Like any business, dental practices and groups run their operations using software. As a result, as dental practices grow in number & become more complex, so the global dental practice management software market is expected to reach $6.77 billion by 2033, is growing fast, at a CAGR of 10.8%.
The functionality & usefulness of the PMS has expanded over the years and often includes imaging, customer engagement & a treatment planner, among many other things. One of the things that PMSs cannot do is run a membership program. There are many reasons for this, but the most important reason is compliance.
Let’s dig in a bit deeper on compliance. Many states have Direct Primary Care laws which provide a safe harbor for dental membership. Direct contracts between a provider and a patient where the provider agrees to provide services for an agreed-upon fee and over a fixed period of time, are not regulated as insurance. Other states may have Discount Medical Plan Organization laws, and in these states, plan administrators must apply for a license. The compliance landscape is a hodge-podge of regulatory requirements, and PMSs are not setup to manage the contracts & consumer protection requirements by state.
So every practice or group has a PMS and most successful practices or groups offer membership using a specially designed membership platform.
Dental membership software and practice management systems work best together, not as replacements for one another. Besides compliance, here are some of the other functions managed by dental membership software, as compared with the PMS:
Dental Membership Software vs Practice Management Systems
A practice management system keeps the practice running. Membership software focuses specifically on running and growing a successful dental membership program. The best outcome is when the two platforms are integrated and in sync. When a member is enrolled or deactivated in the membership platform, this is immediately updated in the PMS. Depending on the robustness of the API, some PMSs allow the fee schedule to be attached/removed from the patient record as well.
What Is a Practice Management System Designed to Do?
Practice management software is the operational backbone of a dental practice. It helps teams manage appointments, patient records, treatment plans, billing, clinical workflows, and everyday administration.
For most practice managers and office administrators, it’s the first system they open each morning and the last they close at the end of the day.
A PMS is not designed to manage a subscription business and the best outcome is to invest in a best-of-breed membership solution.
What Is Dental Membership Software Designed to Do?
Dental membership software is purpose-built to manage every aspect of a membership program.
It provides dedicated tools for:
- Membership enrollment
- Automated recurring payments
- Plan administration and benefit tracking
- Renewals and cancellation management
- Member communication
- Reporting and program performance
The goal isn’t simply to record that a patient is enrolled in a plan. It’s to automate and simplify the ongoing administration, including auto-renewal, payment processing, customer notifications & billing failed management, that comes with managing hundreds, or even thousands, of active members across a practice or group of practices. Couple this with all the change management requirements, the training for the front office to talk about the value of membership & convert patients, and all the marketing support that a membership software company provides, and you have a winning strategy.
Do Practices Have to Choose Between the Two?
Not at all.
We should reframe this discussion: it should be PMS + integrated membership software OR PMS + membership software. Think of your practice management system as the operational hub of the practice, while membership software manages everything related to your dental membership program.
When both systems integrate effectively, patient information stays synchronized, duplication is reduced, and your team spends less time switching between platforms or reconciling records manually.
This is why read-and-write integrations have become increasingly important. When a member’s details are updated in one system, that information should flow automatically to the other, without manual intervention.
See How Plan Forward Works Alongside Your PMS
Plan Forward is purpose-built dental membership software that integrates with leading practice management systems, so you can manage enrollments, automate recurring payments, track member benefits, and grow your membership program without replacing the tools your team already depends on.
From renewals and member communications to reporting and program analytics, Plan Forward handles the membership side of your practice while your PMS continues to manage clinical operations.
Book a demo today to see how Plan Forward can complement your existing practice management system and help your membership program scale.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between dental membership software and a practice management system?
A practice management system manages clinical and operational tasks: appointments, patient records, billing, and staff scheduling. Dental membership software manages the specific workflows involved in running a membership program, including enrollment, recurring payments, renewals, benefit tracking, and member communications. The two tools are designed to work alongside each other, not compete.
Can I use my existing PMS to manage a dental membership plan?
Yes, for small programs with only a handful of members, a practice management system can often handle basic membership administration. However, as membership numbers grow, the manual effort involved in managing payments, renewals, and member communications typically makes a dedicated platform like Plan Forward a more practical and efficient choice.
Does Plan Forward replace my practice management system?
No. Plan Forward is designed to integrate with your existing practice management system, not replace it. Your PMS continues to manage clinical and operational workflows, while Plan Forward manages your membership program. When integrated, patient information stays synchronized across both platforms.
What does dental membership software automate?
Dedicated dental membership software automates recurring payment processing, membership renewals, benefit tracking, member communications, and program reporting. These are tasks that practice management systems were not primarily designed to handle at scale.
Is dental membership software suitable for dental groups and DSOs?
Yes. Dental membership software like Plan Forward is particularly well suited to practices running membership programs across multiple locations, where centralized reporting, consistent plan administration, and automated workflows become increasingly important as programs scale.
