GUIDE

Export Patient Lists from Open Dental for Direct Mail

Export patient lists from Open Dental for direct mail. Patients-Raw report, custom SQL queries, and CSV export.

By Postmarkr Editorial TeamPublished March 25, 2026Updated September 3, 2026

Key takeaways

Open Dental provides direct CSV export and full SQL query access, offering the most flexibility of any major dental PMS for custom campaign targeting
The 'Group Families' checkbox in Recall List consolidates records to send one postcard per household, preventing duplicate mailings and reducing campaign costs by 10%-30%
Custom SQL queries enable advanced filtering like 'patients overdue 6+ months' or 'guarantors only' for precise targeting beyond basic report filters
Open Dental Cloud has identical export functionality to desktop with files saving to Downloads instead of C:\OpenDentalExports, requiring no workflow changes

Open Dental offers the most flexible export capabilities of any major dental PMS, including direct CSV export and custom SQL queries.

What's covered here: Open Dental-specific navigation, Patients-Raw report, and custom queries.

For shared information, see the hub article:

Open Dental version: This guide applies to all current versions. Open Dental Cloud has identical export functionality (files save to Downloads instead of local folder).

Finding the Export Function in Open Dental#

Primary method (Patients-Raw report):

Reports → Standard → Lists → Patients - Raw

Alternative methods:

User Query: Reports → User Query (custom SQL—advanced)
Recall List: Appointment Module → Notepad icon → Recall (recall campaigns)
Active Patients: Reports → Standard → Lists → Active Patients (simpler)

Open Dental exports directly to CSV—no conversion needed.

Exporting Patient Lists Step-by-Step#

Step 1: Navigate to Patients-Raw Report#

Reports → Standard → Lists → Patients - Raw

Step 2: Select Fields (SELECT Tab)#

Click the SELECT tab to choose which fields to include:

Essential fields for direct mail:

LName (Last Name)
FName (First Name)
Address
Address2
City
State
Zip

Optional fields:

HmPhone, WkPhone, WirelessPhone
Email
Birthdate
DateFirstVisit

Step 3: Set Filters (WHERE Tab)#

Click the WHERE tab to filter patients:

Filter	Setting
PatStatus	= 0 (Patient—active)
Address	!= '' (not blank—has address)

For recall campaigns, add:

DateFirstVisit or last procedure date filters

Step 4: Run Report#

Click OK to generate the report. Results appear in the User Query window.

Step 5: Export to CSV#

Click Export.csv button. File saves to:

Desktop version: C:\OpenDentalExports\ by default
Cloud version: Downloads folder

Recall List for Recall Campaigns#

For recall-specific exports with a visual interface:

Appointment Module → Notepad icon (top toolbar) → Recall

Filter options:

Recall due date range
Recall type
Provider
Appointment status (scheduled/unscheduled)

Key feature:"Group Families" checkbox consolidates records so you send one postcard per household instead of one per patient.

Export process:

Set filters
Click Retrieve List
Review patients
Right-click → Export to File

Advanced: Custom SQL Queries#

Open Dental allows direct SQL queries for maximum flexibility:

Reports → User Query

Basic Mailing List Query#

SELECT p.LName, p.FName, p.Address, p.Address2, p.City, p.State, p.Zip
FROM patient p
WHERE p.PatStatus = 0
 AND p.Address!= ''
ORDER BY p.Zip, p.LName

Recall Campaign Query (Patients Overdue 6+ Months)#

SELECT p.LName, p.FName, p.Address, p.City, p.State, p.Zip
FROM patient p
INNER JOIN recall r ON p.PatNum = r.PatNum
WHERE p.PatStatus = 0
 AND r.RecallTypeNum = 1
 AND r.DateDue < DATE_SUB(CURDATE(), INTERVAL 6 MONTH)
 AND p.Address!= ''
ORDER BY p.Zip

Guarantor-Only Query (One Per Household)#

SELECT p.LName, p.FName, p.Address, p.City, p.State, p.Zip
FROM patient p
WHERE p.PatNum = p.Guarantor
 AND p.PatStatus = 0
 AND p.Address!= ''

Reactivation Query (No Visit in 12+ Months)#

SELECT p.LName, p.FName, p.Address, p.City, p.State, p.Zip,
 MAX(pl.ProcDate) as LastVisit
FROM patient p
LEFT JOIN procedurelog pl ON p.PatNum = pl.PatNum
WHERE p.PatStatus = 0
 AND p.Address!= ''
GROUP BY p.PatNum
HAVING LastVisit < DATE_SUB(CURDATE(), INTERVAL 12 MONTH)
 OR LastVisit IS NULL
ORDER BY LastVisit

Query library: Open Dental maintains 1,000+ pre-built queries in their User Query documentation.

Database Field Names#

Open Dental uses database field names directly:

Field	Description
LName	Last name
FName	First name
Preferred	Preferred/nickname
MiddleI	Middle initial
Address	Street address line 1
Address2	Street address line 2
City	City
State	State
Zip	ZIP code
HmPhone	Home phone
WkPhone	Work phone
WirelessPhone	Cell phone
Email	Email address
PatStatus	0=Patient, 1=NonPatient, 2=Inactive, 3=Archived, 4=Deceased
DateFirstVisit	First appointment date
Guarantor	PatNum of guarantor (for household filtering)

Common Open Dental Export Issues#

"User Query" Permission Denied#

Problem: Can't access User Query or run custom queries.

Solution: Your user account needs "User Query" permission (to run) or "User Query Admin" (to create/edit). Contact your Open Dental administrator.

Export File Not Found#

Problem: Clicked export but can't find the file.

Solution: Default location is C:\OpenDentalExports\. Check this folder. In Cloud version, check Downloads folder.

Query Returns Too Many Results#

Problem: Query times out or returns overwhelming data.

Solution: Add more restrictive WHERE clauses. Always include PatStatus = 0 to filter to active patients.

Recall List Shows Wrong Patients#

Problem: Recall List includes patients who shouldn't be there.

Solution: Check patient preferences—"Exclude Automated Msgs" and "Prefer Recall Method" settings may be misconfigured.

Query Syntax Errors#

Problem: Custom SQL query returns error.

Solution: Check field names (case-sensitive), verify table names, and ensure proper JOIN syntax. Test with simpler queries first.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Open Dental Cloud export different?

The functionality is identical. The only difference is file save location (Downloads folder instead of C:\OpenDentalExports).

Can I save queries for reuse?

Yes. In User Query, after running a query, click "Add to Favorites." Next time, select from your favorites list.

How do I filter to one record per household?

Add WHERE p.PatNum = p.Guarantor to your query. This returns only guarantors (heads of household).

Is Open Dental support free?

Open Dental software is free. Support requires a paid subscription. The manual at opendental.com is comprehensive and free.

What permissions do I need?

You need "User Query" permission to run exports. For custom queries, you may need "User Query Admin" permission.

Can I schedule automated exports?

Not natively. However, some practices use database triggers or external scripts to automate exports. This requires technical expertise.

Upload to Postmarkr#

Your Open Dental export is ready for direct mail.

Before uploading, review:

Ready to send?Upload to Postmarkr →

Sources#

Open Dental Manual: opendental.com/manual
Patients Report Documentation
User Query Documentation
Recall List Documentation
Open Dental Community Forum

This article is for informational purposes only. Marketing strategies should comply with state dental board regulations and HIPAA requirements. Consult with your compliance officer for guidance specific to your practice.

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