Run the overdue / inactive report in Open Dental, clean it down to name, address, and phone, and import it into PostKnock to mail a postcard reactivation campaign.
Start Free — No Credit CardHeads up — no Open Dental integration. PostKnock does not connect to, sync with, or read from Open Dental. This is a manual export-then-import workflow: you export a CSV from your own Open Dental system, then upload that file to PostKnock. “Open Dental” is referenced here only to describe the software you may be exporting from — it is a third-party product, a trademark of its owner, and not affiliated with PostKnock.
Open Dental gives you a few ways to build a lapsed-patient list. The most common are the Recall list (Lists → Recall), the unscheduled / overdue continuing-care view, and a custom Query under Reports → User Query. Any of these can produce a list of patients by their last-visit or recall-due date rather than looking up one chart at a time.
Exact menu paths vary by Open Dental version. The Query tool gives you the most control if you’re comfortable selecting columns; the Recall list is the simplest starting point.
Set the filters so you only capture patients whose last visit or last service date was 12+ months ago. A 12–24 month window is a common starting point. Exclude anyone who already has a future appointment scheduled, and consider excluding patients marked inactive, deceased, or do-not-contact if those statuses are reliable in your database.
Tip: start narrow (e.g. 12–18 months) for your first mailer, then widen the window on later waves.
Use the Export button on the report or Query results to save a CSV file. Open Dental’s report grids and the User Query tool both write CSV that opens cleanly in a spreadsheet. If a particular report only prints or produces a PDF, save it and copy the rows into a spreadsheet, then save as CSV. The goal is a table with one row per patient.
Open the CSV in a spreadsheet and trim it to what a mailer actually needs:
Then tidy it up: remove duplicate rows, drop anyone with a blank or obviously invalid mailing address, and delete clinical, balance, or insurance columns you don’t need on a postcard. Keeping the export lean also keeps protected health information off the file you upload.
In PostKnock, create a new contact list and upload your cleaned CSV. The import wizard auto-maps your name, address, and phone columns — you confirm the mapping and you’re done. There is no Open Dental login, API key, or sync step: it’s a one-time file upload that you can repeat whenever you pull a fresh list.
Choose a multi-touch reactivation playbook (up to 5 waves), set your offer, and customize the card in the in-app Design Studio — available in 4×6, 6×9, and 6×11 sizes with optional QR-code tracking. Postcards print and mail via USPS First-Class. On Pro, a phone-call follow-up Call Queue populates for your front desk a few days after delivery, so non-responders get a warm call.
Once your list is in, you design a reactivation card like this and mail it as the first wave. Same offer, optional call follow-up — just pick the look that fits your practice.
Your Dental Practice
It’s been a while — come back for a complimentary exam.
Illustrative mockup. You set the offer, copy, and design in the Studio.
A worked example using round, illustrative numbers — your results will vary:
Figures above are illustrative industry ranges, not a PostKnock performance guarantee. Actual response depends on your offer, list quality, and timing.
Learn how a multi-wave reactivation campaign comes together, then import your cleaned CSV and launch.
No. PostKnock has no Open Dental integration, API connection, or sync. The supported flow is to export a CSV from Open Dental yourself and import that file into PostKnock, where the wizard auto-maps your name, address, and phone columns. Open Dental is a third-party product, a trademark of its owner, referenced here only to describe the export step.
A list that lets you filter by date works best — commonly the Recall list, the unscheduled / overdue continuing-care view, or a custom User Query under Reports. Filter to patients whose last visit or service date was 12+ months ago and who have no future appointment scheduled. Exact menu paths vary by Open Dental version.
Most Open Dental report grids and the User Query tool have an Export button that saves results as a CSV you can open in Excel or Google Sheets. If a particular report only prints or makes a PDF, copy the rows into a spreadsheet and save as CSV. As long as you end up with one row per patient and columns for name, address, and phone, PostKnock can import it.
For mailing: first and last name (or full name), street address, city, state, and ZIP. Add a phone column if you want to do call follow-up on Pro. You can delete clinical, balance, and insurance columns — keeping the file lean also keeps protected health information off the upload.
PostKnock is built to be HIPAA-aware, not HIPAA-certified: we keep PHI off the postcard by default, we don’t sign Business Associate Agreements, and we don’t ask you to upload clinical data. Marketing communications to your own patients are typically permitted under HIPAA without a BAA. For your specific situation, follow your practice’s policies and consult your compliance advisor.
Importing a list and designing a card is free. You only pay per postcard when you send: about $1.05 per 4×6 card on the Free plan and about $0.79 on Pro ($99/mo or $799/yr). Per-piece pricing includes printing and USPS First-Class postage. No setup fees, no minimums, no contracts.
Yes. The same export-then-import workflow applies to any practice management system that can produce a patient list as CSV, including Dentrix and Eaglesoft. The menu names differ, but the steps are the same: filter by last-visit date, export to CSV, clean to name/address/phone, and import into PostKnock.
Import your cleaned CSV, pick a reactivation playbook, and mail your first wave — free to start.
Start Free — No Credit Card1 Direct-mail response-rate ranges are drawn from industry benchmarks such as the ANA (Association of National Advertisers) Response Rate Report (formerly the DMA Response Rate Report). Ranges are illustrative; results vary by list, offer, and timing.
Open Dental, Dentrix, and Eaglesoft are products and trademarks of their respective owners and are referenced here descriptively. PostKnock is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or integrated with these products.