Open Dental
Open-source dental software — you own your data
Export Steps
Launch Open Dental on Your Office Computer
Open Dental is a Windows application installed on your office computers. Launch it from the desktop icon or Start Menu. Log in with your admin credentials. Open Dental has a somewhat older-style interface with a horizontal menu bar at the top of the window.
Tip:
Open Dental is open-source and highly customizable — your practice may have added custom reports or columns. Ask your office manager or IT contact if there are existing custom patient export reports before following the steps below.
Click "Reports" in the Top Menu Bar
In Open Dental's top menu bar, click "Reports". A dropdown shows three sections: Standard Reports, User Query, and Show Reports. Click "Standard Reports" to open the report library.
Navigate to "Lists" Category → Patient Data
The Standard Reports dialog shows report categories on the left. Click "Lists" or "Patient" category. Look for a report called "Patient Data", "Patients", or "Patient List". The report name may vary depending on your Open Dental version and any customizations your practice has made.
Tip:
If you don't see a patient export report, check the "Miscellaneous" category — some versions put it there. Also ask your office manager or IT if a custom report was set up.
Configure Report — Include All Required Fields
Double-click the "Patient Data" or "Patients" report to open its configuration dialog. Configure the output to include all required fields. Open Dental uses its own field names that may differ from what you expect.
- Patient Status: Select "All" or uncheck any status restrictions
- Date Range: Leave blank for all-time
- Fields to include — note Open Dental's specific field names:
- • LName (Last Name)
- • FName (First Name)
- • WirelessPhone (this is the mobile/cell phone)
- • HmPhone (Home Phone — backup)
- • LastVisit (Last Visit Date)
- • PatStatus (0=Active, 2=Inactive, 3=Archived, 4=Deceased)
- Click OK or Run
Note:
Open Dental uses non-obvious field names. "WirelessPhone" = mobile/cell number. "HmPhone" = home phone. "PatStatus" is a numeric code where 0=Active, 2=Inactive, 3=Archived. Let MedMasters know the file is from Open Dental so these fields are mapped correctly.
Export the Report
After the report generates, look for an "Export" button or right-click the results grid and look for an export option. Open Dental reports can be exported as a tab-delimited text file or CSV. Choose CSV if available, otherwise tab-delimited is fine.
Optional — Use User Query for a More Complete Export
If you have IT support or someone comfortable with SQL, Open Dental has a "User Query" tool (Reports → User Query) that lets you write a custom SQL query against the database. This gives the most accurate and complete export. Ask your IT contact to run this query: SELECT PatNum, LName, FName, WirelessPhone, HmPhone, Email, LastVisit, PatStatus FROM patient WHERE PatStatus IN (0, 2, 3)
Tip:
The User Query tool gives you exactly what you need without any GUI report limitations. If your IT person is available, this is the best option.
Note Field Names and Send to MedMasters
When uploading to MedMasters, note in your message: "This is an Open Dental export. WirelessPhone = mobile/cell. PatStatus codes: 0=Active, 2=Inactive, 3=Archived, 4=Deceased." Upload via the secure MedMasters link.
Note:
Do not email the file. Always use the secure MedMasters upload link.
Field Availability
Which MedMasters data fields are available in this EHR export.
Known Quirks
Database field names differ from display names: WirelessPhone = mobile, HmPhone = home, LName/FName = names
PatStatus is a numeric code: 0=Active, 2=Inactive, 3=Archived, 4=Deceased
Highly customizable — your practice may have custom reports already configured
Pro Tips
If you have IT support, use the User Query tool (Reports → User Query) for the most accurate export
Note "This is Open Dental" in your MedMasters message so field names are mapped correctly
Being open-source means you own your data with no vendor restrictions — easiest export via SQL
Got your export? Now what?
The Storage & Handoff Playbook covers verifying, securing, and using the data for compliance, migration, or analytics.