Dentrix wants a server and a contract. Open Dental is free, but the SMS reminders and patient-comms add-ons aren't. You'll have a working site, recall scheduler, treatment-plan flow, and X-ray-share link set up before the first patient checks in.
48h / 24h / 2h WhatsApp reminders. 5-month recall auto-DM with a one-tap booking link. Hygiene chairs stay full without a callback list.
Plain-language plan after every consult — procedures, sequencing, estimate — sent on WhatsApp. Patient taps to accept or ask for a payment plan.
Split treatment into 3 / 6 / 12 months on Stripe or Razorpay. X-rays and intra-oral photos shared via tracked link, same thread as the plan.
| Feature | DCS | The other guys |
|---|---|---|
| Setup time | 5 min | 2-8 weeks (Dentrix install + training) |
| Cost per chair / provider | Flat $49-149/mo all chairs | Per-seat + per-feature add-ons |
| WhatsApp reminders + recall | Built in | Solutionreach / Weave $250+/mo add-on |
| Treatment-plan summaries | Plain-language WhatsApp | PDF email, often unopened |
| Payment plans | 3 / 6 / 12 months native | CareCredit referral + fees |
| Own your patient list | Yes — encrypted export | Locked into the PMS vendor |
Automatic WhatsApp reminders go out 48h, 24h, and 2h before the appointment. Each includes the chair, the provider's name, and a "reschedule" button. Brings dental no-shows down meaningfully on the front desk's behalf.
Yes. After the consult, send a plain-language summary — procedures, sequencing, estimated cost — via WhatsApp. Patient taps to accept the plan or request a payment-plan option. No PDFs sitting unopened in email.
Split a treatment estimate into 3, 6, or 12 monthly charges on Stripe or Razorpay. Patient approves on WhatsApp, the schedule kicks off, and reminders run until paid. Failed charges trigger a one-tap card-update DM.
Every patient gets a recall interval (typically 6 months). At month 5, DCS auto-DMs them on WhatsApp with a booking link for their cleaning. Re-fills the hygiene chairs without a callback list.
Yes. Capture from intra-oral camera or upload an X-ray, tag to the patient record, share via a WhatsApp link with view tracking. Patient sees what you see; consent flows through the same thread.