OpenMolar is a free, open-source dental practice management program written by Neil Wallace, a UK dentist, for his own NHS and private practice in Inverness, Scotland. It covers patient records, dental charting, treatment plans, estimates and the appointment book. Anyone looking at an OpenMolar download today should know its status first: the author describes the project as mothballed, and the last release dates from 2017.
That makes OpenMolar interesting mainly for developers, students and IT-minded dentists who want to study a real, practice-tested dental system, or to fork it. It is not a safe choice for a new practice that needs updates, support and current regulatory forms.
OpenMolar at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Latest version | OpenMolar1 1.1.6 (8 June 2017); project mothballed since January 2018 |
| Licence | Free and open source, GNU GPL v3 |
| Platforms | Linux (Debian/Ubuntu were the main targets); Windows and macOS only by building from source; needs a MySQL or MariaDB server |
| Developer | Neil Wallace (Academy Dental Practice, Inverness) |
| Official website | openmolar.com |
| Best for | Developers and enthusiasts studying or forking an open-source dental practice system |
What it does
- Separate “surgery” and “reception” start screens, each showing the information that role needs first.
- Patient search by record number or any combination of surname, forename, phone, address or postcode, with optional sound-alike (soundex) matching.
- Tooth chart in three rows: current state, treatment plan and completed treatment.
- Periodontal charts and CPITN score display on the clinician’s screen.
- Treatment plans costed from searchable fee scales, with printable estimates.
- Appointment book that shows free slots graphically and can search across several dentists.
- Clinical notes, exam and treatment wizards, letters, receipts and NHS form printing; important documents stored in the database as PDFs.
How dental teams use it
Try it on a test machine
On a Linux test computer, install MariaDB (or MySQL), then Python 3, PyQt5 and the MySQL client library for Python. Build and install OpenMolar from the source release, start it and let it create a new database. Enter a few test patients, chart existing restorations and build a treatment plan to see how the three-row chart and estimates work.
Study a real practice workflow
Because the program ran a busy mixed NHS and private practice daily until January 2017, its reception and surgery screens are a useful reference for anyone designing dental software: note how the surgery screen puts the chart, last X-ray dates, recent notes and outstanding treatment on one page.
Fork or adapt the code
The source code is on GitHub (rowinggolfer/openmolar1) under the GPL v3. A developer can adapt fee scales, forms and language files for another practice, as long as changes stay under the same licence.
Install and first run
- Linux: the author used to provide Debian and Ubuntu repositories, and Debian 9 “stretch” shipped OpenMolar 1.0.15. Current Debian and Ubuntu releases no longer include it, so on a modern system you build from source.
- From source: install Python 3, PyQt5 (including QScintilla, SVG and WebKit or WebEngine components) and mysqlclient, plus a MySQL or MariaDB server; then install with the included setup script and read INSTALL.txt.
- Windows: the source includes INSTALL_WINDOWS.txt with the same dependencies; the author notes the code should run on Windows and macOS “in theory”.
- Gotchas: note the database root password you set, because OpenMolar needs it to create its database; old Qt WebKit dependencies may be missing on recent distributions.
Limitations
- Mothballed: no releases since June 2017, no active maintenance and no support.
- Built around one Scottish practice; the author himself warns it is probably not the right solution for other practices.
- NHS forms and fee scales reflect that practice and period, not current NHS rules; other countries’ billing is not covered.
- OpenMolar2, the planned PostgreSQL rewrite, is described by the author as effectively dead.
OpenMolar vs alternatives
Open Dental is an actively developed dental practice system, but it is shareware (conditionally free) and runs on Windows. GNU Health is free and maintained and includes a dentistry package with an odontogram, though inside a full hospital system. OpenEMR is free and active but has no dental chart.
FAQ
Is OpenMolar free?
Yes. OpenMolar is free and open source under the GNU GPL v3.
Is OpenMolar still maintained?
No. The last release, 1.1.6, came out in June 2017, and the author marked the project as mothballed in January 2018.
Where can I get an OpenMolar download?
Source releases and installation notes are listed on openmolar.com, and the code is on GitHub. Current Debian and Ubuntu versions no longer package it.
Does OpenMolar run on Windows or Mac?
Only by installing Python 3, PyQt5 and the database libraries and running it from source. Linux was the main platform.
What is the difference between OpenMolar1 and OpenMolar2?
OpenMolar1 is the Python 3/Qt5 application with a MySQL/MariaDB backend that ran in a real practice. OpenMolar2 was a PostgreSQL rewrite that was never completed.
Is OpenMolar suitable for a new dental practice?
Generally not: it is unmaintained and tailored to one UK practice. Use it for evaluation or development, and choose a maintained system for patient care.
Last checked against official sources: 26 September 2026 (developer website: openmolar.com). Versions and licence terms change — confirm on the developer's site before deploying in a clinic.
