Dental practices depend on a connected chain of appointments, clinical records, imaging, sterilisation workflows, payments, communications and specialist devices. Continuity planning identifies which services must be restored first and gives staff a safe way to work while restoration is underway.
Define the essential working day
List time-critical servicesDocument what reception, clinicians and management need during the first hour, first day and first three days of disruption.
Map dependenciesConnect Dental4Windows, EXACT or other practice software to servers, databases, imaging, internet, phones, identity, payment terminals and external vendors.
Set recovery prioritiesAgree which services are restored first and who can make decisions about closing, rescheduling or using limited operations.
Keep contacts offlineMaintain an approved offline copy of IT, software, internet, insurance, security and leadership escalation contacts.
Prepare safe workarounds
Appointments and patient communicationDefine how staff access the day's schedule and communicate delays without creating uncontrolled patient lists.
Imaging and specialist equipmentDocument whether acquisition can continue safely, where images are stored and how they are reconciled after recovery.
Internet and phonesProvide managed failover where cloud software or calling is business-critical, and document the limitations of the backup connection.
Payments and administrationDefine approved offline or delayed-payment processes and how records are checked when normal systems return.
Prove that recovery works
Protect multiple backup copiesUse automatic local and off-site copies where appropriate, including a copy protected from compromised administrator accounts.
Test restoration quarterlyRecover representative systems or data, record timings and confirm that applications, permissions and integrations work—not merely that files exist.
Exercise the teamRun a short scenario with reception, clinicians and management. Confirm who calls whom and what staff may safely communicate.
Track improvementsAssign every gap an owner and due date. Review the plan after system, vendor, location or staffing changes.
Important contextThis checklist is a planning aid, not a substitute for clinical governance, work health and safety, privacy, insurance or legal advice. Downtime procedures must be approved by the practice.