specification: API Commons Plans
specificationVersion: '0.1'
schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/interface-research/main/schema/api-commons.yml#/$defs/Plans
provider: Open Dental
providerId: opendental
created: '2026-07-03'
modified: '2026-07-03'
reconciled: false
tags:
- Dental
- Practice Management
- Healthcare
- REST
- Plans
description: >-
  Open Dental's REST API is not a self-serve, publicly-priced product. Access
  is gated: a developer requests a Developer Key from Open Dental Vendor
  Relations (vendor.relations@opendental.com) describing the application they
  intend to build, and each Open Dental customer whose data will be accessed
  must have a Customer Key enabled. API access is billed per location, and a key
  must be assigned and enabled before charges apply - billing stops
  automatically when a key is disabled. Open Dental does not publish specific
  dollar amounts for API access on its public site and directs high-volume
  developers to contact support to discuss pricing. Open Dental also offers a
  Local API and API Service that run at the practice's own workstations against
  the on-premises program; those are not routed through Open Dental's servers.
notes: >-
  Exact per-location API fees are not published publicly and are not reconciled
  here. A free test database with test credentials is available to developers.
  Verify current pricing directly with Open Dental. This is separate from Open
  Dental's core practice-management software licensing/support fees.
sources:
- https://www.opendental.com/site/apispecification.html
- https://www.opendental.com/site/apisetup.html
- https://www.opendental.com/site/apifees.html
- https://www.opendental.com/site/apideveloperportal.html
plans:
- id: opendental-api-developer
  name: API Access (Per Location)
  type: paid
  description: >-
    Approved third-party access to a customer's Open Dental data via the
    cloud-hosted REST API. Requires an Open Dental-issued Developer Key plus an
    enabled per-customer Customer Key. Billed per location; billing begins when
    a key is enabled and stops when it is disabled.
  entries:
  - label: Per-Location API Access
    name: per_location_api
    type: flat
    metric: location
    limit: -1
    timeFrame: month
    geo: global
    unit: 1
    price: per-location fee (contact Open Dental; not publicly published)
    userMultiplied: true
  elements:
  - name: Cloud-Hosted REST API
  - name: Developer Key + Customer Key Auth
  - name: 130+ Resource Groups
  - name: Permission-Scoped Access
- id: opendental-local-api
  name: Local API / API Service
  type: paid
  description: >-
    Requests made at the dental office workstation directly against the running
    Open Dental program (Local API) or the API Service, without traveling
    through Open Dental's servers. Not throttled by Open Dental's cloud limits.
  entries:
  - label: Local API Usage
    name: local_api
    type: flat
    metric: location
    limit: -1
    timeFrame: month
    geo: global
    unit: 1
    price: contact Open Dental (not publicly published)
    userMultiplied: true
  elements:
  - name: On-Premises Access
  - name: No Cloud Throttling
  - name: Same Resource Surface
- id: opendental-api-test
  name: Developer Test Database
  type: free
  description: >-
    Free shared test database and test credentials that developers use to build
    and validate against the same base URL before going live with a customer.
  entries:
  - label: Test Database Access
    name: test_db
    type: usage
    metric: requests
    limit: -1
    timeFrame: month
    geo: global
    unit: 1
    price: free (test/sandbox)
    userMultiplied: false
  elements:
  - name: Shared Test Data
  - name: Same Base URL
  - name: Evaluation Only
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com