If you’re comparing Carestack vs DSN, you’re probably weighing two strong practice management platforms — but with very different goals in mind. Carestack has built a broad, all-in-one system that fits the needs of general dentists and multi-location dental groups. DSN, on the other hand, is purpose-built for oral surgeons, periodontists, and other dental specialists who need software that mirrors their clinical reality.
Both platforms help practices modernize operations and improve efficiency. But once you look closer, the difference in focus becomes clear. DSN isn’t trying to serve every dental office — it’s designed specifically for the clinical and administrative challenges of specialty care.
Here are five key differences to understand when deciding between Carestack and DSN.
1. Focus: General Dentistry vs. Specialty Practices
This is the biggest and most important difference in the Carestack vs DSN comparison. Carestack was designed primarily for general dental offices. It’s a capable platform for restorative and hygiene-focused workflows, offering tools for charting, scheduling, billing, and patient engagement that work well for a GP model.
DSN, by contrast, was built from the ground up for specialists. Oral surgery, periodontics, endodontics, and multi-specialty groups are DSN’s core audience — not an add-on market. That means every part of the platform supports the way specialists actually work: surgical scheduling, implant tracking, graft documentation, referral management, and medical-dental billing.
If your practice spends most of its day handling implants, extractions, or bone grafts, DSN feels native from day one. Carestack can support specialists with configuration, but DSN is already tailored for it.
2. Clinical Workflow and Charting Depth
Both systems are cloud-based and offer robust charting tools, but the focus is different. Carestack’s charting features are optimized for restorative and hygiene workflows — crown preps, recall scheduling, and preventive care documentation.
DSN, on the other hand, was designed specifically for the surgical environment. It supports anesthesia documentation, post-op note templates, and charting that aligns with complex procedures like sinus lifts, grafts, and implant placement.
Imaging is also fully integrated in DSN. You can open a 3D scan, record nerve positioning, and chart the entire procedure in one view. Every step connects seamlessly with billing and referral tracking, so nothing slips through the cracks.
In short, Carestack offers a general dental charting system that can be adapted to surgery. DSN offers a surgical system designed for specialists.
3. Billing and Coding Capabilities
Billing is another area where the two platforms part ways. Carestack does a solid job managing dental claims for general dentistry — PPO workflows, procedure codes, and patient ledgers are all handled cleanly.
But specialty billing often demands more. DSN’s billing tools were built with oral surgeons and periodontists in mind. The system handles both dental and medical claims natively, with built-in cross-coding logic and automated claim generation based on completed treatments.
That means faster reimbursements, fewer errors, and no manual re-entry between clinical and billing modules. For practices that regularly bill medical insurance for procedures like extractions, grafts, and implant surgery, DSN’s native approach saves hours every week.
Carestack can handle general billing well but typically requires additional setup or support to manage complex medical-dental crossover scenarios.
4. Platform Design: All-in-One, But Built for Different Users
Both DSN and Carestack market themselves as all-in-one solutions — and technically, they are. The difference lies in who they’re built for.
Carestack’s all-in-one platform is designed for general dentistry. It combines patient engagement, billing, scheduling, and charting in one place — ideal for GP offices looking to streamline everyday workflows across preventive and restorative care.
DSN’s all-in-one solution, however, was built specifically for specialists. DSN Cloud brings together clinical charting, surgical scheduling, imaging, billing (both dental and medical), referrals, analytics, and even AI-powered tools — all within a single connected platform.
That means specialists get the same “all-in-one” convenience but in a system designed around their world — complex procedures, multi-step treatment plans, and multi-location operations. It’s the same simplicity, but with more surgical intelligence under the hood.
5. Support, Training, and Expertise
Support is often the make-or-break factor when choosing new software. Carestack serves a broad user base, and online comments frequently note that much of its support team operates overseas. While that helps scale customer service for thousands of general dental offices, it can occasionally make communication slower or less personalized for specialty users.
DSN takes a different approach. Its U.S.-based support team works exclusively with oral surgery, periodontic, and endodontic practices — people who understand surgical workflows, referral management, and the nuances of medical-dental billing.
When a DSN customer calls in, they’re talking to someone fluent in their day-to-day reality, not a general tech rep reading from a script. That specialty-specific support extends to onboarding as well. DSN’s training is personalized for surgical teams — helping assistants, coordinators, and billers master the system quickly with real-world examples from their own workflows.
That focus on specialty expertise is hard to match in a broad dental platform.
Bonus: DSN’s Specialty-First AI Tools
Another key differentiator is DSN’s investment in AI. DSN has rolled out a suite of AI tools designed specifically for specialty use, not just generic automation.
Inside DSN Cloud, features like AI Voice-to-Notes Transcription, AI Imaging Assistance, and the AI Phone Agent make life easier for surgical teams. The AI can transcribe spoken notes into structured documentation, automatically identify nerve canals in scans, and even handle pre- and post-op calls with patients.
Carestack has started adding automation features but currently focuses on broader practice tasks like scheduling, reminders, and patient communication. DSN’s AI, by contrast, directly supports the clinical side — saving surgeons and staff hours each week on documentation and imaging review.
FAQs About Carestack vs DSN
- What’s the main difference between Carestack and DSN?
Carestack focuses on general dentistry and all-in-one functionality for broad use. DSN focuses exclusively on oral surgery and specialty care, with deeper surgical and billing capabilities. - Can Carestack work for oral surgeons or periodontists?
Yes, with customization — but it’s not built natively for surgical workflows. DSN is, so specialists usually find it easier to use right away. - How does DSN handle imaging compared to Carestack?
DSN integrates directly with imaging systems like Apteryx and XDR for 3D visualization. Carestack’s imaging tools are better suited for general dental X-rays and intraoral photos. - Does DSN offer medical billing support?
Yes. DSN includes built-in medical and dental billing functionality, while Carestack focuses mainly on dental-only workflows. - Are both systems cloud-based?
Yes. Both run in the cloud, but DSN’s infrastructure and integrations are optimized for multi-location specialty groups and surgical data security. - What about customer support?
Online comments suggest Carestack’s support team is largely overseas. DSN’s support and training are U.S.-based and staffed by people who work exclusively with specialists. - Which platform includes AI features for surgical teams?
DSN Cloud includes a full AI suite — Voice-to-Notes, Imaging Assistance, and Phone Agent — built specifically for specialty practices.
Conclusion
Choosing between Carestack vs DSN depends on what kind of practice you run. If you’re a general dental office looking for an all-in-one platform for hygiene and restorative care, Carestack is a strong fit.
But if you’re an oral surgeon, periodontist, or other specialist, DSN will feel purpose-built. From clinical charting and imaging to billing, referrals, and AI, everything in DSN Cloud is designed for your world — not a general dental workflow.
Both platforms are modern and capable, but DSN stands apart by going deeper, not wider. It’s the all-in-one solution designed for specialists who want security, intelligence, and efficiency in one connected platform.
If your current system feels like it’s built for someone else’s practice, it might be time to explore DSN Cloud.
Request a demo today and see why more specialists are moving to software built specifically for them.