Dentistry has come a long way, and not just when it comes to procedures and treatments. Modern dental practices have opened themselves up to more and more technology, and operating them smoothly without proper computer systems seems almost ludicrous. With so much growth and advancement, it’s now more important than ever for dental practices to arrange quality IT support. If you operate a dental practice and are looking to improve your IT accessibility and solutions, keep reading – we’ve unpacked the importance of IT within a dental practice and the kind of support you might need to thrive.
Powering your practice with IT
A dental practice is, in essence, a business. You keep records and financial information about your patients that need to be monitored. Then, you coordinate the schedules of your staff and the appointments booked by your patients. Also, you handle sensitive medical data and need to be able to quickly distribute it among your staff, to other involved specialists, and to your patients. Data security is essential, and it’s important you comply with privacy laws set in place.
For a dental practice to operate successfully, its IT infrastructure needs to manage all these different tasks. While this might sound overwhelming, there are an increasing number of software options specifically created for dental practices. This is surely welcome news for dentists and dental staff, but it also comes at a cost. With such a variety of software available, including Practice Management Software (PMS) and Digital Imaging options, it can be difficult to pinpoint the right solution for your needs. IT support can help take the guesswork out of knowing which route to take.
Finding the right support
With proper dental practice IT support, you’ll understand your practice’s particular needs and goals and receive advice on the best solutions to help you get there. An IT support specialist will guide you through the process and collaborate with vendors. They’ll help you and your staff set up and use your PMS system and will troubleshoot any issues that arise. And once the system is set up, your IT specialist can offer continuing support and maintenance to ensure your software system always operates smoothly.
Backups and improved security
An IT support system is crucial to practice efficiency, and there are simple things you can do yourself to keep things operating as they should. It’s important you make sure there’s a good backup procedure in place. When you backup your data, you’ll be able to quickly restore your important information and files in the event something goes wrong.
It’s also crucial you keep your software updated. Doing so reduces the risk of security breaches and diminished stability, which can lead to system breakdown, malware and viruses. At the same time, make sure you have a strong spam filter set up to defend your email inbox against junk mail, phishing and spam.
Need quality IT support for your practice? Contact us
For quality dental practice IT support, choose Podium IT. We’re a young business with a passion for friendly, relevant and professional IT support solutions. As specialists in the medical IT field, we understand the particular needs facing dental practices and the growing reliance on tech support. Contact us for a quote, information or advice. Call us on 1300 859 926 or visit us at www.podiumit.com.au. We service all Melbourne Suburbs and Sunshine Coast (QLD).
