Software
GIMP (Medical Plugins)
GIMP — Medical Plugins for Dental Imaging GIMP is best known as a free and open-source image editor, often compared to Photoshop. With medical plugins, however, it can be adapted for use in healthcare, including dental imaging. Dentists and researchers sometimes use GIMP to enhance X-rays, annotate CBCT slices, or prepare images for teaching and reporting. Because it is lightweight and runs on almost any workstation, GIMP with plugins is often found in universities and clinics as a cost-free sol
CloudCompare
CloudCompare — Point Cloud and Mesh Analysis in Dental Workflows CloudCompare is an open-source 3D point cloud and mesh processing tool. While it was originally created for geospatial data and engineering, it has also found a place in dental research and labs. Its strength lies in comparing 3D datasets — for example, checking changes in dental scans over time, aligning different scans of the same patient, or analyzing precision of 3D printed models against original CBCT or intraoral data. Unlike
MeshLab
MeshLab — Everyday Tool for Cleaning Dental 3D Scans MeshLab is one of those small but essential programs you often see in digital dentistry labs. It’s open-source, free, and focused on a single task: fixing and preparing 3D meshes. Scanners don’t always produce perfect files — sometimes there are holes, rough edges, or extra noise in the geometry. MeshLab lets technicians smooth, repair, and simplify those files so they’re ready for CAD software or 3D printing. It doesn’t try to be a full CAD s
Blender (Dental add-ons)
Blender — 3D Modeling with Dental Add-ons Blender is best known in the world of animation and 3D design, but with the right add-ons it has also found its way into dental workflows. Thanks to plugins like Blender for Dental and other community tools, labs and clinics can use it to model prosthetics, aligners, and surgical guides. Its strong point is visualization — Blender handles meshes and rendering at a level beyond most dental-specific CAD tools. Because it’s free and open-source, it is widel
FreeCAD (Dental Workbench)
FreeCAD — Dental Workbench in Everyday Use FreeCAD by itself is a general CAD program, but with the Dental Workbench add-on it turns into something much closer to dental CAD/CAM. The main idea is simple: load a scan from an intraoral scanner or CBCT, align it, model a crown or surgical guide, and export the result to STL for printing. It doesn’t try to compete head-to-head with commercial software like Exocad, but in universities and smaller labs it has its niche. Many teams use it as a teaching
Care2x
Care2x — Integrated Hospital Information System with Dental Support Care2x is an older but still relevant open-source hospital information system. It was designed to unify different hospital departments under a single software platform: patient administration, billing, labs, pharmacy, and clinical modules. Because of its modular structure, some clinics have extended it with basic dental records, making it a low-cost option for institutions that want one system across all departments, including d
OpenDentistry Project
OpenDentistry Project — Open-Source Dental Practice Management OpenDentistry Project is an open-source initiative focused specifically on dental practice management. Unlike general EMR platforms that add dental modules later, OpenDentistry was designed with dentistry in mind from the beginning. It covers the everyday needs of dental clinics — patient records, scheduling, billing, and treatment charting — and remains lightweight enough to be used in smaller offices as well as in academic environm
Bahmni
Bahmni — Open-Source Hospital Platform Used in Dentistry Bahmni is not a typical EMR. It was built as a complete hospital platform, combining electronic records, billing, lab work, and pharmacy into one system. At its core it runs on OpenMRS for patient records, OpenELIS for labs, and Odoo for billing and inventory. What sets it apart is flexibility — clinics can add their own forms and workflows, so dental departments often adapt Bahmni to cover charting, treatment histories, and even integrati
Oscar EMR
Oscar EMR — Open-Source Records with Academic Roots Oscar EMR began as a university research project in Canada and never lost that academic DNA. Instead of being a polished commercial package, it grew as a community tool shaped by hospitals, clinics, and researchers. That history makes it different: modular, open, and adaptable to very specific needs. It is widely used in general healthcare, but in many teaching hospitals and multi-specialty clinics, dental departments also rely on it because ev
Chikitsa
Chikitsa — Simple Practice Management for Small Clinics Chikitsa is an open-source practice management system that keeps things straightforward. It was built for small healthcare providers, but dental clinics often find it useful because of its light footprint and built-in patient modules. Unlike heavy EMR suites, it doesn’t try to cover everything — instead, it handles the basics: patients, appointments, billing, and treatment notes. For a dental office that just wants to keep records tidy with
FreeMED
FreeMED — Open-Source EMR Adaptable for Dentistry FreeMED has been around for a long time in the open-source healthcare space. It was never meant to be a polished, out-of-the-box commercial product — instead, it’s a framework that clinics can shape to their own needs. The system runs on a web server and delivers medical records through a browser, which means it works across different operating systems without special client software. While the core modules are aimed at general medicine, many tea
RasMol
RasMol — Classic Molecular Viewer Still in Use RasMol has been around for decades, and despite its age, it’s still found in labs and classrooms. It was originally created for chemistry and biology, but dental schools and research teams sometimes keep it in their toolkit. The reason is simple: RasMol can open molecular structures instantly, even on an older PC, and show how proteins, minerals, or biomaterials look in 3D. For dentistry this is useful when exploring the structure of enamel proteins
AnatoScope
AnatoScope — Creating Patient-Specific Digital Twins AnatoScope is closer to a clinical platform than to a simple viewer. At its core, it builds detailed digital twins of teeth and jaws using data from CBCT scans and intraoral impressions. The point is not only to look at images but to work with them as accurate models. In practice, this means orthodontists can test treatment options virtually, prosthodontists can design restorations that match the patient’s anatomy, and surgeons can walk throug
BoneBox Dental Lite
BoneBox Dental Lite — Interactive 3D Learning App BoneBox Dental Lite is a teaching tool built around interactive 3D models of teeth and jaw anatomy. It isn’t meant for diagnostics or clinical use, but for education. Students can rotate models, zoom in, peel away layers, and see labeled structures in real time. Because it runs smoothly even on tablets and regular laptops, it has become a popular choice in classrooms and for self-study. The “Lite” version provides a core set of models, enough for
Dental Anatomy 3D (Free edition)
Dental Anatomy 3D (Free Edition) — Learning Tool for Oral Structures Dental Anatomy 3D (Free Edition) is a lightweight program made for teaching and studying dental anatomy. Instead of processing scans, it comes with ready-made 3D models of teeth, jaws, and nerves. The idea is simple: give students and educators a way to explore structures in three dimensions, rotate them, hide or show layers, and get a clear view of how everything fits together. Because it doesn’t need heavy hardware or complex
Odontoview
Odontoview — Digital Viewer for Dental Imaging Odontoview is a specialized software built for viewing and analyzing dental images. Unlike general-purpose DICOM viewers, it is tuned for dental workflows, allowing users to inspect panoramic X-rays, CBCT volumes, and intraoral scans in a single environment. Its main advantage lies in simplicity: it offers clinicians and researchers a reliable way to navigate dental datasets without the overhead of larger medical imaging platforms. Technical Profile
ToothMorph
ToothMorph — Focused Tool for Tooth Shape Studies ToothMorph is not a general 3D viewer but a niche program created for one purpose: exploring and measuring dental morphology. It works with surface models of teeth, allowing researchers and educators to inspect fine details that standard imaging platforms usually leave untouched. Because it deals with ready 3D meshes rather than raw scans, it fits naturally into research workflows where accuracy of measurements and comparisons is more important t
VolView
VolView — Interactive Visualization for Dental Imaging VolView is an open-source volume visualization platform originally developed by Kitware, the creators of ITK and VTK. It is designed for interactive exploration of 3D medical datasets, including CT and CBCT scans commonly used in dentistry. Unlike heavy planning suites, VolView focuses on fast rendering and intuitive navigation, making it a reliable choice for workstations in clinics, research labs, and teaching environments. Its ability to
Seg3D
Seg3D — Practical Segmentation for Dental Imaging Seg3D is an open-source program developed at the SCI Institute (University of Utah) and is widely used for working with CT and CBCT scans. In dentistry, it often serves as a middle layer between the scanner and downstream tools: the software helps isolate bone structures, teeth, or regions of interest, and then exports them into formats suitable for CAD/CAM systems or 3D printers. It is not overloaded with features — and that makes it a practical
ITK-SNAP
ITK-SNAP ITK-SNAP is an open-source program built mainly for segmentation. Unlike universal DICOM viewers, it doesn’t try to do everything — it focuses on marking regions of interest inside medical scans. In dentistry, that often means isolating jaws, nerves, or pathologies from CBCT data before a surgical case is planned.
The software is popular in universities and research labs, since it combines automatic tools with manual fine-tuning. A typical workflow might be: import a CBCT study, let th
InVesalius
InVesalius InVesalius is an open-source program from Brazil that dentists and researchers use when they need quick 3D reconstructions from CT or CBCT scans. It doesn’t try to compete with high-end surgical planning software, but it does the basics very well: load a DICOM study, generate a 3D model, export it to STL, and you’re ready for CAD/CAM or printing.
Clinics usually install it on a side workstation to review scans or explain treatment plans to patients. Universities like it because it’s
BlueSkyPlan Community Edition
BlueSkyPlan Community Edition BlueSkyPlan is a surgical planning software widely used in implantology. The Community Edition is a free version that provides many of the core functions needed for treatment planning, especially in dental practices that are beginning to explore digital workflows. While commercial editions add advanced modules, the Community version already covers CBCT import, implant placement planning, and the creation of surgical guides.
For administrators and clinicians, this e
3D Slicer (Dental Extensions)
3D Slicer (Dental Extensions) 3D Slicer started as a research tool for medical image analysis, but over the years it has grown into one of the most widely used open-source platforms for 3D visualization in healthcare. With the right extensions, it turns into a capable dental imaging workstation. Clinics and labs use it to read CBCT scans, separate teeth and jaw structures, plan implants, and even prepare files for 3D-printed surgical guides.
The key difference from commercial planning systems i
Ginkgo CADx
Ginkgo CADx Ginkgo CADx is an open-source DICOM viewer that works across Windows, Linux, and macOS. It was created to give clinics a vendor-neutral option for handling medical imaging while still being cleared for diagnostic use — the project has both FDA and CE certification, which makes it unusual among free viewers. For dental practices, this means CBCT and panoramic scans can be reviewed on everyday computers without depending on expensive vendor software.
What administrators often highligh
Horos (macOS)
Horos (macOS) Horos is a free DICOM viewer built for macOS. It was forked from the OsiriX project years ago and, since then, has become a go-to option for many clinics and universities that prefer Apple systems. The main reason it caught on is simple: it combines the features expected from a professional viewer with the freedom of open-source licensing. No dongles, no activation keys — just install it and start working.
Dental practices tend to use Horos for reviewing panoramic images and CBCT
RadiAnt DICOM Viewer (Free Trial)
RadiAnt DICOM Viewer (Free Trial) RadiAnt DICOM Viewer is a lightweight, commercial medical imaging viewer that offers a free trial edition. It is widely known in dental and radiology practices for its speed and simple interface. Unlike heavy PACS clients or vendor-specific tools, RadiAnt focuses on delivering fast image rendering and responsive navigation, even on modest hardware.
For administrators, the free trial edition is often used to evaluate whether the tool fits clinic workflows before
Weasis DICOM Viewer
Weasis DICOM Viewer Weasis is an open-source DICOM viewer that has quietly become a standard tool in many hospitals, universities, and even dental clinics. Its main advantage is that it is not tied to a single vendor — it can open almost any DICOM study, connect directly to PACS servers, and run on different operating systems without license fees.
In dental IT environments, it often fills the gap when CBCT scans or panoramic images need to be viewed outside the proprietary software shipped with
EasyDent Free Tools
EasyDent Free Tools EasyDent Free Tools is a vendor-supplied utility set designed for handling dental radiographs and images from compatible X-ray units. Unlike full-featured imaging suites that require licenses and dedicated servers, this package focuses on the basics: viewing, storing, and sharing captured images. It is lightweight, easy to install, and often used in small dental practices or as a side tool in larger clinics that already rely on vendor-specific hardware.
From the IT side, Eas
Planmeca Romexis Viewer Free
Planmeca Romexis Viewer Free Planmeca Romexis Viewer Free is a utility distributed by Planmeca for opening dental images and 3D scans without the need for a licensed workstation. Its main role is straightforward: give clinicians, specialists, and even patients a way to review radiographs, panoramas, and CBCT studies on an ordinary computer. The software is free to install and is often bundled on USB drives or DVDs along with patient imaging data, so anyone involved in treatment planning can view
ClinicCases
ClinicCases ClinicCases is an open-source case and practice management tool originally developed for educational programs but later adopted by small medical and dental practices. It brings together patient files, clinical notes, appointments, and billing in one lightweight system. The platform is intentionally simple, making it attractive to organizations that need structured record-keeping without the complexity of enterprise EMR solutions. Because it runs on common web technologies, it can be
OpenEMR
OpenEMR OpenEMR has become one of the most recognizable open-source systems for electronic medical records and practice management. While it was designed to handle a wide range of clinical tasks, dental care is not left aside: the platform includes charting, scheduling, billing, and prescription tools that can be adapted to dentistry. What makes it stand out is its breadth — it isn’t just a dental tool, it is a full healthcare platform where oral health records sit next to lab results or general
MedinTux
MedinTux MedinTux is an open-source medical information system developed in France, designed to cover a broad range of clinical needs, including dentistry. Unlike specialized dental-only platforms, MedinTux offers a modular architecture: physicians, dentists, and other practitioners can work within the same system while maintaining discipline-specific tools. This integration makes it suitable for small hospitals, multi-specialty clinics, and community health centers where dental care is part of
GNU Health (Dental Module)
GNU Health (Dental Module) GNU Health is best known as a hospital and health information system, but its modular design means it can be extended into many areas of care. The dental module is one of those extensions. Instead of running a separate program just for dentistry, clinics and hospitals can manage oral health records within the same system that already holds medical charts, lab results, and prescriptions. For administrators, this approach reduces silos: one database, one security model,
OpenMolar
OpenMolar OpenMolar is an open-source dental practice management system created to serve small and medium-sized dental clinics. Built originally in Python with a PostgreSQL backend, it focuses on providing core functionality without the overhead of commercial products. The system is lightweight, adaptable, and particularly valued in academic and community health environments where budgets are limited but structured patient records are still essential. Core Characteristics
Open Dental (Demo/Trial)
Open Dental (Demo/Trial) Open Dental is an open-source practice management platform that has steadily gained ground in dental clinics of different sizes. Unlike closed commercial systems that lock organizations into rigid licensing, it remains transparent and adaptable. For administrators responsible for clinical IT infrastructure, that flexibility matters: the software can be tuned to fit local workflows, comply with regulations, and integrate with existing imaging or billing systems. The demo/