Sidexis 4 can connect to practice management software (PMS), but the connection is not built into Sidexis alone: it works only when the PMS vendor has built a matching interface. If you are searching for “Sidexis Dentrix integration” or “Sidexis Eaglesoft integration”, the honest answer is that it depends on your PMS, its version and your Sidexis version, and the proof has to come from the vendors, not from a forum post. This page explains what the connection actually does, what Dentsply Sirona documents, what the PMS vendors document, and how to check your own pair. Sources were checked on 19 October 2026. Status: Not tested yet — we have read the documentation; we have not run these links on a clinic network.
The short answer
- The interface is called SLIDA. Dentsply Sirona describes SLIDA (“Sidexis Link to Dental Applications”) as the interface that connects Sidexis 4 with practice management software. It needs a matching component on the PMS side.
- Dentsply Sirona says more than 200 practice management systems are connected to Sidexis 4 this way, and publishes a partner list.
- The partner list we found is old. The PDF is dated July 2017 and is mostly European names. It includes a line reading “Dentrix”, but the text layout does not make clear which column it belongs to, so we do not treat it as proof for current Dentrix versions.
- Dentrix’s own imaging page does not mention Sidexis. It describes Dentrix Imaging, which captures X-rays inside Dentrix and works with many sensors. Whether Sidexis 4 and your Dentrix version link is a question for Henry Schein One and Dentsply Sirona.
- Open Dental, Eaglesoft and Dentally document a Sidexis link. Details below.
What a Sidexis–PMS link does
According to Dentsply Sirona, the SLIDA connection can do four things:
- Patient sync. The patient created in the PMS is created in Sidexis 4, and later changes such as a new surname carry over, so staff do not enter the patient twice.
- One-click X-ray request. From the PMS you send the patient to Sidexis 4, which registers the patient and prepares the X-ray unit for exposure.
- Billing confirmation. The PMS can receive a message that an image was taken.
- 2D image return. Acquired 2D images can be transferred to the PMS.
Not every PMS uses all four. A simple “bridge” only passes the patient and opens Sidexis; a full SLIDA integration does more. Which one you get is decided by the PMS vendor. Dentsply Sirona also lists other interfaces next to SLIDA, SIDIIN and SiTWAIN, which some older or smaller systems use.
The free Sidexis 4 Viewer on patient discs is a different thing: it cannot link to practice management software. If you only need to open an image someone sent you, read How to Open Sidexis Images Without Sidexis instead.
PMS by PMS: what the vendors document
| PMS | Sidexis link documented? | What the vendor says |
|---|---|---|
| Open Dental | Yes | Program link “Sirona Sidexis”; works with Sidexis 4 and Sidexis XG, which are separate products |
| Eaglesoft (Patterson) | Yes | Digital X-ray Link; XG bridge does not work with Eaglesoft 18 and later |
| Dentally | Yes | Sidexis 4 and Sidexis XG listed as supported imaging software for the Imaging Bridge |
| Dentrix | Unclear | Dentrix Imaging page does not name Sidexis; the 2017 SLIDA list has a “Dentrix” line |
Open Dental and Sidexis
Open Dental documents this link in Setup → Program Links, under “Sirona Sidexis”. The steps it lists are: tick Enabled, check that the “Path of file to open” points to the folder containing sifiledb.ini, enter 0 (PatNum) or 1 (ChartNum) as the patient ID in Additional Properties, and create a toolbar button.
The points that cause most trouble are in the same document:
- Birthdate is required. The patient needs a valid birthdate to launch the link, because Sidexis identifies patients mainly by full name and birthdate.
- Regional settings. Open Dental sends dates in dd.mm.yyyy form. Mixed Windows region and language settings across computers can create duplicate patients, especially for records typed in by hand in Sidexis.
- Sidexis 4 versus XG. They are different products. To use the latest Sidexis 4 update, change the file-to-open path to the Sidexis 4 executable.
- How it talks. Open Dental writes update, new-patient and autoselect entries to a communication file before starting Sidexis. For troubleshooting, Open Dental suggests pointing the link at a dummy file so you can read the ini file before Sidexis consumes it.
Eaglesoft and Sidexis
Patterson’s support article says the bridge applies to Eaglesoft with Sidexis XG and Sidexis 4, with an important limit: with Eaglesoft 18 and later, the Sidexis XG bridge does not function, because the interface was designed for Sidexis 4. Patterson also says the link is free of charge for anyone who buys a 3D Sirona device from Patterson, and that buyers from another vendor must purchase the Digital X-ray Link. It states that the bridge is not supported with Patterson Imaging. We do not list prices.
Dentally and Sidexis
Dentally’s help centre lists both Sidexis 4 and Sidexis XG under supported imaging software for its Imaging Bridge. The article we read does not say whether each entry works on PC only or also on Mac, so confirm with Dentally support if you use Mac workstations. Sidexis itself is Windows software.
Dentrix and Sidexis: what we can and cannot say
People ask for “Sidexis Dentrix integration” because Dentrix is common in the US and Sidexis ships with Orthophos, Axeos and Xios equipment. The documents we can verify do not settle it:
- Dentsply Sirona’s SLIDA partner list is a 2017 PDF; it has a “Dentrix” line, but we cannot tell the product or the supported Sidexis version from it.
- Henry Schein One’s current imaging page presents Dentrix Imaging, with plug and play for 150+ hardware devices and sensors and support for 2D, 3D, CBCT and CAD/CAM devices, but names no Sidexis bridge.
So if you run Dentrix and want Sidexis, ask both vendors in writing: which Dentrix version, which Sidexis 4 version, which functions (patient sync, X-ray request, image return), and who supports the link. For the general picture of bridges, see our dental imaging bridges matrix.
How to check a Sidexis–PMS link before you rely on it
- Write down the exact versions: PMS, Sidexis 4 (for example the 4.4 line) and Windows.
- Find the pair in the PMS vendor’s own document. A claim that only the imaging vendor makes is not enough, and vice versa.
- Decide which patient ID the two systems share. Mismatched IDs are the usual reason images land on the wrong record.
- Keep regional and language settings identical on all workstations.
- Test with a dummy patient: create it in the PMS, open Sidexis from the PMS, take or import one image, and check it is on the right record.
- Plan for leaving. Sidexis 4 can export to DICOM, and free tools on the DICOM viewers and PACS hub such as Sante DICOM Viewer can open exported studies.
Limitations
- Not tested yet: this page summarises vendor documentation.
- Vendor lists change with each release; some documents here are years old.
- Sidexis 4 itself is commercial and needs a licence, and Dentsply Sirona asks practices to install it with their dealer; the link to your PMS is set up separately with the PMS vendor.
- A dash in a vendor list does not prove a link is impossible; it means we found no current official document.
FAQ
Does Sidexis integrate with Dentrix?
We could not confirm it from current official pages. Dentsply Sirona’s 2017 SLIDA partner list has a “Dentrix” line, but Dentrix’s imaging page does not mention Sidexis. Ask Henry Schein One and Dentsply Sirona for your versions.
Does Sidexis work with Open Dental?
Yes. Open Dental documents a “Sirona Sidexis” program link, set up in Setup → Program Links, for both Sidexis 4 and Sidexis XG.
Does Sidexis work with Eaglesoft?
Patterson documents a Sidexis bridge. With Eaglesoft 18 and later it is designed for Sidexis 4, and the Sidexis XG bridge does not function.
What is SLIDA in Sidexis?
The interface Dentsply Sirona built to connect Sidexis 4 with practice management software: patient sync, X-ray request, billing confirmation and 2D image return, when the PMS supports them.
Why does Sidexis create duplicate patients?
Sidexis matches mainly on full name and birthdate. Open Dental warns that mixed regional and language settings on different computers can create duplicates.
Can the free Sidexis 4 Viewer connect to my PMS?
No. The viewer on patient discs is read-only and cannot link to practice management software.
Editorial team. Sources checked 19 October 2026.
Last updated: 19 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.
