Short answer: for opening and measuring dental CBCT or panoramic exports, the free Sante DICOM Viewer Lite already does the job. Pro is for the person who has to prepare studies: anonymise them, edit DICOM tags, burn patient discs or run a small DICOM server. Facts below were checked against Santesoft’s own pages on 5 November 2026. Not tested yet by us; this is a documentation comparison.
This comparison is for clinic IT staff, dentists and students who received a scan on a disc or USB stick and want to know whether the free tool is enough. Both editions come from Santesoft and are general DICOM viewers, not dental planning software. Our catalogue page for the family is Sante DICOM Viewer Lite.
Lite vs Pro at a glance
| Criterion | Lite (Windows) | Pro (Windows) |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | Free. May be installed on any number of computers by anyone; professionals may hand it to patients | Shareware (conditionally free): free demo, then a paid perpetual licence |
| Version checked 5 Nov 2026 | 5.4.0 (28 Sep 2026) | 14.5.0 (29 Sep 2026) |
| Open DICOM, DICOMDIR, CD/DVD | Yes, via File > Open DICOM CD/DVD | Yes, plus creating and editing DICOMDIRs |
| MPR and 3D (isosurface, volume rendering, MIP) | Yes | Yes |
| Distance, angle, area, volume, ROI statistics | Yes | Yes |
| PACS client (C-FIND, C-MOVE, C-STORE, C-GET, C-ECHO) | Yes | Yes, plus TLS and use as a mini PACS server |
| Anonymisation | No | Yes, including batch mode |
| DICOM file editing | No | Yes |
| Burn patient CD/DVD with a viewer | No | Yes |
| DICOM printing, PDF reports attached to studies, command-line switches | No | Yes |
| Operating system | Windows 10/11 64-bit, Windows Server 2016–2025 | Windows 10/11, Windows Server 2016–2025 |
What the free Lite edition covers
Santesoft states that Lite contains the core viewing capabilities of Pro and leaves out only the post-processing functions. For reading an outside scan that means:
- orthogonal multi-planar reconstruction (axial, coronal, sagittal) of a CBCT volume;
- 3D models by isosurface, volume rendering and maximum intensity projection, with a half-scale option for weaker PCs;
- distance, angle, polyline, area and volume tools and ROI statistics;
- side-by-side comparison of studies or series, and dual-monitor support;
- a built-in SQLite database, a migration tool for studies kept in other viewers, and batch conversion to JPEG, TIFF, BMP or PNG;
- a PACS client with the standard DICOM network services.
Measurements use the pixel spacing stored in the file, so they are only as good as the export. There is no panoramic curve along the arch, no nerve tracing and no implant library; for planning, look at dental software such as OnDemand3D.
Task: opening a CBCT disc from another practice
Use Lite. Install it, insert the disc, choose File > Open DICOM CD/DVD so the program reads the disc index, then open the volume in MPR mode. Santesoft’s minimum requirements for Lite are Windows 10/11 64-bit, an Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 class processor, 8 GB RAM (16 GB for large ultrasound files) and 100 MB of disk space. Large CBCT volumes in 3D mode run better with more memory than the minimum. If the disc carries a vendor viewer instead of plain DICOM files, see Open a Dental X-Ray or CBCT Disc: Vendor Guide.
Task: sending a case to a colleague or using it in a lecture
This is where Pro earns its place. Lite has no anonymiser, so patient names stay in the DICOM tags. Pro adds de-identification (batch mode, optional new study, series and SOP instance UIDs, removal of burned-in annotations) and a DICOM file editor. The vendor says its anonymiser helps with GDPR issues; whether a given dataset is legally anonymous is a decision for your privacy officer, not the software.
Task: giving the patient a disc or USB copy
Burning a disc that carries its own viewer for Windows and macOS is a Pro function; Pro also supports Epson and Primera disc publishers. If you only need a viewer to put next to exported files, Santesoft has a separate free product, Sante DICOM Viewer CD/DVD (version 6.0.6, 5 November 2026), made for distribution on discs, USB drives or SD cards on Windows and macOS. Santesoft notes it has no DICOM network services, so it cannot act as a PACS client. Lite’s licence also lets a professional give the program to patients.
Task: running a small DICOM node
Both editions can send and receive studies as a PACS client. Only Pro’s page lists use as a mini PACS server, TLS for network connections and OHIF viewer support. For a clinic that wants a real archive, a dedicated server product is a better fit than a desktop viewer; compare options in Dental DICOM viewers and PACS.
Mac users
The macOS line is separate. Sante DICOM Viewer Lite for macOS (2.3.0, 12 October 2026) is free; its paid counterpart, Sante DICOM Viewer Mac (3.4.0, 12 October 2026), adds file editing, disc creation, anonymisation, DICOM printing and PDF attachments according to Santesoft. The 3D model tools are listed under the Windows products, so do not assume 3D parity on Mac. There is no Linux build.
Limitations
- Neither edition is dental planning software: no implant library, nerve canal tool or surgical guides.
- Santesoft’s pages do not state FDA or CE clearance for the viewers; check local rules before using any viewer for primary diagnosis.
- Current Lite for Windows is 64-bit only.
- Pro’s demo is time-limited and the full licence is paid; the terms are on Santesoft’s site and can change, so we do not quote them.
- Free alternatives with other trade-offs: K-PACS (Windows, evaluation and non-commercial use) and Mango (research use only, not for clinical work).
Which one should you use
- Dentist or front desk reading outside CBCT scans: Lite.
- Patient who just needs to view their disc: Lite or the CD/DVD viewer.
- Clinic that shares cases for teaching, research or second opinions: Pro, for anonymisation and editing.
- Clinic that burns discs for patients: Pro.
- Mac-only clinic: Lite for macOS first; the paid Mac edition only if you need the same extras.
A sensible setup: install Lite on every workstation and add Pro on the one machine that prepares exports.
FAQ
Is Sante DICOM Viewer free?
Lite for Windows, Lite for macOS and the CD/DVD viewer are free. Pro and Sante DICOM Viewer Mac are shareware (conditionally free): a free demo, then a paid licence.
What is the difference between Sante DICOM Viewer Lite and Pro?
Lite is for viewing, measuring and comparing. Pro adds anonymisation, DICOM editing, disc burning, DICOM printing, PDF attachments, command-line switches and mini PACS server use.
Does Sante DICOM Viewer Lite work on Mac?
Yes, as a separate free product, Sante DICOM Viewer Lite for macOS. Its features and version numbers differ from the Windows edition.
Is there a 32-bit or portable version of Sante DICOM Viewer Lite?
Santesoft’s current Lite page lists only 64-bit Windows 10/11 and Windows Server. We found no portable edition on the official site.
Can Lite burn a DICOM CD for a patient?
No. Disc creation is a Pro feature. The free CD/DVD viewer is meant to be placed on discs or USB media prepared with other software.
Can I use it for diagnosis?
The vendor pages do not state FDA or CE clearance. Treat it as a general image viewer and check your local regulations.
Last updated: 5 November 2026 · SoftProDents editorial team. Licence, version and platform details are checked against each developer's official documentation; none of the tools listed here should be treated as a certified medical device unless its vendor says so.
