Written by Hiren Patel, API & Automation Consultant at Hike Branding.
Quick Answer: Can Open Dental Integrate With Other Software?
Yes. Open Dental has an official RESTful API that lets approved applications read and write practice data — patients, appointments, recalls, payments, forms and more. It can also push events to your system when data changes, so integrations don’t have to constantly poll for updates.
The main decisions are which API mode to use, what data to sync, and which system owns each field. This guide covers all three. We build these connections as part of our Open Dental API integration services.
Open Dental API vs. FHIR API
Open Dental offers two APIs. According to its API Specification, the Open Dental API is recommended for most interfaces, while the FHIR API is aimed at connecting to existing medical (FHIR) systems. For CRM, marketing, forms and reporting integrations, the Open Dental API is usually the right choice.
The Three Open Dental API Modes
| Mode | Where it runs | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Local API | On each workstation running Open Dental (port 30222, localhost only) | Software installed on each front-desk computer, such as a desktop helper app |
| API Service | Continuously on the practice’s database server (port 30223, reachable in-network) | An on-premises connector that syncs data to the cloud; also recommended for Open Dental Cloud |
| Remote API | Public, cloud-hosted by Open Dental | Cloud applications that need to reach the practice without local software |
Open Dental documents these in API Modes – Local, Service, and Remote, and notes that modes can be combined for redundancy.
From our integration experience: for CRM and marketing syncs we usually prefer a connector running alongside the API Service on the practice’s server. It works even when no one is logged into Open Dental, it keeps traffic inside the practice network, and it only sends the agreed fields outward.
How We Connect Open Dental to a CRM
Open Dental → API Service → Connector → Secure Middleware → CRM (GoHighLevel / HubSpot) → Workflows
- Open Dental stays the source system for patients, appointments and recalls.
- A connector on the practice network talks to the API Service and reads only the agreed fields.
- Changes are detected with Subscriptions. Open Dental’s API Subscriptions can watch a table such as Appointment and send an event to an endpoint when records change.
- Middleware cleans and matches the data, de-duplicates patients and logs every sync.
- The CRM is updated through its API — contacts, custom fields and pipeline stages.
- CRM workflows handle reminders, reactivation, reviews and reporting.
What Data Can You Sync?
| Open Dental resource | CRM destination | Example use |
|---|---|---|
| Patients | Contact | Patient profile and segmentation |
| Appointments | Contact fields or appointment records | Confirmations, reminders, no-show follow-up |
| Recalls | Contact field (recall due date) | Hygiene recall campaigns |
| Providers / Clinics | Contact fields or tags | Multi-location and provider segmentation |
| Commlogs | Activity / notes | Log CRM messages back to the patient record |
| Sheets (forms) | Form submissions | Digital intake forms |
| Payments / Statements | Custom fields | Balance reminders and payment links |
As with any healthcare integration, sync only what your workflows actually use.
Useful Open Dental Integrations
1. Open Dental + GoHighLevel
Sync patients and appointment dates into GoHighLevel to run SMS reminders, reactivation campaigns and review requests from one platform.
2. Open Dental + HubSpot
Send patient lifecycle data to HubSpot for email marketing and lead-to-patient attribution. The design considerations are the same as in our HubSpot Dentrix integration guide.
3. Website forms and online booking
Create or update patients and appointment requests from your website forms, with the front desk confirming the final slot.
4. Reporting dashboards
Push production, collections and patient data to a database and visualize it in Power BI. We’ve built this for Dentrix and Open Dental — see our dental Power BI dashboard.
5. AI phone and chat assistants
Give an AI agent controlled access to schedules so it can answer availability questions and capture booking requests. See how this works in AI voice calls in GoHighLevel with Vapi.
Example Workflow: Recall Due → Rebooked Patient
- A patient’s recall becomes due in Open Dental.
- The connector updates the Recall Due Date field in the CRM.
- A CRM workflow sends a friendly SMS and email with a booking link.
- No response after a few days? A task is created for the front desk to call.
- When an appointment is scheduled in Open Dental, a Subscription event updates the CRM and the workflow stops.
Edge cases to plan for
- Already scheduled: exclude patients with a future appointment before sending anything.
- Shared family contact details: match on the Open Dental patient number, not only email or phone.
- Opt-outs: CRM unsubscribes and STOP replies must always win over sync updates.
- Duplicate events: Open Dental warns that subscriptions without a specific workstation can fire duplicate events — set the workstation correctly and make processing idempotent.
- Server offline: queue changes and alert the team if syncs stop.
Which System Owns Which Data?
| Open Dental owns | CRM owns |
|---|---|
| Appointments, schedules and operatories | Lead source and campaign attribution |
| Recalls and treatment plans | Marketing engagement and consent |
| Clinical, insurance and billing data | Pipelines and follow-up tasks |
| Patient demographics | Marketing lists and workflows |
Security, HIPAA and Access
- Open Dental’s documentation states that API developers should have a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) in place with their clients.
- Every tool in the chain that receives patient data — middleware, CRM, SMS provider — needs to be appropriate for PHI and covered by the right agreements.
- Use the minimum API permissions required, encrypt data in transit and at rest, and log every sync.
- Check Open Dental’s current developer setup and pricing tiers before planning a project.
This is general information, not legal advice — confirm your setup with your compliance advisor.
Open Dental vs. Dentrix Integrations
If you run both systems across locations: Open Dental exposes a documented REST API with local, service and remote modes, while Dentrix Desktop typically needs a local connector through Dentrix’s developer program. Learn more in Syncing Dentrix Data to a Cloud Database or our Dentrix API integration services.
FAQs: Open Dental API Integration
Does Open Dental have an API?
Yes. Open Dental provides a RESTful API supporting GET, POST, PUT and DELETE on resources such as Patients, Appointments and Recalls, plus a separate FHIR API.
What is the difference between the Local API, API Service and Remote API?
The Local API runs on each workstation while Open Dental is open, the API Service runs continuously on the database server, and the Remote API is cloud-hosted by Open Dental for public access.
Can Open Dental send updates when appointments change?
Yes. API Subscriptions can monitor tables such as Appointment and send events to your endpoint when data changes.
Can Open Dental integrate with GoHighLevel or HubSpot?
Yes, with a custom integration that syncs patient and appointment data through the Open Dental API into the CRM.
Is an Open Dental integration HIPAA compliant?
It can be, when every system handling patient data is suitable for PHI, the right BAAs are in place, and the integration uses encryption, minimal data and access controls.
Planning an Open Dental integration?
Hike Branding builds Open Dental and Dentrix integrations with CRMs, forms, AI assistants and reporting tools for dental practices and DSOs.
Explore our Open Dental API Integration Services →
Book a free consultation →
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