Before Disaster Strikes: Your 12-Point Checklist for a Secure Dental Practice Backup Solution

A server crashes. A ransomware attack locks your charts and imaging. A pipe bursts and floods your office.

Those aren’t just IT problems. In a dental practice, they become canceled appointments, delayed claims, lost chair time, stressed staff, and patients who lose confidence fast.

And this isn’t rare in healthcare. HIPAA Journal’s compilation of HHS OCR reporting shows that 2024 breaches impacted 276,775,457 individuals, a number driven in large part by the Change Healthcare ransomware incident. (1)

But here’s the real point: your goal isn’t “having a backup.” Your goal is to keep the promises you make every day—protect patient information, keep care moving, and preserve the trust your community has placed in you.

Use this 12-question checklist to pressure-test your dental practice backup solution and make sure you’re protected.

Why a Generic Backup Plan Isn't Enough for Your Dental Practice

Many practice owners assume any backup is a backup—an external hard drive, a consumer cloud backup, or “whatever came with the server.” 

That’s a critical mistake, because dental practices aren’t storing a few Word docs and QuickBooks files. You’re protecting an ecosystem:

• Dental practice management data (Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Open Dental, etc.): Databases require correct backup methods to restore cleanly.
• Digital imaging (CBCT, pano, sensors, intraoral cameras): Large files, constant growth, and critical patient linkage.
• Scheduling + billing workflows: Downtime isn’t just inconvenient...it’s operational chaos.
• HIPAA expectations: Backups touch ePHI. That means encryption, access controls, auditability, and vendor accountability (BAA).

This is exactly why Backup & Disaster Recovery for dental practices needs to be built around databases, imaging, and real-world recovery...not just your file storage.

Also, data exposure at scale is not theoretical anymore. According to Becker’s Dental, 15 data breaches, security incidents and settlements impacted dentistry in 2025 exposing data of over 1.5 million individuals and costing practices a substantial amount of time and money. (2)

12-Point Checklist to Bulletproof Your Dental Office Backup & Recovery Strategy

Use this checklist as:

• A self-assessment, or
• An interview guide when vetting a backup vendor or IT partner.

A qualified dental IT company should answer every question with clear, specific details...not generic reassurance.

1. Is our backup automated (and how often does it run)?

If your backup depends on someone remembering to “run it,” it will eventually fail.

What “good” looks like in a dental office:

• Backups run automatically and without staff involvement
• Critical systems (practice management database, imaging repositories) are captured on a schedule aligned with your tolerance for lost work
• You can see proof: timestamps, reports, alerts when something fails

Truth-serum test: Ask, “If my practice manager is out sick for a week, does anything about our backups change?” The right answer is no.

2. Where is our data physically and digitally stored?

If you don’t know where your backups live, you don’t really know what you’ve bought.

The practical standard for most practices is a hybrid approach:

• Local backup (fast restore for common issues like corrupted files or a failed drive)
• Offsite/cloud backup (protection from fire, theft, flood, or a total office loss)

Truth-serum test: If your server closet was inaccessible tomorrow, “could you still restore your data?”

3. Is our backup solution 100% HIPAA compliant?

Non-negotiable. But let’s define this carefully: no one can “sell” you HIPAA compliance. What you want is a backup strategy designed to support HIPAA safeguards.

At minimum, your backup solution should include:

• Encryption in transit (data protected while moving to the backup destination)
• Encryption at rest (data protected while stored)
• Access controls (who can view/restore/delete backups)
• Auditability (logs of access and restore activity)
• A vendor willing to sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) (more on that in #10)

Truth-serum test: Ask the IT provider to “describe how access is controlled and logged.”

4. How quickly can we restore operations after a failure/disaster?

This is your Recovery Time Objective (RTO)—the maximum downtime you can tolerate.

In dentistry, downtime isn’t just inconvenient. It’s:

• No schedules
• No charting
• No imaging access
• Delayed billing/claims
• Patient frustration (and sometimes, patients leaving)

What to clarify:

• “Restore files” is not the same as “restore the practice”
• Your RTO should account for getting Dentrix/Eaglesoft/Open Dental, imaging, and front-desk workflows functional again...not just getting a folder back

Truth-serum test: Ask, “In a real event, when are we checking in patients again?” If the answer is “a day or two,” that’s a huge business interruption.

5. How much data could we potentially lose?

This is your Recovery Point Objective (RPO)—how far back you might have to go.

If backups run once nightly and something happens at 4:00 PM, you may lose:

• The day’s schedule changes
• Clinical notes
• Scanned documents
• Imaging taken after the last backup
• Billing updates

What “better” looks like:

• More frequent backups (or continuous data protection) for systems that change all day
• Clear documentation of backup frequency per system (not a vague “we back you up”)

Truth-serum test: Ask, “If we lose 6 hours of work, what does that mean for charts, images, and billing?”

6. Are our backups tested regularly?

An untested backup is not a backup. You're basically living on a prayer.

Practices often discover backup failures only when they attempt a restore...when time is tight and emotions are high.

What regular testing should include:

• Scheduled test restores (not just “we check that it ran”)
• Verification that restored data is usable (especially databases and imaging links)
• Documentation: date, what was restored, results, and how long it took

Monitoring helps catch failures early, and proactive network management and support makes it easier to spot problems before your team feels them.

Truth-serum test: Ask, “When was our last test restore, and what exactly was restored?”

7. What is the process for data restoration?

In a crisis, you don’t want a scavenger hunt for instructions.

Your restoration process should be:

• Written down (a simple runbook)
• Shared with leadership (practice owner/manager)
• Clear about roles: who calls, who approves, who communicates with staff/patients
• Clear about what happens first (triage) vs. what comes later (full rebuild)

Truth-serum test: “If this happens at 6:30 AM, who does what first?”

8. Are our backups protected from ransomware?

Ransomware has evolved. Attackers often try to:

• Encrypt live data
• Delete shadow copies
• Find and encrypt backups
• Steal data to pressure you with extortion

What strong protection includes:

• Immutable backups (can’t be altered or deleted for a retention period)
• Air-gapped/offline copies (not continuously reachable from the network)
• Strict permissions (least privilege...especially around deletion)

Backups are your safety net, but prevention still matters. Pairing strong backup design with network security controls helps reduce the chances you ever need to use that safety net.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth: healthcare is a prime target. The FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report, reported 444 cyber incidents impacting health care in 2024—including 238 ransomware threats. (3)

Truth-serum test: Ask, “If an attacker gets admin access in our network, can they delete our backups?”

9. Does the backup cover ALL critical systems?

Backup plans fail when they only cover “the server” and forget the rest of the practice.

Confirm coverage for:

• Practice management databases and related services
• Imaging storage and associated databases/indexes
• Shared documents and scanned files
• Email and cloud data (if applicable)
• Configs/licenses needed to bring systems back online

Truth-serum test: Ask for an inventory list: “Show me what is backed up, where it’s backed up, and how often.”

10. Do we have a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) in place?

This deserves its own point because it’s one of the cleanest lines in the sand.

A BAA is a HIPAA-required contract when a vendor handles ePHI on your behalf. It defines responsibilities and accountability.

Practical guidance:

• Your backup vendor should sign a BAA
• Your IT provider (if they manage systems with ePHI access) should also have appropriate agreements in place

Truth-serum test: Ask, “Will you sign a BAA, and can you provide it before we onboard?”

Unsure if your current backup solution meets HIPAA requirements? Save our free HIPAA Compliance Checklist for Dental Practices.

11. What kind of support is available during a crisis?

Disasters don’t schedule themselves for Tuesday at 10AM.

If your server fails Friday night, you need:

• A real escalation path
• A response plan
• Someone who understands your environment (and your dental software dependencies)

When it’s after-hours and the pressure is real, responsive dental IT support is what keeps a bad day from turning into a lost week.

Look for:

• Support availability (or a clearly defined emergency response option)
• Documented response SLAs (even if they’re tiered)
• Proactive monitoring that catches issues before you discover them at check-in time

Truth-serum test: Ask, “What happens if this occurs after hours or during the weekend?”

12. Does the plan include a full disaster recovery strategy?

Backup is “we have copies.” Disaster recovery is “we can run the practice again.”

A true disaster recovery plan considers:

• Replacement hardware (or temporary equipment)
• Virtual environments to run core systems while rebuilding
• Secure remote access for leadership/billing if the office is down
• Validation steps after restoration (confirming Dentrix/Eaglesoft + imaging + integrations behave correctly)

Truth-serum test: Ask, “If the physical server is destroyed, how do we operate next week?” If there’s no answer beyond “we restore your files,” you don’t have business continuity...you have partial data recovery.

Real Win: Staying Open, Calm, and In Control

You don’t want to become a part-time IT director.

You want to know—quietly, confidently—that if something goes wrong, you can:

• Keep patient care moving (even if it’s a “reduced mode” day),
• Recover charts + imaging without chaos,
• Protect your reputation and compliance posture,
• and avoid the expensive domino effect of downtime, rescheduling, and delayed billing.

That’s what a real backup strategy gives you: not a file copy, but continuity.

And here’s the best part: when the right system is in place, it stays in the background. No heroics required. No crossed fingers. Just a plan that’s been thought through, tested, and ready.

A Calm Next Step (Even If You're Busy)

If you’re not 100% sure how your backups would perform in a real-world failure, you’re not alone...and it’s a solvable problem.

Step 1: Run your current setup through the 12 questions above.
Step 2: Identify the “Unsure” answers (those are your highest-risk gaps).
Step 3: Get an expert second opinion so you’re not guessing.

Book a complimentary, no-obligation Practice IT Analysis.
We’ll help you get a clear picture of your backup and security—what’s working, what’s missing, and what to prioritize first—so you can protect your patient data, reduce downtime risk, and avoid throwing money at the wrong fix.

Claim My Free Practice IT Analysis

Not ready to talk yet? Grab the printable one-page checklist and review it with your practice manager. It’s designed to make the conversation simple and action-focused.

Printable One-Page Checklist

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Related Articles

• Disaster Recovery Myths Dental Practices Should Ignore
• How to Backup Dental Office Data
• Best-in-Class Backup & Recovery Strategies
• Cost of Data Backup for Dental Offices

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Sources

1. Alder, Steve. “Healthcare Data Breach Statistics.” The HIPAA Journal, 4 Jan. 2026, https://www.hipaajournal.com/healthcare-data-breach-statistics/. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
2. Cortigiano, Cameron. “15 Data Breaches that Impacted Dentistry in 2025.” Becker’s Dental, 8 Jan. 2026, https://www.beckersdental.com/dentists/15-data-breaches-that-impacted-dentistry-in-2025/. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
3. “2024 IC3 Annual Report.” Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2024_IC3Report.pdf. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.

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Dental IT. Remove the Burden. Embrace the Use.

Quality patient care – it's ultimately why you became a dental professional. But, some business operations can get in the way (such as pesky computer issues or lack of IT support). That’s where Pact-One Solutions can help! Our passion lies in supplying reliable, responsive dental IT support and security that practices can count on.

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Don't let technology challenges hinder your ability to deliver exceptional dental care. Contact us at info@pact-one.com or 866-722-8663 to join over 3,000 dental professionals thriving with the support of a dedicated dental IT team.