded in 1985 by Larry Gibson and was incorporated in 1989...
- PracticeWorksPracticeWorksPracticeWorks is practice management software for dental offices. It was originally created in 1993 by Brian Smith and Joel Kozikowski of Crown Systems, Inc. in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was one of the first Windows programs available in the dental industry, following shortly on the heels of Dentrix...
- SoftDentSoftDentSoftDent is practice management software for dental offices. Originally developed by InfoSoft, based in White Marsh, MD, SoftDent was purchased by PracticeWorks which was then bought by Kodak. Suited for very large offices, and even multilocation offices. The most recent version v12 has new...