Open Dental DEXIS Bridge: How the Link Works

Open Dental connects to DEXIS through a “bridge”: a button in the patient chart that starts DEXIS on the same patient. The bridge passes patient details, not images, so the images stay in the DEXIS database. This guide explains how the two Open Dental DEXIS links work, how to set each one up, and why the most common failure, a mismatch of patient IDs, happens. Sources are the Open Dental manual pages and the DEXIS product page, checked on 15 October 2026. Status: Not tested yet. We have read the documentation; we have not run this bridge on a clinic network.

The short answer: Open Dental lists two DEXIS links, Dexis and Dexis Integrator. Both are enabled in Setup → Program Links. For both, the patient number in Open Dental and in DEXIS must be the same, so check that before the first exposure.

Two links, two jobs

The software behind both is DEXIS Imaging Suite, a Windows program from DEXIS (Envista Holdings). It is commercial software; DEXIS has offered a free viewer for .dex images, and our program page explains the licence wording (shareware, conditionally free). The DEXIS product page names DEXintegrator as the component that links the suite to major practice management programs.

Set up the Dexis link

1. In Open Dental go to Main Menu → Setup → Program Links and double-click Dexis.
2. Tick Enabled.
3. Check Path of file to open. Open Dental’s example is C:DEXISDEXIS.EXE; use the real location of DEXIS on your computer.
4. Double-click Additional Properties. The patient ID property takes 0 for PatNum or 1 for ChartNum. The InfoFile path must be a full file path.
5. Choose the toolbars that get the button and type the button text. An optional 22 × 22 pixel image can be imported. With several clinics, “Hide Button for Clinics” removes the button where it is not needed.
6. Click Save.

When you click the button, Open Dental writes a small text file with the patient number, last name, first name, birthdate and sex, then starts DEXIS and passes the file name on the command line. Only the patient number is required. The manual does not say that images travel through this link.

Set up the Dexis Integrator link

This link is built for setups where Open Dental runs remotely. Open Dental sends the selected patient to the DEXIS Integrator App, which starts DEXIS on the local PC; the manual says the RDP session minimises while local DEXIS is open and returns when DEXIS closes.

1. In Setup → Program Links, double-click Dexis Integrator and tick Enabled.
2. Open Additional Properties. Set the patient ID (0 = PatNum, 1 = ChartNum) and the transfer method (0 = DDE, the default; 1 = communication file).
3. If you choose the communication file, set the folder path. Open Dental says it should be on a local hard disk, and both programs use the same folder.
4. For the communication file, the Integra.ini file is edited during integrator installation. Open Dental lists pms=Open Dental, a path value ending in Patient_<Station>.txt, and link=dexfil. The station name must match the name the integrator determines.
5. Add the toolbar button and save, as above.

The integrator itself comes from DEXIS, so ask DEXIS support or your dealer for the installation steps; the Open Dental page does not cover troubleshooting.

Why patient IDs must match

Open Dental explains that DEXIS most likely organises its records by patient number, because the number is the only required field in the data it sends. So the number in DEXIS must equal the PatNum (or ChartNum) in Open Dental.

• New office, no DEXIS patients yet: nothing to fix. Create patients in Open Dental first and the numbers follow.
• Existing DEXIS patients: their IDs must be changed to match Open Dental.
• After a data conversion: the IDs may no longer match. Open Dental’s Conversions Department can assess whether renumbering is needed, and the assessment requires DEXIS version 10 or newer on SQL Server, plus an identifiable link between the same patient in both systems.
• Who renumbers: both Open Dental and DEXIS can do it, and the pages say it may involve a fee. The two Open Dental pages describe the DEXIS charge differently, so confirm current terms with DEXIS directly. We do not quote prices.

When the button does not work

The Open Dental page for the plain Dexis link lists these checks:

• “Could not access C:DEXISDEXIS.EXE”: DEXIS may not be installed at that path. Fix the path in the link.
• Folder permissions: the InfoFile default location is C:Program FilesOpen Dental, which may block the write. Leaving the InfoFile path blank may help, or move the file to a location such as C:ProgramDataDexis.
• Run as administrator: running Open Dental as administrator may be required. The Program Links page says this can be made permanent on the Compatibility tab of the program’s Properties.
• Open Dental Cloud: the bridge may not launch and shows no error. The InfoFile path is normally C:TempInfoFile.txt and cannot be blank.

The Program Links page also notes that remote desktop users can pass the launch command to the local computer with Remote Executer, and recommends a Business Associate Agreement with a third party before enabling any link.

Limitations

• Not tested yet: this guide summarises Open Dental’s manual and the DEXIS product page.
• The bridge opens the right patient; it does not move or convert images.
• The two Integrator pages we found point to different vendor sites (kavo.com and dexis.com), so check the current Open Dental manual for your version.
• Bridges are version-specific. Write down your Open Dental, DEXIS and Windows versions before changing anything, and ask both vendors if the pair is supported.

For other imaging programs and other practice software, see Dental Imaging Bridges: What Links to Your PMS. If you run Sirona or Gendex hardware instead, compare Sidexis and VixWin, and see the DICOM viewers and PACS hub for viewers that open exported studies.

Official documentation: Open Dental, Dexis bridge, Open Dental, Dexis Integrator bridge, Open Dental, Program Links.

FAQ

Does Open Dental work with DEXIS?

Yes. Open Dental documents two DEXIS bridges, Dexis and Dexis Integrator, both enabled under Setup → Program Links. They open DEXIS on the selected patient.

What is the DEXIS Integrator?

A DEXIS component that links the imaging suite to practice management software. In Open Dental’s Integrator link, the selected patient is sent to the Integrator App, which launches DEXIS locally, typically when Open Dental is reached over RDP.

Why does the DEXIS Integrator not work?

Check the transfer method first: DDE is the default, and a communication file needs a local folder and a matching Integra.ini entry. Then check that the station name matches and that the patient IDs are identical in both systems. For installer problems, contact DEXIS.

Which patient ID does the bridge use?

You choose: 0 for PatNum or 1 for ChartNum in Additional Properties. Whichever you pick must be the number DEXIS stores.

Do I need to renumber patients in DEXIS?

Only if DEXIS already holds patients whose numbers differ from Open Dental, for example after a conversion. Open Dental’s Conversions Department can assess it for DEXIS 10 or newer.

Does the bridge send X-rays into Open Dental?

The manual describes only patient data going to DEXIS. It does not say that images are passed back.

Editorial team. Sources checked 15 October 2026.

Last updated: 15 October 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.