The verdict in three sentences
For a dental clinic, the certified practice software (patient records, SESAM-Vitale claims transmission in France, regulated treatment estimates) should not be replaced: rebuilding it would be long, costly and subject to certification. The real issue when you reach 8 chairs and two sites is steering: occupancy per chair, production per dentist, appointment lead times, and that is where custom development at 20,000 to 50,000 EUR excl. VAT plugs into the vendor software. The right 2026 architecture is therefore vendor for care, custom for steering.
Vendor alone or vendor plus custom modules
Dental software on the market is billed per practitioner, with optional modules (imaging, online booking, statistics). Their statistics are often limited to one site and to exports that are hard to use.
| Criterion | Vendor alone | Vendor plus custom modules | Fully custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost for 12 dentists (2026 order of magnitude) | 1,200 to 3,000 EUR/month | 1,200 to 3,000 EUR/month plus 20,000 to 50,000 EUR excl. VAT | 150,000 EUR excl. VAT and up |
| SESAM-Vitale transmission | Yes, certified | Yes, through the vendor | Certification needed, 12 months or more |
| Patient records and imaging | Yes | Yes, through the vendor | To be built |
| Multi-site dashboards | Limited or absent | Yes, consolidated | Yes |
| Occupancy per chair | Rarely | Yes, real time | Yes |
| Online booking | Vendor module or third-party platform | Connected to your treatment rules | Yes |
| Project risk | Low | Moderate | High |
Fully custom only makes sense for a network of several dozen clinics. For a group of 1 to 5 sites, vendor plus custom gives the best balance of cost, timeline and risk.
The steering modules that matter
Custom modules read the vendor's data (export, API or read-only database) and consolidate it in a store hosted by an HDS-certified provider, mandatory for health data in France.
| Module | What it measures or does | 2026 custom budget | Expected gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupancy dashboard | Booked and completed hours per chair | 6,000 to 12,000 EUR excl. VAT | 4 to 8 occupancy points gained |
| Production per dentist | Procedures, revenue, accepted estimate rate | 4,000 to 9,000 EUR excl. VAT | Individual targets tracked |
| Advanced online booking | Durations per procedure, emergency slots, waiting list | 5,000 to 12,000 EUR excl. VAT | 30 to 50% of appointments booked online |
| SMS reminders and follow-ups | D-2 reminders, unsigned estimate follow-up | 3,000 to 7,000 EUR excl. VAT | No-shows cut from 8% to 3% |
| Multi-site consolidation | Comparison of the two clinics | 2,000 to 6,000 EUR excl. VAT | Data-driven decisions on new chairs |
| HDS hosting | Secure data storage | 150 to 400 EUR/month | Regulatory compliance |
A first release (occupancy, production, reminders) ships in 8 to 12 weeks, usually before the second site opens.
Mini case study
Thomas runs an 8-chair dental clinic in Bordeaux and is opening a second 4-chair site. His chairs are available about 1,760 hours a month, at a 72% occupancy rate he only sees at quarter end.
With custom modules at 35,000 EUR excl. VAT, the target is to gain 4 occupancy points through SMS reminders and the waiting list, i.e. about 70 chair-hours a month. At 220 EUR average production per hour, that is 15,400 EUR of extra monthly production. Even at half that target, the investment is covered in under 5 months (estimate, to be validated on the clinic's real data).
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FAQ
Can custom modules connect to any dental software?
Most vendors offer exports or an API, sometimes paid at 50 to 200 EUR a month. A feasibility audit takes 1 to 2 weeks before any commitment.
Is patient data protected?
Yes, hosting must be HDS-certified and dashboards use pseudonymised data where possible. Allow 150 to 400 EUR a month for hosting.
Does online booking replace appointment platforms?
It can replace or complement them. A platform often costs 130 to 200 EUR per practitioner per month; a custom calendar removes that subscription after 12 to 24 months.
How much does maintenance cost?
As a 2026 order of magnitude, 300 to 800 EUR a month for maintenance, connector updates and support.
Should we change vendor when opening a second site?
Rarely: mainly check that the vendor handles multi-site and shared patient records. Switching vendor costs 15,000 to 40,000 EUR in migration and training.
Let's scope your project. Describe your current software, number of chairs and priority indicators: we will price steering modules between 20,000 and 50,000 EUR excl. VAT, deliverable in 8 to 12 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
