What Is a Dental Software Migration and How Long It Takes

• Ezra Angelo
• • July 19, 2025
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Switching practice management software is one of the biggest technology decisions a dental practice makes. Done with the right preparation it is a short disruption that pays off for years. Done without it, the consequences show up in missing data and billing errors. Here is what the process actually involves and what a realistic timeline looks like.

A dental software migration is the process of moving your practice’s data from one practice management system to another. That data includes patient records, appointment history, treatment plans, insurance information, billing data, and often clinical imaging.

For many dental practices, a software migration is the largest technology change they will go through. Done well, it is a significant operational disruption for a short period that pays off in improved software for years. Done poorly, it results in missing data, billing errors, and staff frustration that can take months to resolve.

Here is what the process actually involves and what a realistic timeline looks like.

What Gets Migrated

Practice management data

This is the core of the migration. Patient demographics, provider records, appointment history, treatment plans, procedure codes, insurance plans, and billing ledgers all need to transfer from the old system to the new one. Most established platforms handle this through a formal conversion process run by the new software’s conversions team or a certified third party.

Clinical imaging data

X-rays, clinical photos, and other imaging files add significant complexity to a migration. Imaging data is often stored separately from the practice management database. Some platforms store imaging in proprietary formats that require a separate conversion process to make viewable in the new system. Eaglesoft imaging, for example, cannot be directly bridged to Open Dental without a separate image conversion.

Custom configurations

Auto notes, treatment plan templates, custom forms, recall intervals, and appointment type configurations do not migrate automatically. These need to be recreated in the new platform before or shortly after go-live.

What Does Not Transfer

Outstanding insurance claims at the time of cutover typically do not migrate automatically and must be manually re-entered. Historical reports should be run from the old system because the new platform only reliably reports on data entered after the migration date. Integrations with third-party tools such as patient communication platforms, analytics software, and payment processors need to be reconnected in the new system.

Realistic Timelines by Scenario

Solo practice, clean data, no imaging conversion

Three to four weeks from first contact to go-live. This assumes no server upgrades are needed, staff training is completed on schedule, and outstanding claims are minimal.

Small multi-provider practice with imaging conversion

Six to eight weeks. The imaging conversion adds time for data preparation and validation. Server requirements for the new platform may require hardware changes that need lead time.

Large practice or DSO with multiple locations

Twelve to sixteen weeks. Multi-location migrations require coordinated cutover windows, multiple server configurations, and significantly more staff training. Data from multiple databases may need to be merged or kept separate depending on the organizational structure.

What Your IT Provider Handles

The software vendor or conversion service handles the data transfer itself. Your IT provider handles everything around it: the server, the network, the workstations, and the integrations. Specifically, your IT provider should be responsible for confirming that the new server meets the new software’s hardware requirements, installing and configuring the server operating system and database, deploying the client software to all workstations, reconnecting imaging systems, and being available on go-live day to address any connectivity or installation issues that come up.

A migration where the software vendor and the IT provider are not coordinating is a migration that will hit avoidable problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can we run both systems at the same time during the migration?

The old system should remain accessible for historical reference after go-live, but running both as active production systems simultaneously creates data synchronization problems. The final cutover is a clean break where all new activity goes into the new system.

What if something goes wrong on go-live day?

This is why a verified backup and a tested restore process are critical before the migration starts. If go-live encounters a serious problem, restoring from backup and rescheduling is far better than attempting to operate with corrupted or incomplete data.

Do we need a new server to switch software?

It depends on the new platform’s requirements. Switching from Eaglesoft to Open Dental, for example, opens up server operating system options since Open Dental supports Windows, Linux, and macOS. Switching to Dentrix requires a Windows Server environment. Your IT provider should assess your current hardware against the new platform’s requirements as the first step in migration planning.

Does Ekim manage dental software migrations?

Yes. Ekim IT Solutions manages the IT side of dental software migrations for practices across all 50 states remotely, with on-site support available in New England and New York. We coordinate with the software conversion team, prepare the server and workstations, and handle go-live support so your practice transitions without unexpected downtime.

Planning a software migration for your practice?

Ekim IT Solutions works exclusively with dental practices. We serve New England and New York with on-site support and dental practices nationwide with remote support. Security, compliance, and everything in between so you can focus on patients.

Schedule a Fit Call: Find out in 15 minutes if we are the right fit for your practice.

• Ezra Angelo
• • July 19, 2025
Share: