Open Dental Forum

We are evaluating moving from Dentrix G4 to Open Dental. We have gone through a test conversion of our data and are heavily playing around with Open Dental with our test conversion data.

The test conversion was fast and the data looks good.

The problem is we have lots of questions. I am trying to come up with a conversion plan to limit the impact of the change and also a list of things I will need to set-up after my production database is converted and before we see the first patient on Monday morning. I am also trying to gain a good understanding that Open Dental will do all the things we use Dentrix for and either do it as well or better.

Several of us have taken the webinar which really just covers the basics and there aren't many tutorials and what tutorials there are seem to be short and outdated. When we call with a big list of questions we are told that they can only answer so many and then it really becomes a training issue.

I am planning on having training for my team if we move forward with a conversion but right now I am having trouble even determining if I want to move forward. I keep asking myself does it work in Open Dental and do I just not know how to do it? Or is that feature not available in Open Dental? Or do I need to set something else up in Open Dental to get it to work.

I have asked the conversion team what doesn't convert and the response I get is the addresses just come over short but everything else converts.

I am finding that not to be true. I have specific doctor and assistant times on many of my procedure codes and I don't see that on the procedure codes that are part of the test conversion. I am trying to treatment plan multiple procedures on a single tooth(implant, abutment, crown) and I can't do it at one time without setting up a quick code. In addition many of the procedure codes were converted with a treatment area of "mouth" instead of "tooth" so when I treatment plan that procedure it isn't associated with a tooth, even when I have a tooth selected. Am I going to have to go through all my procudere codes and associate them with the correct treatment area? Or is this just a test conversion thing?

So, I am a little frustrated on how to move forward and I am hoping that someone that has been through this conversion before has a handy checklist of all the things they had to do after the final conversion and before the first patient showed up.
Or is the post conversion checklist provided by Open Dental really all I need and I need to stop panicking?

I'm sorry we haven't been able to help you to the capacity you've needed thus far.
Conversions are definitely some work and I applaud you for really trying to understand all the issues and make sure you are ready to go ahead. It really makes for a successful transition.
I'd like to extend myself to work with you and your team personally to go over your conversions issues- no matter how many questions you have. It's one of my favorite parts of the job.
You can contact me directly and I'll be happy to help.
I am available on the regular support number 503 363 5432 or you can email service@opendental.com and ask to schedule some time with Arna in regards to your conversion.
I'd reach out directly, but can't figure out your office from your username.

I look forward to hearing from you!

I remember going through a very similar time with the database conversion as you seem to be going through. I found several things with OD seemed to have as a feature but did not transfer in our test conversion. I took note of every issue I found and worked with the conversion team to get most of those things addressed. In most cases they were able to get the data and transfer it correctly. In a few cases, it was something that did not directly translate between OD and our old Dentrix. I also spent a lot of time learning every in and out of OD that I could before the conversion and when we made the switch, I was able to field most of the staff questions and training. What I could not do myself was easily handled by OD support staff.

As for your concerns about a feature that Dentrix has and OD may or may not... I would ask here on the forum and you will most likely get instructions on how to do it in OD or a decent workaround. I ran into the treatment area issue, but not until after our conversion. I would say it's not a test conversion issue and you can bring it up with the conversion team and see if they can properly track the treatment area for your conversion.

The check list that I did was entirely things that I customized in the test conversion that I wanted to redo in the final conversion. Things like colors, rooms, recall defaults, appt views, etc. I essentially did everything I want in the test conversion and then redid it in the final conversion. Our goal before the first patient walked in was that our staff knew how to check a patient in and out and that they knew how to add TX and notes. There are actually several ways to do some of those things and it's a matter of deciding what standard you will have for your office and then showing the staff what you want.