If you’re currently using Eaglesoft by Patterson Dental or considering it for your dental practice, this review will give you our insider take on its integrated payment processing capabilities.
We’ve worked with several dental practices using Eaglesoft’s integrated processing (plus other practices using competing software), so we know the market and truly understand everything on the payments side.
And while the software itself is solid and reliable, the payment processing honestly isn’t great. So read on to ensure you’re not overpaying (because right now, you probably are).
Our Insider Take on Eaglesoft
Eaglesoft is a server-based dental practice management software from Patterson Dental that’s been around for 30+ years. With roughly 30,000 users relying on this platform, it’s one of the most established systems in the dental software space.
The software handles everything you’d expect from a practice management solution. It supports patient scheduling, clinical charting, billing, insurance claims, treatment planning, and seamless integration with imaging systems.
And its parent company, Patterson Dental, sells more than just software. You can use them for supplies, X-ray equipment, 3D printers, dental chairs, nitrous oxide systems — literally everything a dental practice could possibly need.
Pros
- Feature-packed software that handles every aspect of dental practice management.
- You can get all of your software, supplies, and equipment needs from the same provider.
- Supports integrated payment processing, with interchange-plus pricing available.
- White-glove support with custom onboarding and on-site training available.
- Integrates with other key tools like DentalXChange for insurance billing, DoseSpot for electronic subscriptions, and more.
Cons
- Eaglesoft isn’t offered as a cloud-based deployment (you’d need to use Fuse from Patterson Dental instead).
- Server-based systems have become outdated because they’re harder to set up and manage.
- Global Payments is the only payment processor that integrates with Eaglesoft.
- And Global is notorious for high rates, bogus fees, and unethical billing tactics.
- If you’re currently using Eaglesoft and Global Payments for integrated processing, it’s almost a guarantee that you’re overpaying.
Eaglesoft Integrated Payment Processing Explained
First and foremost, it’s important to understand that Eaglesoft is not a payment processor. While Patterson Dental offers a lot of different services, in-house processing isn’t one of them.
Instead, they offer what’s called “Eaglesoft Card Payments,” which is powered exclusively by Global Payments Integrated.
This direct integration allows dental practices to process credit cards, debit cards, chip cards, digital wallets, and ACH payments directly within the Eaglesoft interface. The beauty of integrated payments is that the payment details are automatically updated in patient records which eliminates manual entry and reconciliation headaches.
It’s super convenient, which is the reason why it’s so popular. Having payments flow directly into your practice management system saves time and reduces errors.
But only having a single processor that integrates with your practice management software can be a problem. And when that processor is Global Payments, it’s a bigger problem.
The Truth About Global Payments
Global Payments is the only game in town for Eaglesoft’s integrated processing. There are no other alternative processors to choose from if you want a native processing integration with Eaglesoft.
This creates a monopoly situation that Global Payments absolutely takes advantage of.
Despite being one of the world’s largest payment processors, Global is extremely greedy. We constantly catch them applying aggressive billing tactics that ultimately costs you more money.
Here’s what you need to understand about Global Payments:
Global is one of the most expensive processors in the industry
We regularly see Global charging 40-50 basis points more than other processors, which is a ton.
If one processor is going to offer you a 0.40% markup over interchange (which is high, but reasonable for an integrated solution), expect Global to charge you 0.80% or 0.90%.
Check out our Global Payments review for a full breakdown.
Expect your rates to rise frequently
You might think you’re getting a “good” rate from Global when you first sign up. But trust me, those savings will be short-lived.
It’s typical for Global to increase rates at least once per year.
Bogus fees can be found on nearly every statement
Every processor does this. But Global is by far the biggest offender.
- Risk assessment fees
- Settlement funding fees
- Analytics reputation management fees
- Infrastructure upgrade fees
- Global VPN fees
The list goes on and on.
They all sound legit, but they’re literally phantom charges that provide zero value to your account. And they could be costing you thousands of dollars every month.
We’ve caught Global Payments “padding” assessment fees
Assessment padding is one of the most unethical things that a payment processor can do.
Unlike junk fees (which at least appear as their own line items on statements), padded assessments are nearly impossible to identify unless you know what the rates are supposed to be.
Assessments are legitimate fees that come from the card networks like Visa and Mastercard. They’re charged to processors and supposed to be passed through to merchants at cost (meaning without a markup).
What Global does is they take a 0.13% assessment fee and charge 0.28% for it.
But it’s itemized as though it’s coming from the card network. So unless you know exactly what each assessment is supposed to be (the average dentist doesn’t know this stuff), then you have no idea that Global just buried an extra 0.15% markup on your account.
It’s a pattern that can’t be ignored
The problem with Global Payments is that we see this type of aggressive billing on literally every single statement we audit from them.
This isn’t a “mistake” or one-off fee that’s applied to one or two accounts. It’s just how Global Payments operates.
They try to charge as much as possible on every account, and they’ll do whatever they can to increase their margins at your expense.
We actually have a dedicated article that exposes Global Payments and their outrageous fees that I strongly encourage you to read. I’ve pulled real examples of them overcharging businesses, in one case by over $16,000 in a single month.
Eaglesoft’s Misleading Marketing
Now here’s the part that really bothers me, and it’s something we rarely call out the software provider for.
On the Eaglesoft Card Payments page from Patterson Dental, they make the claim that you can get the “best available rate for card processing.”
This statement is completely false.
You might think I’m being too harsh on Global Payments, but they are objectively NOT the best available rate on the market. They’re one of the most expensive processors that you could possibly use.
It’s bad enough that Patterson/Eaglesoft only supports an integration from Global. But they don’t have to rub it in your face by flat-out lying to you about the great deal you’re supposedly going to get.
Yes, you get a “free” card reader valued at $269 when you sign up. But the overcharges and bogus fees on your first month alone with Global Payments will easily cover this.
Patterson Dental knows this. They’ve been partnering with Global for over 15 years. And the reason why they exclusively integrate with Global is because it’s profitable for both companies.
I understand that Patterson doesn’t control Global’s rates. The processor sets their own pricing independently. But Patterson shouldn’t be offering Global Payments as the “best available rate” when it’s clearly untrue.
And while I can’t prove it, I suspect Patterson is getting a commission from Global when practices sign up for payment processing via Eaglesoft. This is a common practice in the integrated processing space.
How to Get a Better Rate Through Eaglesoft and Global Payments
Since Global has monopolized the Eaglesoft integration, switching processors isn’t really an option if you want to keep the convenience of having integrated payments.
But the good news is that your rates are 100% negotiable.
Here’s what you need to do:
1). Contact Global Payments directly (not Patterson). Patterson and Eaglesoft don’t control your processing rates. You need to go straight to Global negotiate.
2). Demand interchange-plus pricing. If you’re on a flat-rate contract or tiered pricing structure, you need to get moved to an interchange-plus deal ASAP. This way, you’ll pay the wholesale rate plus a transparent markup.
3). Target a reasonable markup. For integrated processing, shoot for 0.40% to 0.50% at the absolute maximum. Ideally, push even lower (0.20% or 0.30%) if you have a decent processing volume.
4). Audit your statements for bogus fees. Review every single line item on your monthly processing statement. If you spot Settlement Funding, Risk Assessment, or anything that sounds made-up or can’t be tied to an actual service, demand they be removed.
5). Monitor your statements every month. Global is notorious for sneaking in rate increases in new fees. So you can’t just negotiate once and forget about it. You need to stay hyper-vigilant.
When to Consider Getting Help
In reality, most dental practices don’t have the time, expertise, or desire to constantly battle with their payment processor over rates and fees.
That’s where we come in.
At Merchant Cost Consulting, we specialize in auditing payment statements and we’ve worked with dozens of businesses in the dental and orthodontics space. We’ve successfully negotiated better rates for our clients hundreds of times, and we know exactly which fees to target.
We work on a success-based model, which means we only get paid when we save you money. If we don’t find savings, you don’t pay anything.
And since we handle all of the negotiations directly with Global on your behalf, you can focus on running your practice while we handle the cost reduction.
For most Eaglesoft practices using Global Payments, we’re finding opportunities to save $5,000 to $20,000+ per year.
Final Thoughts
Eaglesoft is a good dental practice management solution.
I personally don’t like server-based solutions, as cloud-based deployments have become the modern standard. But that doesn’t change the fact that Eaglesoft does its job, and does it well.
Coming from Patterson Dental is another plus. Being able to order toothbrushes and lab equipment from the same provider of your practice management software is definitely convenient. And Patterson’s support team is unmatched.
But on the payments side, it’s unfortunate that Global Payments is the only processor that integrates with Eaglesoft. If you were to ask me the one processor that I would NOT want as the only option to choose from, Global Payments would be the answer.
That said, it shouldn’t stop you from using Eaglesoft or Eaglesoft’s integrated processing solution.
You just need to know what to expect from Global and how to push back against them for a better rate. If you need help with this, contact our team here at MCC for assistance.
We’ll work directly with Global on your behalf so you can save money without switching software providers or processors. Find out how much you can save today.