Which Dental Software Is Right
for Your Practice?
We spent 200+ hours comparing Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Open Dental, Curve Dental, and tab32. Here's the honest breakdown for 1–5 doctor practices.
Common problems we've seen: Scheduling gaps costing $1,500/mo · Insurance claims aging 90+ days · Charting that doesn't sync with imaging · Software that requires a full-time IT person
DentalSoftwareGuide is reader-supported. When you click links to dental software vendors (especially Curve Dental and tab32) and request a demo or purchase, we may earn a referral commission. This does not affect our review scores or editorial independence. Read our full disclosure.
2025 Dental Software Rankings
Ranked by fit for 1–5 doctor private practices. Scoring factors: ease of use, scheduling tools, insurance handling, cloud/server, and value.
Curve Dental
Best cloud-based dental software for growing practices
- ✓No server hardware needed — 100% browser-based
- ✓Integrated patient portal and online scheduling
- ✓Strong insurance claim tracking and ERA posting
Affiliate partner — we may earn a commission
tab32
Modern cloud platform for solo and small group practices
- ✓All-in-one: scheduling, charting, billing in one tab
- ✓Transparent pricing — no per-user fees
- ✓Built-in teledentistry and patient engagement tools
Affiliate partner — we may earn a commission
Dentrix
Industry-standard server-based software
- ✓Largest dental software user base — easy to hire trained staff
- ✓Deep Medicaid/state plan support
- ✓Extensive third-party integrations
Eaglesoft
Patterson Dental's flagship practice management system
- ✓Tight Patterson Dental supply integration
- ✓Strong imaging connectivity
- ✓Familiar interface — reduces staff training time
Open Dental
Open-source powerhouse with low licensing costs
- ✓Open-source — full control over your data
- ✓Lowest licensing cost of any full-featured system
- ✓Huge community of user-supported customizations
Head-to-Head Comparisons
Dentrix vs Eaglesoft
The two legacy server giants. Which one is worth the per-operatory fee?
Read comparison →Curve Dental vs tab32
Battle of the cloud-native platforms. Both are great — here's the difference.
Read comparison →Open Dental vs Dentrix
Free vs. $500/mo: is the open-source option actually viable in 2025?
Read comparison →Eaglesoft vs Curve Dental
Switching from server to cloud? This comparison breaks down the real migration cost.
Read comparison →From the Blog
Jan 28, 2025
How to Switch Dental Software Without Losing Patient Data
Migration is the #1 fear. Here's the 6-step process we've seen work for practices under 3,000 active patients.
Read more →Feb 3, 2025
Cloud vs Server Dental Software: The 2025 Decision Guide
Not sure if you need cloud? We break down the actual cost difference, IT overhead, and who should stick with server.
Read more →Feb 12, 2025
Dental Software for Small Practices: What to Look for in 2025
Solo to 3-doctor practices have different needs than DSOs. Here's what matters — and what vendors will try to oversell you.
Read more →