Version 20.5 has been released as Stable, implementing 16 requested features and enhancements.
Click on a topic to read more.
Updated 7/26/2022
- Major Features
- New Paint Types to show custom text, retained root, and space maintainers on the tooth chart.
- Quickly navigate the Appointment calendar 3, 4, or 6 months ahead.
- Discount Plans can have subscriber-level Effective and Termination Dates.
- New eServices features
- New Appointment Module features
- New Family Module features
- New Account Module features
- New Chart Module features
- New Imaging Module features
- Other new features

New Paint Types for More Detail on the Tooth Chart
We are introducing several new “Paint Types” to allow you to show even more detail on your patient’s tooth chart.
Text: This option replaces the Watch paint type. (Don’t worry, by default the W is still set for Watch codes).
Custom Text can be added to a procedure code and will show in the tooth chart when the procedure is charted.
For more on using this feature, see our Paint Types manual page.


Retained Root: This new option displays a graphic for retained roots.


Space Maintainer: Display a space maintainer on missing teeth.


Learn more about Paint Type on our Procedure Codes manual page.
Appointment Calendar Buttons to Jump Forward 3, 4, or 6 Months.
The Appointment calendar now has buttons to jump forward by 3, 4, or 6 months.
Tech Tip: If making a recall appointment, just use the button on the Appointment Module toolbar.

Discount Plans can have Subscriber-Level Effective and Term Dates
Subscriber-level effective dates can be entered when adding a Discount Plan for a patient.

These effective dates are shown on the Discount Plans Report.


- Web Forms Alert: When there are Web Forms ready to be retrieved, an alert displays on the Main Menu in red, like this:
The user must be subscribed to the All Alert Category (Setup> Security).
See our Alert Subscription manual page for more details.

- The Confirmation List now has an option to send one confirmation request for the whole family instead of sending one to each individual family member.

We also added templates for when families are grouped, which includes a new tag for [FamilyApptList].


- Until now, the Same for Entire Family checkbox was checked by default, carrying over the phone number and home address of the guarantor to other family members. This can now be set to be unchecked by default in Setup> Family/Insurance> Family Preferences.


- Sales Tax can be applied automatically!
Follow the steps on our manual page to set up which procedures are taxable, and the sales tax percentage.
When an item marked as “Is Taxed” is set complete, a sales tax adjustment will be automatically created (directly attached to the procedure), and the default provider on the adjustment is the provider assigned in Account Module Preferences.

- A new Account Module preference can be set so that cards declined when running recurring charges are inactivated.

- An As Of date has been added to the Income Transfer Manager.


- Adding rows to Ortho Chart will prompt for date and provider.

- Chart Module tabs for missing teeth and primary have been combined into one tab.


- Accidentally imported an image into the wrong patient? No problem!
Images can be moved to another patient using an Export option.

- New imaging module preferences in Setup> Imaging > Imaging Preferences.
- Set default import folders.
- Set PDFs to always display in a separate PDF viewer.

- Automatically import multiple images at once from a path you select.

Set a path to automatically import multiple images from. See the steps on our Imaging Module manual page.
Other New features in this version include support for live feed images from an intraoral camera, and the ability to take radiographs.
To use these features, you will first need to set up your Imaging Devices.
PLEASE NOTE:
Intraoral and radiograph images will increase the size of your OpenDentImages folder.
Ensure you have a robust data backup and recovery system in place.

New Sheets-related features
- Custom sheets can be associated with statements, limited statements, invoices, and receipts. This is set in Sheets, using the defaults button in the bottom left corner.

Please Note:
If you were already using a custom sheet for your statements, you will need to set it as the default sheet again after you update to 20.5.
- Treatment planned procedures can be included in Consent Forms and Lab Slips. The sheets for these must contain the treatmentPlanProcs or treatmentPlanProcsPriority static text fields.
- A statement number can be added to a Statement Sheet using the AddOutput Text Field, StatementNum.
Need help customizing sheets? Check out the webinars in our Sheets Customization Playlist.
- You can now override the default values for checkbox and radio buttons and use different words for common importable fields like gender and marital status. For more on checkboxes and radio buttons, please see our manual.
New Certifications Tool
- Create and track Certifications for employee training.

We are continuing to develop exciting features, many of them requested through our Feature Request process. If you need help with the features highlighted here or with anything else in the program, please reach out to our support team.
Categories: Version Release Highlights, Your Software