Understanding Software (and the Hidden Costs)#

The day started with a straightforward goal: confirm whether a dental software platform the practice was testing as a replacement would work with the imaging sensors they already own.

That quickly turned into the usual vendor relay—back and forth between the company that makes the replacement dental software and the company that makes the dental sensors. Over a series of calls and remote testing sessions, we compared requirements, validated compatibility details, and confirmed the correct drivers. In the end, we landed on the real answer: even with the right drivers installed, the replacement software still wouldn’t work as a practical solution with their existing sensors.

When we shared the results with the client, it led to an important (and honest) cost conversation. We learned that the only way to make the replacement software fully work as intended would be to add dedicated imaging software and a server to support it. They could absolutely see the value of a solid dental imaging solution—but that additional requirement changed the math.

Once we compared the numbers, it became clear: the combined cost of the imaging software and the server would end up being roughly the same as continuing with the dental software they already use. In the end, making the switch just didn’t make financial sense.

Sometimes the win isn’t a “successful install.” Sometimes the win is saving a client from spending money on a solution that sounds good on paper—but doesn’t hold up in the real world.