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Best dental software for small practices

The best dental software for solo and small group practices.

Small practices have different needs than large DSOs — lower budgets, less IT support, and a need for software that is quick to learn. These three tools consistently rank highest among independent dentists and small group practices.

O
Open Dental
Practice management
Free

Open source practice management with strong community support.

C
Curve Dental
Practice management
Paid

Cloud-based dental practice management built for modern practices.

W
Weave
Patient communication
Paid

Phone, texting, and scheduling platform built for dental offices.

Side-by-side comparison

A quick overview of the key differences between these systems.

Open DentalCurve DentalWeave
PricingFreePaidPaid
CategoryPractice managementPractice managementPatient communication
Rating4.5 / 54.2 / 54.3 / 5
Listingstandardfreestandard

In-depth look at each option

Here's what you need to know about each system before making a decision.

O

Open Dental

Practice management · Free

Open source practice management with strong community support.

Open Dental is a free, open-source dental practice management software with a large and active community. It offers a full suite of features including charting, scheduling, billing, and imaging integrations.

Read full Open Dental review →
C

Curve Dental

Practice management · Paid

Cloud-based dental practice management built for modern practices.

Read full Curve Dental review →
W

Weave

Patient communication · Paid

Phone, texting, and scheduling platform built for dental offices.

Weave is an all-in-one communication platform that integrates with your practice management software to streamline patient communication via phone, text, email, and online reviews.

Read full Weave review →

Which should you use?

Use Open Dental if budget is the primary concern — it is free and full-featured. Use Curve Dental if you want a modern cloud system without a large upfront investment. Use Weave alongside your PMS if patient communication and recall are your biggest pain points.

Related comparisons

Dentrix vs Eaglesoft vs Open DentalBest cloud-based dental software 2026Curve Dental vs Dentrix Ascend

Full reviews

Open Dental — full review
Curve Dental — full review
Weave — full review
Written by Nick Grigora · Published April 2026