API Guide - Getting Started

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SLeon
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Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2021 10:00 am

API Guide - Getting Started

Post by SLeon » Tue Nov 29, 2022 3:16 pm

The Open Dental API (commonly "OD API" or simply "the API") is an interface for developers to safely interact with customers' databases. Because directly writing to customer databases is not allowed, the API provides the ability for third party developers to create robust and powerful software without the risk of corrupting patient data. See https://opendental.com/site/apispecification.html.

This guide will first demonstrate how the API works and then walk through the process of a developer signing up to use the API.

Using the Demo Dental Office

Open Dental hosts a demo dental office that anyone in the world can use to test the API. We will use its API credentials. Using a REST Client, such as ARC or Postman, enter the following information:

• HttpMethod: GET
• Endpoint Url: https://api.opendental.com/api/v1/patients
• Headers: Authorization:ODFHIR NFF6i0KrXrxDkZHt/VzkmZEaUWOjnQX2z
• JSON Body: [leave blank]

This request will get a list of all patients for the demo dental office. Clicking Send will return the list below:

Code: Select all

{
   "PatNum": 11,
   "LName": "Allowed",
   "FName": "Allen",
   "MiddleI": "",
   "Preferred": "",
   "PatStatus": "Patient",
   "Birthdate": "1980-06-05",
   "SSN": "",
   "Address": "266 Jamaica Street",
   "City": "Forbes",
   "State": "CT",
   "HmPhone": "(253)687-9654",
   "WkPhone": "",
   "WirelessPhone": "",
   "Email": "",
   "priProvAbbr": "DOC1",
   "secProvAbbr": "",
   "BillingType": "Standard Account",
   "ChartNumber": "",
   "ClinicNum": 0,
   "clinicAbbr": "",
   "siteDesc": ""
},
{
   "PatNum": 12,
   "LName": "Allowed",
   "FName": "Anna",
   "MiddleI": "",
   "Preferred": "",
   "PatStatus": "Patient",
   "Birthdate": "1984-02-07",
   "SSN": "",
   "Address": "266 Jamaica Street",
   "City": "Forbes",
   "State": "CT",
   "HmPhone": "(253)687-9654",
   "WkPhone": "",
   "WirelessPhone": "",
   "Email": "",
   "priProvAbbr": "DOC1",
   "secProvAbbr": "",
   "BillingType": "Standard Account",
   "ChartNumber": "",
   "ClinicNum": 0,
   "clinicAbbr": "",
   "siteDesc": ""
 }, etc...
]
Using your data

Now use the API to access live data in a few simple steps. See https://www.opendental.com/site/apisetup.html or follow the steps below.

1. Contact Open Dental to get API Developer Credentials
Send an email to vendor.relations@opendentalcom with the following information:

Product/Integration Owner (Company Name):
Email address for long-term billing:
3rd Party Developer Name (if any):
3rd Party Developer Email Address:
A list of the API resources you need access to and for each permission, whether you need read, create, or update for that permission:
A description of the application you are intending to build (type and purpose):


We will help determine which API Permissions you need and assign a developer account. You will receive a Developer API Key and access to our Developer Portal website https://api.opendental.com/portal/gwt/fhirportal.html.

2. Generate Customer API Keys

The Developer Portal is where you will generate API Keys for your customers. Here you can also see the version each of your customers' dental offices is on, as well as enable/disable their API keys.

Click the Add button to generate a new Customer API Key. All Customer Keys will have the same API Permissions assigned to your developer account above.

3. Assign Customer API Key

Assign the newly generated Customer API Key to a dental office by launching Open Dental and navigate Setup > Advanced Setup > API. Click the Add Key in the lower left and paste the generated key. The customer can enable/disable a key and view (but not change) the API permissions granted.

Additional information about this dental office is available in the Developer Portal once the Customer Key has been assigned. This includes Practice Name, Database version, and Customer Key Status.

4. Ensure the Customer's eConnector is installed and running.

This is done automatically for Open Dental versions 22.2 and higher. Otherwise see https://opendental.com/manual/econnector.html.

5. Make an API request using this dental office

Replace the Authorization of the above API request with your credentials: ODFHIR {DeveloperKey}/{CustomerKey}. Sending this request will return a list of patients for this dental office.

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