Last week, Pact-One had the privilege to attend the CDA's The Art and Science of Dentistry in Anaheim, CA. This was the first in-person event in Southern California since the start of the pandemic. It was amazing to see so many businesses looking to impact the dental industry, both in southern California and across the nation.

What do you think when you hear the term “cybersecurity?” Do things like anti-virus, anti-malware, and firewalls come to mind? These are crucial factors in an appropriate, layered security plan. However, every practice needs another aspect of security that costs very little but can make a big difference - a password policy.

Most practice owners and office managers are working to improve their cybersecurity posture to prevent the same attacks and breaches that have made headlines in the past several years. They are updating their firewalls, looking into antivirus and antimalware tools, and performing penetration tests to uncover any weakness in their practice network.

In a digitally evolving world, it’s imperative that you have a cybersecurity plan in place. No matter what the size or specialty of your dental practice is, digital security is a must. Having a regularly scheduled cybersecurity audit and assessment for your practice is important.

At some point or another in your life, you've probably set up and worked on a plan for the future. Whether that meant starting a savings account, choosing a path for your collegiate education, or selecting an insurance plan, you started preparing for something down the road - good or bad.

Technology is the backbone of every dental practice. To keep their technology running smoothly, dental offices require IT support. Some choose to hire in-house while in other cases, many decide to outsource. Outsourced dental IT can provide many benefits, but finding the right dental IT provider can prove difficult.

Let’s imagine a hypothetical scenario where your patients create online accounts so that they can book their appointments on the web. When they get to the clinic, the receptionist asks them to fill out yet another form -- this time on paper, not a digital one.

Time flies by so fast, and soon, it’ll be a new year yet again. Congratulate yourself on being able to keep your practice going despite so many looming external threats like ransomware and phishers! However, you must not rest on your laurels because cybercriminals sure won’t. Here are New Year’s resolutions your organization must make to continue enjoying cybersecurity in 2022.
Implement multifactor authentication
Passwords are becoming easier to crack by the day.

Investing in the latest technology can keep your dental practice competitive, innovative, and in tune with the latest market trends. However, planning a comprehensive IT budget is critical for prioritizing tech investments, spotting underused resources, and identifying maintenance needs.

Productivity and data security are typically among the top priorities of any dental practice. You'll want to handle patients' private medical information properly not only to ensure excellent service, but also to win your patients' trust and loyalty. Achieving this requires investment in proper IT resources, one of which is network monitoring — a service that boosts both system efficiency and ensures reliable patient care.