Ensure network is configured to support TCP/IP protocol, with unique computer names and appropriate IP addressing.
Estimate 15 minutes per machine for base installation and configuration. The database upgrade on the server may take 15 minutes to 3 hours, depending on data size and system speed.
If migrating from old systems, coordinate with Eaglesoft or Patterson Dental for secure data conversion and migration.
Ensure backup devices are installed on the server for reliable, routine backups.
Set up appointment schedules, operatory layouts, insurance, billing parameters, and practice-specific defaults.
Test workflows such as patient management, scheduling, imaging, and claims submission.
Adjust user access and permissions based on needs as staff familiarize themselves with the system.
Eaglesoft dental practice management software is built with flexibility in mind, offering numerous customization options to allow dental offices to tailor the platform to their specific workflows, preferences, and business requirements. Here are key data points illustrating its configurable and personalized features:
Customizable Toolbars: Each workstation can have its own toolbar configuration. Users can add, remove, or rearrange toolbar buttons for quick access to frequently used features or functions.
Module-specific Customization: The toolbars and shortcuts can be customized separately in scheduling, clinical, and management modules.
Color Coding and Layouts: Appointment types and operatories can be color-coded, and views can be tailored for scheduling efficiency.
Practice Preferences: A wide range of practice management settings (appointment rules, alerts, notifications, defaults) can be adjusted in the Preferences menu. These can be set workstation-specific or copied across all office computers as needed.
Charting and Clinical Preferences: Customization of clinical chart displays, default progress notes, chart ledger views, and periodontal charting templates.
Customizable Document Templates: Users can create, edit, and save unlimited templates for statements, treatment plans, letters, and consent forms. The wording of appointment cards, treatment plan disclaimers, and signature lines can all be customized.
SmartDoc Preferences: Documents can be added, managed, and set up with custom signatures in the SmartDoc document manager. These settings are accessible across various modules.
Custom Reporting: Eaglesoft provides the ability to generate and modify custom reports for appointments, finances, claims, inventory, and more, enabling practices to access the data most relevant to them.
View Options: Providers and operatories can have custom scheduling views, including drag-and-drop scheduling, custom time slots, and appointment details display.
Multiple Confirmation Statuses: Appointment confirmation can be tailored with custom statuses (e.g., confirmed, left message, sent email, no answer).
Module Integration: Eaglesoft supports a modular structure, enabling practices to add or remove modules for imaging, insurance, billing, and third-party integrations to extend functionality as needs change.
CAESY® Patient Education Integration: Patient education presentations can be customized and linked directly to specific service codes for enhanced patient communication.
Customizable Forms: Medical history, intake, and consent forms can be tailored and set as default for the practice. Practices can create and import new form designs.
Patient Alerts and Privacy: Custom alerts with unique icons for patient communications and compliance needs.
Role-Based Access: Permissions and access levels can be customized for all user types, ensuring that staff can only access the tools and data necessary for their specific duties.
On-Site and Remote Training
Eaglesoft offers on-site training tailored to your practice’s specific needs, delivered by certified Patterson Technology Advisors.
Customized remote/web-based training is available and can be scheduled by contacting the Patterson support team. Sessions typically require a high-speed internet connection and telephone line and are available by the hour.
User Groups and Webinars
Patterson Dental facilitates Eaglesoft User Groups with certified trainers, covering practice-specific workflows and advanced topics. These include both upcoming live sessions and on-demand recorded webinars.
Topics range from daily operations to best practices in setting up various system features. Complimentary webinars are available for Eaglesoft Service Club members.
Interactive Video Tutorials and Online Resources
A robust library of tutorials and training videos is provided, covering everything from new user onboarding and schedule setup to advanced clinical charting.
Self-paced resources are accessible at any time, supporting staff as they learn or refresh specific tasks.
New customers can receive a complimentary pre-training consultation to assess needs and define a learning roadmap for their implementation.
Unlimited Phone and Live Chat Support
Service Club members have free and unlimited access to priority support via direct phone or live chat. Support staff are available during extended business hours. For non-members, support is available at an hourly fee.
Email and Remote Support
Unlimited email support is available. Remote diagnostics allow support representatives to connect directly to your system to troubleshoot and resolve issues in real time.
Extensive FAQs and Knowledgebase
Eaglesoft offers a searchable solution database, interactive FAQs, and an online support portal, providing 24/7 self-help access to common questions and best practices.
System Snapshot and Compliance Checker
Eaglesoft dental practice management software implements a comprehensive set of security measures to protect sensitive patient and business data. These controls are designed to address both regulatory requirements (such as HIPAA) and industry best practices for healthcare and financial information security.
AES-256 Encryption: Eaglesoft (version 21 and higher) supports AES-256 encryption for databases and log files, providing a high level of data protection for sensitive records.
Previous Versions: Earlier versions (17–20.1) offered simpler encryption, while advanced encryption became standard in more recent releases.
Encrypted Data in Transit: All data transmitted between Eaglesoft and external platforms, such as Eaglesoft Mobile or email, is protected using secure protocols like TLS (Transport Layer Security) and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). This covers mobile access, referrals, and HIPAA-compliant communications.
Role-Based Access: User permissions and access to features/data are customizable, allowing practices to control who can view, edit, or export sensitive information.
Strong Password Policies: Best practices recommend using complex passwords, auto-screen locks, and regular password changes to reduce unauthorized access risks.
Dedicated Servers: Offices are encouraged to use dedicated computers for servers or for Eaglesoft Mobile, separating data access from everyday use and limiting the attack surface.
Firewalls and Antivirus: Use of commercial firewalls and antivirus solutions is advised to block malicious traffic and protect against malware.
Physical Security: Physical access to server hardware should be restricted to trusted personnel, with policies to secure devices after hours.
Regular Backups: Eaglesoft recommends consistent backup routines, including offsite or cloud-based storage solutions to enable rapid restoration in case of data loss or disaster.
Automated Solutions: Integration with platforms like PattLock enables HIPAA-compliant, real-time backup and recovery services.
Regulatory Compliance: Eaglesoft is designed to align with HIPAA requirements, safeguarding electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI) through both administrative and technical controls.
Activity Logging: The system maintains detailed user activity logs (audit trails), tracking who accessed or modified data, which supports compliance and incident investigations.
Secure Messaging & Email: Outbound communications (such as patient referrals or claims) can be routed through encrypted channels, with support for HIPAA-compliant secure email integrations.
TLS/SSL for Web Access: All web-based access to Eaglesoft data uses HTTPS, protecting information from interception.
Ongoing Patching: Eaglesoft regularly releases software updates and security patches to address newly discovered vulnerabilities, maintain encryption strength, and meet evolving compliance standards.
Major Releases: Eaglesoft periodically releases major software updates, introducing new features, improvements, and security enhancements. Examples include significant upgrades such as versions 22.00, 24.00, and 24.20.
Security and Integration Updates: Updates may also be issued in response to industry changes, hardware compatibility, or integration enhancements (such as the introduction of new sensor compatibility or AI solutions).
No Strict Schedule: While major updates are publicized, there is no rigid fixed cycle (like monthly or quarterly); releases are driven by product development and customer needs.
Patterson Auto Update (PAU): Eaglesoft uses the Patterson Auto Update system. This allows practices to configure how often (daily or weekly) Eaglesoft checks for available updates online. When a new update is identified, users receive a pop-up notification, and updates can be downloaded directly to a designated “Portal” machine and distributed to other computers in the practice.
Users can choose when their system checks for updates (daily or weekly) and schedule the exact time for installation, such as after business hours, to avoid workflow disruptions.
Upgrade Procedure:
Practices are advised to perform upgrades outside of patient care hours, and to ensure all backups are current before starting.
Compatibility (especially with digital imaging and third-party integrations) is checked before installation of a new version.
The update process involves first upgrading the server, then each workstation in the office.
Major upgrades require a valid license key, which must be entered during the installation process.
Practice Ownership: Dental practices maintain primary control over the data housed in Eaglesoft, including patient records, scheduling information, and documents generated through the platform. During change of ownership (transfer or sale), the practice can update all pertinent information directly within the system, and must coordinate with Patterson Dental to update license keys and registrations.
Access Rights: Access to the Eaglesoft database and files is generally managed by the practice. Practices should ensure daily administration by responsible staff with administrator rights, as Eaglesoft requires at least one user with local administrator privileges for full functionality.
Third-Party Use and Restrictions: Although practices own their operational data, access to the underlying encrypted database for third-party integration or advanced reporting may require contacting Patterson Dental for read-only credentials. Some third-party access may be restricted or subject to additional agreements.
Data Backup & Export: Eaglesoft allows and encourages regular backups of all core practice data, including patient records, images, and associated documents. Detailed procedures are available for backing up, restoring, and migrating data to new servers, ensuring offices can maintain or move their data as needed.
Server Migration: Practices can migrate their entire Eaglesoft environment to a new server by following the official backup and restoration procedures. When encrypting data with AES-256 (version 21+), it is recommended to decrypt before migration and re-encrypt after, to avoid issues tied to machine-specific encryption.
Conversion to Other Systems: When converting data to or from Eaglesoft (e.g., moving to a new practice management solution), Eaglesoft and Patterson Dental can facilitate data extraction and migration. Data used for conversion is typically deleted from Patterson's servers about six months after the process, in line with privacy and security standards.
User Responsibilities: Practices are responsible for consistently backing up their data, especially before significant changes or migrations, to ensure data integrity and full recoverability.
Encryption: Eaglesoft data is protected by advanced encryption (AES-256 from version 21+), safeguarding data both at rest and during any migrations or transfers.
Permission Management: Practices retain the ability to set role-based permissions, ensuring that only authorized personnel can access, modify, or export sensitive data by internal procedures and HIPAA regulations.
Eaglesoft is designed to support a wide variety of dental practice sizes, from solo practitioners to multi-location groups. Its features, deployment model, and modular options enable organizations to easily scale their software deployment as business needs evolve.
Practice Size Flexibility
Eaglesoft can be implemented in small, single-location practices or expanded to support large, multi-provider, and multi-site dental organizations.
The software’s core practice management and clinical modules accommodate increases or decreases in provider count, staff, and patient volume without foundational changes.
Workstation and User Scalability
Additional workstations (computers) can be added to the Eaglesoft network with proper licensing and hardware that meets requirements. Removing workstations is simply a matter of decommissioning, with no penalty or complex process.
User and staff profiles can be created or deactivated as teams grow or shrink, using role-based access controls to align with new roles or operational needs.
Licensing and Module Management
Practices can add or remove Eaglesoft modules (for imaging, treatment planning, patient communications, etc.) as workflow demands shift. Module activation is managed by licensing and support teams and can be adjusted over time.
Licensing is typically per practice or per site, with options to expand for new locations and features as organizations scale up.
Hardware and Infrastructure Recommendations
As practices grow, upgrading to dedicated servers or more robust networks is advised for stability and performance. For offices with 6 or more workstations, a dedicated server is recommended; for offices with 10 or more, a server operating system is suggested.
Multi-location setups are accommodated and supported by Patterson’s technical team to ensure smooth expansion.
Centralized Data and Migration
Practices can migrate their data and Eaglesoft environment to new servers or move between practice locations with support, enabling scaling without losing records or workflow continuity.
Scaled-down organizations retain access to all patient and practice data, with system performance and access naturally improving as data volume decreases.
Subscription agreements for Eaglesoft typically renew automatically at the end of each contract term (commonly annual). This is to ensure continuity of service and ongoing software updates.
Practices are generally expected to communicate any intent not to renew in writing before the renewal date. Although specific notice periods can vary, a minimum of 30 days' notice prior to the next renewal date is a common industry standard for dental software contracts.
At renewal, Patterson Dental may adjust pricing or service terms. Updated fees or modifications become effective at the start of the new term. Users are notified in advance about such changes, typically with enough time to object or cancel.
Payment for renewed terms is automatically charged according to the billing cycle (annual or monthly). Any failure to process payment can result in suspension of access.
If a contract lapses due to non-renewal or non-payment, practices may need to pay a reconnection fee or meet additional requirements to restore service.
To avoid automatic renewal, written cancellation is required—generally at least 30 days before the renewal date. Direct contact with Patterson support is necessary for contract termination.
If canceling during an active contract period, the user is typically responsible for the full remaining balance for the ongoing term.
Prepaid fees for the current term are non-refundable, and early termination does not ordinarily result in a refund for unused services.
Patterson Dental may terminate the agreement immediately for reasons such as non-payment, breach of contract, insolvency, or illegal use. Upon termination for cause, all software access ends, and practices must stop using and uninstall Eaglesoft software.
After cancellation, practices retain ownership of their operational data and are responsible for backing it up prior to service termination.
Eaglesoft dental practice management software adheres to industry regulations and best practices that protect patient data, ensure privacy, and support secure operations for dental offices. Here are the key compliance standards and measures that Eaglesoft meets:
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA):
Eaglesoft is developed by HIPAA regulations, ensuring the protection of electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI) through technical, administrative, and physical safeguards.
Features such as role-based access control, database encryption (AES-256 from version 21+), audit trails, and secure data transmission help practices meet HIPAA requirements.
Data Encryption:
AES-256 encryption is used for data at rest (database and logs). All data in transit (including mobile and web access) is protected with TLS/SSL protocols.
Audit logging supports compliance and data breach mitigation by recording user activity and access patterns.
User Access Management:
Strong password requirements, user authentication, and customizable permission levels ensure staff can access only the information necessary for their role.
PCI DSS Alignment: Eaglesoft supports payment processing via secure, PCI DSS-compliant systems and integrates with certified third-party payment and finance tools, ensuring credit card transactions meet required security standards.
Regulatory Readiness:
The platform complies with local, state, and federal regulations surrounding patient privacy, record retention, and secure communication.
Integrated secure messaging, document management, and encrypted backups further support compliance for dental practices handling sensitive information.
Detailed audit trails, customizable reports, and compliance-focused documentation assist practices in meeting regulatory auditing and reporting obligations.
Server and Physical Security:
Eaglesoft supports deployment models where data remains under direct practice or organizational control, with best practices for restricted physical and network access.
Eaglesoft
By Patterson Dental Supply, Inc
