Curve Dental vs Open Dental

Which one is cloud-based?

Curve Dental: Cloud-hosted; self-described as cloud-based dental software with no on-premise option offered.

Open Dental: Self-hosted / on-premise by default; a vendor-managed hosted option, Open Dental Cloud, is also offered.

Where the software runs and data lives, as the vendor describes it. Curve Dental read 2026-07-22 (source); Open Dental read 2026-07-22 (source).

How does day-to-day access differ?

Curve Dental: Browser-based / cloud, accessible 'anytime, anywhere'; also markets a Curve Mobile app. Specific browser/OS list not enumerated on the homepage.

Open Dental: Installed client (client–server): a server runs the MySQL database; workstations install the app. Open Dental Cloud is accessed remotely and 'looks and feels just like our local version.'

How staff reach it day to day (browser vs installed client). Curve Dental read 2026-07-22 (source); Open Dental read 2026-07-22 (source).

Do they run on the same operating systems?

Curve Dental: No specific OS/device compatibility list on the pages reviewed (expected for a browser product, but not stated).

Open Dental: Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025/2022/2019/2016. Vendor notes the server can alternatively run Linux or macOS.

OS support the vendor documents. Curve Dental read 2026-07-22 (source); Open Dental read 2026-07-22 (source).

Which one includes imaging?

Curve Dental: Built-in, cloud-based imaging — 'capture, store, and manipulate your images all in one place.'

Open Dental: Built-in. Vendor states practices 'should not need any separate imaging software'; radiographs can be taken directly in Open Dental.

Whether the vendor states built-in or integrated imaging. Curve Dental read 2026-07-22 (source); Open Dental read 2026-07-22 (source).

Do both submit e-claims?

Curve Dental: Feature list includes 'Insurance Billing' and 'Insurance Verification,' but no clearinghouse / e-claims specifics are stated on the pages reviewed.

Open Dental: Yes. 'A number of Clearinghouses [are] integrated with Open Dental to send Claims electronically.'

Insurance claim submission the vendor documents. Curve Dental read 2026-07-22 (source); Open Dental read 2026-07-22 (source).

Which one has a public API?

Curve Dental: Vendor lists integration partners but no published API or developer-program documentation was found on the official site.

Open Dental: Yes — formal developer program with a Developer Portal and dual-key auth (Developer API Key + Customer API Key).

Whether the vendor publishes an API or partner/developer program. Curve Dental read 2026-07-22 (source); Open Dental read 2026-07-22 (source).

Which one documents a way to get your data out?

Curve Dental: No statement about exporting your data or database access on the pages reviewed. For a closed cloud product, the absence of a stated export path is itself worth noting — ask before signing.

Open Dental: Strongest of the group: customers hold their own MySQL/MariaDB database and get direct SQL read access; the vendor documents running your own SELECT queries (writes are cautioned against, reads are supported).

What the vendor states about getting YOUR data out — the interoperability question that matters most on a switch. Curve Dental read 2026-07-22 (source); Open Dental read 2026-07-22 (source).

Is either one open source?

Curve Dental: No public source-code licence page identified as of the read date; this is a commercially licensed product whose terms sit in the customer agreement rather than a published licence. Not open source.

Open Dental: Proprietary since v24.4. The vendor states: “In version 24.4, the Open Dental license changed from open source GPL to proprietary.” Releases before 24.4 were GPL. The vendor adds that the change did not alter customer pricing, support, or database access — it affects developers who compiled the source.

Whether the vendor publishes a software licence for the source code — the 'is it open source?' question, answered from the vendor's own licence page. Curve Dental read 2026-07-26 (source); Open Dental read 2026-07-26 (source).

Which one publishes pricing?

Curve Dental: Pricing page shows only 'get a personalized quote' — no figures. Quote-based.

Open Dental: Publicly listed (unusual for the industry): e.g. software + support around $199/month/location for the first 12-month term, then ~$149/month/location, with additional per-provider fees and a published eServices rate card. Open Dental Cloud starts around $430/month/location.

What the vendor PUBLICLY lists on its own site, if anything. Unlisted pricing is covered by the community layer. Curve Dental read 2026-07-22 (source); Open Dental read 2026-07-22 (source).

Turning this into a decision

A feature table cannot tell you which system fits your practice — your requirements do. Build those first with the PMS Evaluation Pack, then use this page to check which vendor’s published facts actually satisfy them. If migration is the real question, start at migration planning; if you run more than one site, multi-location changes the answer.

Full profiles: Curve Dental · Open Dental · all five systems in one grid in the Dental Software Comparison.