Data backup & recovery
Dental data backup and recovery that protects your patient records
We set up data backup systems so your dental office does not lose vital data, install and maintain the backup recovery software that brings it back, and help you prevent and recover from damage caused by power failures and surges.
Data backup & recoveryWhat we take care of
- Backup systemsSet up so vital data is not lost
- Backup recovery softwareInstalled and maintained
- Power failures and surgesDisaster prevention and recovery
- Server monitoringSo problems are caught in an emergency
- Kept informedYou are kept informed of changes and updates
Signed HIPAA BAA with every customer
What we do
Dental data backup and recovery, set up and maintained
Your schedule, charts, images and billing all live as data. We set up backups so a failed drive or a power outage does not have to take them with it.
Backup systems that fit your office
We set up backup systems around the way your practice works, so vital data is not lost when a computer, server or drive fails.
Recovery software, kept working
We install and maintain your backup recovery software, so the tools for getting data back are ready when you need them.
Power failures, surges and disaster recovery
We handle disaster prevention and recovery for power failures and electrical surges, which can damage the computers and servers your data lives on.
Monitoring alongside backups
Backups pair with the server monitoring software we install and maintain, so problems are caught in an emergency.
Malware kept away from your data
The malware and virus protection we install and maintain helps keep digitally stored patient information safe in the first place.
A signed HIPAA BAA
Backups hold patient information, and every customer has a formal HIPAA business associate agreement with us. See what our BAA means for your practice.
What to protect
What a dental office should back up
A good backup plan starts with a list of everything your practice cannot work without, not only the files on the front desk PC.
- Practice management database: the schedule, patient charts, treatment plans and clinical notes.
- Patient records and images: X-rays, clinical photos, scanned forms and signed consents.
- Billing data: claims, payments, ledgers and insurance details.
- Office documents: letters, spreadsheets, policies and the files staff keep on their own computers.
Backups are also a HIPAA matter: the contingency plan standard of the HIPAA Security Rule (45 CFR 164.308(a)(7)) requires a data backup plan and a disaster recovery plan for electronic patient information. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Where practice data livesInclude every place in the plan
- Office serverPractice database, patient records, images and billing data
- WorkstationsDocuments and files staff save on their computers
- The backup copiesKept separate, with one copy away from the office
A backup counts once a test restore works
- Workstations
- Office server
- Backup
- Restore
Backup vs. sync
Backup vs. sync: why a synced copy is not a backup
A synced folder or a mirrored drive is easy to mistake for a backup. Both keep the same files in two places, which is the problem when a file is deleted, corrupted or encrypted.
| Question | Backup | Synced copy |
|---|---|---|
| What is it for? | Getting data back after a loss | Keeping the same files on every device |
| Protects against accidental deletion? | Yes, the backup still holds the file | No, the deletion is copied too |
| Protects against ransomware? | It can, if one copy is offline or isolated | No, encrypted files replace the good ones |
| Can you go back to an earlier date? | Yes, while older copies are kept | Only if the service keeps versions |
| Can you rely on it to recover? | Yes, once a test restore has worked | No, not without a separate backup |
Sync is useful for sharing files between computers, as long as a separate backup with older versions sits behind it.
Recovery
A backup only counts once you have tested the restore
Recovery is the whole point of a backup. These habits help make sure it works on a bad day.
Test the restore, not the report
A “backup completed” message only tells you something was copied. A real test restores files to a separate place and checks that they open and are complete.
Keep one copy out of reach
Ransomware tries to encrypt every file it can reach, including backups on the same network. Good practice is to keep at least one copy away from the office and offline or isolated. See our ransomware protection guide for dental offices.
Plan for the power going out
A power outage in the middle of a backup, or a surge through the server, can damage the very data you are trying to protect. Read how surge protectors and battery backup help.
Decide what comes back first
When something fails, the practice management database usually matters most, because the schedule and charts depend on it. Write down the restore order, and who makes the call, before you need it.
Good practice
A dental data backup checklist
Whoever looks after your IT, use this list as a quick self-check of your dental office backup plan.
- Every type of practice data is included, from the database to files on staff computers.
- Backups run automatically, without relying on someone remembering at the end of the day.
- Copies live in more than one place, following the widely used 3-2-1 rule: three copies, on two types of storage, one away from the office.
- At least one copy is offline or isolated, out of reach of ransomware on the office network.
- Restores are tested on a planned schedule, and the results are written down.
- Backups are encrypted, and access is limited to the people who need it.
- The server and backup devices have surge protection and battery backup, so a short outage does not interrupt a backup and there is time to shut down safely.
Questions
Data backup and recovery questions
How often should a dental office test its backups?
Good practice is to test on a regular, planned schedule and again after any big change, such as a new server or a software upgrade. Restore a copy of the practice management database to a separate location, not only a few documents, and note how long it takes. The HIPAA Security Rule also lists periodic testing and revision of contingency plans as an addressable specification (45 CFR 164.308(a)(7)(ii)(D)).
Do you help with power failures and electrical surges?
Yes. Disaster prevention and recovery for power failures and electrical surges is part of our work: preparing your systems before an outage, and using the backup recovery software we install and maintain to bring data back afterward. For surge protector and battery backup basics, read our power outage and surge protection guide.
Our backups hold patient information. Do you sign a BAA?
Yes. Your backups contain patient information. Under HIPAA, an IT company that creates, receives, maintains or transmits that information for your practice is generally a business associate, and the rule requires a written agreement with it (45 CFR 164.502(e) and 164.504(e)). My Dental IT signs a formal HIPAA business associate agreement with every customer. Read what our business associate agreement covers.
Related
More ways to keep practice data safe
Service
Server monitoring for dental offices
Monitoring software that helps catch server problems in an emergency.
Service
Dental office computers and servers
Desktops, tablet PCs and server systems, installed and maintained.
Guide
Dental office data backup guide
What to protect, the 3-2-1 rule and keeping copies out of reach of ransomware.
Guide
Power outage and surge protection
Surge protectors, battery backup and safe shutdowns for office computers.
Know your practice data can come back when you need it
Tell us how your office backs up today, and we’ll talk you through what dependable backup and recovery looks like for your practice.