Test Data Conversion

Open Dental can provide a test data conversion at no charge, to allow your practice to see how data from your current practice management software will look in Open Dental . There is no set trial period for the test conversion. You can keep the test conversion as long as you would like.

Prior to a test conversion, do not begin entering real patient data in Open Dental. This data will not be transferred to your final database. If you are selling or buying a practice, see Practice Changing Ownership to determine how to handle accounts receivable.

Test Data Conversion Process

1. Call us: Contact Open Dental to schedule a test conversion appointment. We recommend scheduling one to two weeks in advance of your desired conversion date.
2. Test Conversion: On your scheduled test conversion date, a Conversions Specialist will remote connect to your current practice management software server, attempt to extract the raw data from your existing software, and transfer it to a secure physical location at Open Dental using a secure SSL connection. Extracting raw data is almost always possible, but in rare situations, it is not.
   • If we have experience converting your current software, test conversions take an average of two to four hours, but may take longer. See the Data Conversion Fees page to review all programs we have previously converted.
   • If we do not have experience converting your current software, a Conversions Specialist will construct a method to convert the raw data to the first copy of the test conversion. This process may take approximately three weeks.
3. Test Database Delivery: When the test conversion is ready, a Conversions Specialist will call to install the Open Dental trial version on your server and give access to the test conversion data. We will also test a bridge to your x-ray imaging software, if applicable.
4. Test Conversion Discussion: For each section below, we review, in detail, what your office needs to do before moving forward with a Final Data Conversion.
   • Total Conversion Time:  The total conversion time will be based on how long the test conversion took.
   • Converting Your Patient Account Balances:  Review any total patient balance differences from the test conversion.
   • Testing Imaging (X-ray) Software Bridge: If you are using imaging software, we will verify if it is compatible with Open Dental.
   • Image Conversion: Your office may want to complete an optional image (scanned document) conversion for an additional fee. We will confirm folder size and verify that your server has enough free space available to run an image conversion. If you are interested, we will provide you with a quote, based on the folder size. This can be run on the same day as the Final Data Conversion or any day after. You will not see your historical scans inside of Open Dental until after the Image conversion has been completed. See Image Conversions for estimated fees.
   • The difference between a test conversion and a final conversion: Patient addresses are truncated and ADA codes are not present, only temp codes.
5. Verify the Test Conversion: Your office will thoroughly verify the test conversion data, using the Pre-Data Conversion Checklist as a guide. View the Pre-Data Conversion Checklist Overview Video for a detailed walkthrough.
6. Verify the data specific to the software you are converting from:
   • EagleSoft Conversions
   • Dentrix or EZ Dental Conversions
   • Softdent
   • PracticeWorks
   • MOGO
   • General Conversions
7. Resolving issues: If you find an issue in the test conversion, contact Open Dental Support to discuss. Our team will collect screenshots, attempt to fix the conversion method, and provide a new test conversion. This cycle will continue until you are satisfied with the output. 
   Please let us know if you have input about the conversion so we can improve the process. We make changes almost daily to the conversion application. If we can accommodate a request, it will be converted in a subsequent test. If you do not see the information, you are looking for in your test conversion, the data was probably not converted. 
   
   You are responsible for checking the test conversion data and verifying it is satisfactory. 
   
   The final conversion will be nearly identical to the test conversion, so make certain you are happy with the test. Once the final conversion is delivered and you begin entering new data, there can be no further enhancements to the converted data without data loss.