Dentrix Perio Chart Won’t Open: Causes and How to Fix It

Short answer: The Dentrix Perio Chart opens from inside the Patient Chart, so first make sure a patient is selected in the Chart and that the Chart itself opens normally. If Chart works but Perio does not, the cause is usually on that workstation: damaged settings, a mismatched or incomplete update, or a very old Dentrix version. Check whether Perio opens on another computer. If it does, the problem is local and your IT provider or Dentrix support can fix it.

How the Perio Chart is meant to open

According to Dentrix Help, you select a patient in the Patient Chart, then click Options and Perio. You can also use the Perio button on the Chart toolbar. Dentrix shows that button in light blue if no periodontal exam has been saved for the patient and dark blue if one has. If no patient is selected, Perio will not open.

Common causes

• No patient selected in the Patient Chart.
• The Chart module itself is not working. If Chart will not open, Perio will not either. See Dentrix “Unable to Launch Chart Module”.
• Damaged program settings on the workstation, often after a crash.
• An incomplete or mismatched update between the workstation and the server.
• A very old Dentrix version. Dentrix Magazine noted that versions earlier than G6.2 lost some features, including the Perio report, when Adobe Flash reached end of life.
• Display or graphics problems, such as the Perio window opening off-screen on a computer whose monitors have changed.

What to check first

1. Select a patient in the Patient Chart, then try Options | Perio rather than the toolbar button.
2. Try another patient. If Perio opens for one patient but not another, note both names for Dentrix support.
3. Try another workstation. If Perio opens there, the problem is local to the first computer.
4. Close all Dentrix modules and restart the computer, then try again.
5. Check whether the window is hiding. If the taskbar shows Perio open but you cannot see it, the window may be on a monitor that is no longer connected.
6. Find your Dentrix version (Help | About) and write down any error message exactly.

How to fix it

[[TECH INPUT NEEDED: actual fix steps from tickets for the Perio chart/panel not opening, e.g. which settings files to reset, whether Verify Files resolves it, and the Henry Schein One guidance]]

How to prevent it

• Keep Dentrix on a supported version, and update the server and all workstations together, after hours.
• Close Dentrix before shutting computers down.
• Keep workstations at or above Henry Schein One’s current system requirements.

Frequently asked questions

Are our perio exams lost?

No. Perio exams are stored in the Dentrix database on the server. The problem is the Perio window failing to open on the workstation.

Why does the Perio button look different for some patients?

Dentrix shows it light blue when no perio exam has been saved and dark blue when one has. That is normal.

Can we chart perio on another computer for now?

Yes, if Perio opens there. Fix the affected workstation before the next hygiene day.

Still down? Call (716) 463-5111

If Perio still will not open, call Buffalo IT Services at (716) 463-5111. We support the workstations and servers Dentrix runs on and work with Henry Schein One when needed. See our Dentrix IT support page.