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.

In a time where nearly every dental practice, regardless of size, runs on technology, it's no surprise that practice owners have partnered with outsourced dental IT service providers to help keep their offices up and running. Working with a team of experts whose sole focus is to manage and maintain your network means one less thing on your plate, giving you more time to focus on what's most important for your practice and patients.

Cloud computing provides on-demand services over the internet. These services include server, storage, networking, software, and data analytics services. Due to the cloud’s many benefits, many businesses in the United States leverage the technology in some capacity.

There’s no denying that having a solid IT solution in place can dramatically increase your dental practice’s efficiency, especially when it comes to your administrative and operational functions. However, incorporating IT into your practice means you’ll have to properly manage and maintain it.

Cloud computing services are a popular option among dental practices. It enables practices to delegate management of IT functions to a dedicated team, and saves the practice from having to invest in the hardware and storage capabilities required, especially as it grows in size.

If you own or are planning to start a small dental practice, you have to make sure that it follows the strict standards of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This act requires small- and large-scale dental clinics to take precautionary measures to ensure the safety and security of their patients' protected health information (PHI).

The US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the governing body that enforces HIPAA, can impose a fine of $50,000 per patient record that was stolen or compromised, and a maximum fine of $1.5 million per year depending on the type of violation.

If you’re planning to start a dental office, or if your dental practice is starting to grow, you will need to decide whether to purchase new IT equipment or lease them from a managed IT services provider (MSP). If buying or adding new equipment and software will adversely affect your clinic’s cash flow, you should consider leasing instead.