CareStack is an all-in-one cloud platform. Dentrix is a server-based practice management platform that relies on separate tools for many of the same functions. Switching from Dentrix to CareStack is one of the more significant platform changes a dental practice can make.
Here is what it means for your IT environment.
Important for Single-Location Practices
CareStack is built with DSOs and multi-location practices in mind, but single-location practices use it too.
Practices that choose CareStack primarily for its all-in-one feature set sometimes underestimate the IT changes required. A cloud-first platform runs very differently from a server-based system. The infrastructure requirements are the same regardless of practice size, and they must be addressed before go-live.
Planning a Dentrix to CareStack migration? Find out in 15 minutes if we are the right fit.
One of the main reasons practices switch to CareStack is consolidation. Dentrix handles practice management but most practices running Dentrix also use separate tools for patient communication, payment processing, insurance verification, and reporting.
Patient CommunicationOften replaced
Payment ProcessingOften replaced
Insurance VerificationOften replaced
Reporting ToolsOften replaced
CareStack is designed to replace most or all of those third-party tools with a single integrated system. That consolidation simplifies your software stack but requires a thoughtful migration plan to avoid losing functionality during the transition. Map every current tool before the migration date is set.
What Changes in Your IT Environment
Check each infrastructure change your IT provider has confirmed is addressed before your migration date.
Infrastructure changes addressed0 / 3
All three infrastructure changes confirmed.
Your IT environment is prepared for the CareStack transition. Confirm integration mapping and data backup are also in order before the migration window opens.
Infrastructure changes still outstanding.
The unchecked items must be addressed before go-live. Internet speed and backup connection are the most commonly underestimated. Scheduling the migration before these are confirmed is the most common cause of CareStack go-live delays.
IT environment is not ready for CareStack.
None of the three infrastructure changes have been addressed. A CareStack go-live without confirmed internet speed, backup connectivity, and workstation compatibility risks a failed launch that disrupts patient care on day one.
CareStack integrates with major dental imaging platforms, payment processors, and patient communication tools. However, the specific integrations your practice relies on today may or may not have direct CareStack equivalents.
Integrates Natively
Direct connection available
Tools that connect directly to CareStack with no workaround required: confirm the specific version and configuration with CareStack's onboarding team
Requires Workaround
Works with configuration
Tools that can continue running alongside CareStack but require specific setup or configuration to avoid workflow gaps during the transition
Needs Replacement
No direct equivalent
Tools with no CareStack equivalent that must be replaced before go-live: identify these early so staff training on replacement tools does not delay the migration
Before Committing to a Migration Date
List every third-party tool your practice currently uses with Dentrix and confirm with CareStack which ones integrate natively, which ones require workarounds, and which ones need to be replaced. Do this before the migration date is set, not after it is scheduled.
What Your IT Provider Should Do Before Go-Live
Check each item your IT provider has confirmed is complete before the CareStack migration date is set.
Pre-go-live tasks confirmed0 / 5
All five pre-go-live tasks confirmed.
Your IT environment is prepared for the CareStack go-live. Confirm your integration mapping is complete and that all staff training on CareStack is scheduled before migration day.
Pre-go-live tasks still outstanding.
The unchecked items must be completed before the migration date is confirmed. Imaging integration and backup internet connection are frequently skipped and are among the most common sources of go-live day problems for practices switching to any cloud-based system.
Most pre-go-live IT tasks are not confirmed.
A CareStack go-live without these items in place risks day-one disruption to patient care. Each unchecked item is a specific failure mode that Ekim IT Solutions addresses as part of every dental software migration preparation.
CareStack works for both single-location and multi-location practices. The platform's depth is often associated with DSOs, but individual practices use it for the all-in-one consolidation it offers. The decision comes down to whether the platform's feature set matches your practice's needs and budget.
CareStack's onboarding team manages the data migration from Dentrix. Patient records, treatment history, and scheduling data are converted and imported into CareStack. Your IT provider should verify a clean Dentrix data export before the conversion begins and retain a backup for at least 60 days after go-live.
Possibly. Your practice management moves to the cloud, making the server unnecessary for that function. However, if your imaging software requires a local server, that hardware stays in place. Confirm with your IT provider which systems still depend on local server infrastructure before decommissioning anything.
Most migrations take six to ten weeks depending on the complexity of your current setup, the number of integrations that need to be replaced, and the time required for staff training. CareStack's interface is a significant departure from Dentrix, so plan for a meaningful training period.
Switching from Dentrix to CareStack? Your IT environment needs to be ready for a full infrastructure shift.
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. We handle the IT side of your Dentrix to CareStack migration, network readiness, workstation configuration, and go-live support so the transition does not disrupt your schedule.
CareStack is a big platform change. The IT behind it needs to be just as prepared as your team is.
Ezra Angelo
