athenahealth
athenahealth provides a cloud-based electronic health record and practice management solution designed to help medical groups improve clinical workflows, accelerate collections, and enhance the overall patient experience through integrated technology.
Open Dental
Open Dental is a highly customizable practice management software providing dental offices with open-source database access to manage clinical charting, electronic prescriptions, and patient billing efficiently.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | athenahealth | Open Dental |
|---|---|---|
| Website | athenahealth.com | opendental.com |
| Pricing Model | Custom | Subscription |
| Starting Price | Custom Pricing | $175/month |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✓ 0 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 1997 | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Watertown, USA | Salem, USA |
Overview
athenahealth
athenahealth offers a comprehensive suite of cloud-based tools designed to help you run a more efficient and profitable medical practice. You can manage clinical records, streamline your front-office tasks, and handle complex medical billing all within a single, integrated ecosystem. The platform focuses on reducing your administrative burden by automating documentation and providing real-time insights into your practice's financial health.
By connecting you to a massive network of healthcare providers and payers, the software helps you coordinate care more effectively and close gaps in patient treatment. You can engage patients through a modern portal, offer telehealth visits, and manage population health initiatives. It is built to scale with your needs, whether you operate a small independent clinic or a large multi-specialty health system.
Open Dental
Open Dental gives you full control over your practice management with its unique open-source database structure. You can customize the software to fit your specific clinical workflows, whether you run a solo general practice or a large multi-specialty mobile clinic. It handles everything from complex treatment planning and 3D charting to appointment scheduling and automated text reminders, ensuring your front and back office stay synchronized.
You own your data completely, allowing you to run custom queries and reports that most locked-down platforms don't permit. The software is designed to reduce your overhead costs by offering a scalable monthly subscription that includes comprehensive technical support and regular updates. It solves the common frustration of rigid software by letting you choose your own hardware and third-party integrations.
Overview
athenahealth Features
- athenaClinicals EHR Document patient encounters faster with intuitive workflows and mobile access that let you focus on the patient instead of the screen.
- athenaCollector Billing Boost your revenue with automated claim scrubbing and a rules engine that catches coding errors before they lead to denials.
- Patient Engagement Portal Give your patients the ability to book appointments, pay bills, and message your team securely from any device at any time.
- athenaTelehealth Conduct virtual visits directly within your clinical workflow, making it easy to see patients remotely without switching between different apps.
- Epocrates Integration Access trusted clinical decision support and drug information directly at the point of care to ensure safe and accurate prescribing.
- Population Health Tools Identify at-risk patient groups and track quality metrics across your entire patient base to improve long-term health outcomes.
Open Dental Features
- Graphical Tooth Charting. Visualize patient oral health with 3D charting that tracks restorative work, periodontal measurements, and existing conditions.
- Treatment Planning. Create multi-phased treatment plans for your patients and present clear cost estimates to improve case acceptance rates.
- e-Prescribing. Send prescriptions electronically to pharmacies directly from the patient's chart to save time and improve clinical accuracy.
- Appointment Module. Manage your daily schedule with color-coded blocks, drag-and-drop rescheduling, and real-time views of provider availability.
- Custom Reporting. Run deep-dive queries on your practice data to track production, collections, and patient demographics without technical restrictions.
- Mobile Web Tools. Access your schedule and patient contact information from your smartphone or tablet when you are away from the office.
Pricing Comparison
athenahealth Pricing
Open Dental Pricing
- Full software access
- Unlimited technical support
- Software updates
- Initial setup assistance
- Conversion support available
- Everything in initial tier, plus:
- Ongoing phone support
- Update downloads
- Bug fixes
- Access to e-services
Pros & Cons
athenahealth
Pros
- Cloud-based access allows you to work from anywhere
- Regular automatic updates keep you compliant with regulations
- Strong billing rules engine reduces denied insurance claims
- Integrated patient portal improves communication and satisfaction
Cons
- Pricing model can be expensive for high-revenue practices
- Learning curve for navigating complex clinical templates
- Customer support response times can vary during peak hours
Open Dental
Pros
- Unmatched customization options for clinical workflows
- Direct access to your own database
- Affordable flat-rate pricing for the entire office
- Highly responsive and knowledgeable technical support
Cons
- Initial setup requires a steeper learning curve
- Interface looks dated compared to modern web apps
- Requires manual server management for on-premise installs