Moving from SOE? Make Sure the Move Is Worth It

We’ve seen an increase in demo requests and free account sign-ups from practices using Software of Excellence. Some have told us directly that they’ve received communications encouraging them to move to Dentally.

That’s prompted people to look around. We think that’s sensible.

Your next practice management system could be with you for years. It affects everyone: dentists, nurses, receptionists, managers, owners and patients. It deserves more thought than simply going with the provider you’ve been pointed towards.

The practices we’re speaking to are taking their time. They’re asking proper questions, comparing options and thinking about what they’ll need in five years as well as today. We’re glad to see it.

Moving to the cloud is a good opportunity to review how your practice works. But “it’s in the cloud” shouldn’t be the whole reason you choose a system.

Moving from SOE to Dentally still involves a migration. Your data needs transferring, your team needs training, and there may be costs and downtime to plan around. Being offered that route doesn’t, by itself, make it easier than moving elsewhere.

If you’re going through that work, what do you want to gain from it?

For us, the answer starts with the things your team does every day. How much are they repeating? How many systems do they have to open? How much information do patients leave without understanding? And how much are you paying for separate tools to fill the gaps?

Those are the problems we’ve built Pulp around.

Take Scribe. Writing clinical notes is useful. But if you then have to chart the same findings separately, you’re still doing the work twice.

Pulp Scribe connects what you’ve said with actions you can review and apply in the clinical record. Examination findings, decay, existing restorations, missing or unerupted teeth: the information you’ve already given it can help populate the chart.

You remain in control of what’s recorded. The point is to save you entering the same information again.

That thinking runs through our charting, Bridge Builder, Periographer, correspondence, letters and treatment plans. It’s also behind our AI booking assistance: helping the team find suitable appointments and act on recalls without manually hunting through the diary.

Stop doing everything ten times. Do it once, and let that work carry through.

The same applies beyond the surgery. Forms, booking requests, nurse checklists, surgery readiness, inventory, labs and referrals all belong in the conversation when you’re choosing software. They’re part of running a practice, even if they’re often treated as somebody else’s problem.

And then there’s the patient.

We put a lot of thought into what happens after someone leaves your chair. You might have carried out a thorough examination, explained your findings and discussed the next steps. How much of that will they remember by the time they get home?

If they don’t understand what you found or why something matters, it’s harder for them to appreciate the care they’ve received.

Our patient portal gives them somewhere to come back to. They can see examination reports, images, X-rays and 3D imagery shared with them, alongside information about their care and what comes next.

Our reports bring together findings, BPE scores, imagery and our own Pulp grade to make that information easier to follow. Patients can revisit what was discussed and understand why their next appointment matters.

You’ve done the work. They should be able to see and understand its value.

The response to the portal has been one of the most encouraging things we’ve seen. We’ve spoken directly to patients with dental anxiety, and our own patient research has highlighted how much some of them value being able to return to this information between appointments.

They want to understand where they are in their care, what’s planned and what to expect. Some have told us that having that information helps them feel more comfortable about their next visit.

That’s worth building into a practice management system.

So is a sensible approach to cost.

When you compare platforms, look at the full monthly bill. The subscription is only the starting point if you then need separate patient journey software, online booking, AI notes or other tools.

According to our latest internal figures, more than 90% of the Dentally practices that have contacted us have reported paying over £1,000 a month. That describes the practices speaking to us, rather than Dentally customers as a whole, but it explains why cost keeps coming up in those conversations.

Our Growing plan is £249 per practice per month when billed annually, with the features we’ve discussed included in the subscription.

Price matters, but so does what that price buys you. Having your work connected in one platform has value too. Your team shouldn’t need to keep moving information between systems just to get through the day.

Of course, none of this removes the need to plan the move properly.

Going from an on-premises system to the cloud means looking at your internet connection, network, equipment, security and backup arrangements. We work with IT partners to help practices understand what they have and what needs attention before they move.

We’ll talk through those questions honestly. If something needs sorting first, it’s better to know beforehand.

We also build and own our migration tooling. That gives us direct control over how we develop it and improve the process. We take the transfer of your records seriously, including understanding what can be brought across and identifying anything that needs particular attention.

We keep investing in that tooling because a smoother transition matters to the people who have to open the practice the next morning. That applies whether you’re coming from SOE, Dentally or another provider.

We’re clearly writing this because we’d like you to look at Pulp. But we also want you to make a considered decision.

Bring us the awkward questions. Show us the tasks that take too long. Tell us which tools you’re paying for and what your team can’t afford to lose. Ask us to demonstrate how those things work.

If you’re already considering leaving SOE, this is your chance to decide what you actually want next.

Before you commit to Dentally, have a look at Pulp. If you’re going to make the move, make sure it earns its place in your practice.