For IT teams and DSOs that need to install Bola on many operatory computers at once. Instead of setting up each machine by hand, you can push the Bola Chrome extension and the Bola desktop app to all your computers through your existing deployment tools, and set the Bola license key at scale. This guide covers both.
Which one do you need? It depends on how your practice management system (EHR) runs Bola. Cloud EHRs (for example Curve Hero, Dentrix Ascend, Denticon, Fuse) use the Chrome extension. Installed desktop EHRs (for example Open Dental, Dentrix Desktop, Eaglesoft) use the desktop app. Some organizations need both.
Also use Option A for a single office when your IT team manages Chrome or each clinician signs into their own Chrome profile. On IT-managed Chrome the extension may not be able to save the license key in each profile, so Bola never appears in your EHR even though the extension shows as installed. Option A sets the license key once for the whole computer, so every current and future Chrome profile on it gets Bola.
Before you begin: you will need local administrator rights on the target machines, your Bola license key (provided during onboarding), and an enterprise deployment tool such as Microsoft Intune, Configuration Manager (SCCM), or Group Policy (GPO). Bola is a Windows product.
Option A: Deploy the Bola Chrome extension
This method uses a PowerShell script to write the Chrome policy registry keys that force-install the Bola extension and set the license key. Run it on each machine directly, or push it through your deployment tool.
Step 1. Open Windows PowerShell as Administrator.
Step 2. Save the script below as InstallBolaExtensionAndLicenseKey.ps1, then open it and replace SET_LICENSE_KEY_HERE on the first line with your Bola license key.
$licenseKey = "SET_LICENSE_KEY_HERE"
# Force-install the Bola extension
$extensionBasePath = "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionInstallForcelist"
New-Item -Path $extensionBasePath -Force | Out-Null
New-ItemProperty -Path $extensionBasePath -Name "1" `
-Value "efcpoommkbigcpbekkjpmfcdbpgggfjg;https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx" `
-PropertyType String -Force
# Set the Bola license key
$licenseKeyBasePath = "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\3rdparty\extensions\efcpoommkbigcpbekkjpmfcdbpgggfjg\policy"
New-Item -Path $licenseKeyBasePath -Force | Out-Null
New-ItemProperty -Path $licenseKeyBasePath -Name "LicenseKey" `
-Value $licenseKey -PropertyType String -Force
Step 3. Run the script.
Step 4. If PowerShell blocks the script because it is not digitally signed (you will see an UnauthorizedAccess or execution policy error), allow it for the current session and run it again:
Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process
Step 5. Completely close all Chrome windows, then reopen Chrome. The new registry policies only take effect on a fresh start. To close every Chrome window at once from the same PowerShell window, run Stop-Process -Name chrome -Force.
Step 6. Verify the policy applied. Go to chrome://policy/ and confirm that ExtensionInstallForcelist lists the Bola extension, as shown below:
Good to know: the Bola "enter your license key" screen may still appear in a Chrome profile after the script has run. You can ignore it.
Extension already force-installed? Set the license key only
If your IT team already force-installs the Bola extension through group policy or another management tool, you only need the license key part. It is one machine-level registry value, so it applies to every Chrome profile on the computer. Run this in a Command Prompt as Administrator, or push it through your remote management tool, replacing YOUR_LICENSE_KEY with your key:
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\3rdparty\extensions\efcpoommkbigcpbekkjpmfcdbpgggfjg\policy" /v LicenseKey /t REG_SZ /d "YOUR_LICENSE_KEY" /f
Then fully close every Chrome window and reopen Chrome. Make sure your policy installs the Bola extension ID efcpoommkbigcpbekkjpmfcdbpgggfjg, because the license key setting only applies to that ID.
Option B: Deploy the Bola desktop app and license key
Step 1. Download the Bola desktop app MSI from the Bola website (https://bola.ai/install-desktop-app/).
Step 2. Deploy the MSI to all operatory computers through your enterprise deployment tool (Intune, SCCM, GPO, or similar). No switches or parameters are required.
Step 3. Set the Bola license key on each computer. Run this in a Command Prompt, replacing YOUR_LICENSE_KEY with your key:
cmdkey /generic:"Bola_Dental/Bola_Dental_License_Key" /user:"Bola_Dental_License_Key" /pass:"YOUR_LICENSE_KEY"
You can also save that single line as install_bola_license_key.bat and push it alongside the MSI so the key is set automatically.
A note on license keys
Bola license keys are specific to both the product and the EHR. A key issued for one product (Perio, Restorative, or Scribe) or one EHR will not work on another. If a practice changes EHRs, the key must be removed and re-entered after the account is updated. Use the correct key for each deployment, and reach out if a key shows as invalid after setup.
Troubleshooting
PowerShell will not run the script ("not digitally signed" or UnauthorizedAccess): run Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process, then run the script again.
The extension does not appear after running the script: fully close every Chrome window and reopen Chrome. The policy only applies on a fresh start.
The extension is installed but Bola does not appear in your EHR on some or all Chrome profiles: Chrome is likely managed by your IT team, so the license key is not being saved in each profile. Set the key for the whole computer with Option A, or with the license key only steps above if the extension is already installed, then fully close and reopen Chrome.
The extension installs but later disappears: make sure the extension ID is allowlisted in your Chrome management policies, and that chromewebstore.google.com and clients2.google.com are reachable through your antivirus and web filter.
Running into trouble? If a deployment is blocked by antivirus, a firewall, or Windows security, or a key shows as invalid after setup, reply here and our team will help.