Running a dental surgery involves a significant volume of admin. Sending patient reminders, managing databases, protecting against cyberattacks, and following all regulatory data requirements (including GDPR) are just some of the day-to-day jobs.
For dentists, it’s just one more pressure on top of managing their dental operations. As every business realizes, sooner or later, you can’t do it all. Dental IT support prevents inefficiencies, unrealized gains, and computer-related mishaps holding a dental office back.
In this article, we delve into the significant challenges and problems facing dentists who choose to do their own dental office support in-house. And we’ll explain the key advantages of outsourcing to a proven dental computer support agency.
We’ll cover:
- What is Dental IT Support?
- In-House vs. Outsourced Dental IT Support
- Challenges Facing In-House Dental Office Support
- Advantages of Outsourcing Dental Computer Support
What is Dental IT Support?
Dental IT support covers the technical assistance a dental practice requires to operate its software and hardware. That includes the installation and maintenance of practice management software, digital imaging systems, patient databases, and cybersecurity measures (to protect sensitive patient data).
Moreover, dental IT professionals also assist with data backups, HIPAA compliance, and integrating new technologies with existing infrastructure. Plus, they’re always on hand to perform ongoing monitoring and help when necessary.
In-House vs. Outsourced Dental IT Support
Dental offices face a simple choice regarding their IT operations: in-house or outsource.
In-house IT support involves adding dedicated staff to manage the technological infrastructure of the dental office. Often, one or two individuals are tasked with monitoring and maintaining the entire system. In-house teams tend to have a deep understanding of every aspect of dental office support systems, allowing for greater control and a more integrated approach to tech management. However, in-house staff rarely have the technical expertise found in a specialized agency.
Outsourced dental office support, on the other hand, comes from an external agency responsible for the technical needs of multiple dental offices. Unlike their in-house counterparts, professional dental IT support companies have the expertise, resources, and round-the-clock services to provide continual IT management at a fraction of the cost.
Challenges Facing In-House Dental Office Support
Once upon a time, managing patients involved running a paper-based system. Small teams of office staff could maintain such operations without relying on outside support.
Today, in-house teams no longer have the technical expertise or resources to run a dental practice’s IT systems. It’s a problem faced by numerous small- and medium-sized businesses.
First, any in-house team will be limited in scope. They’ll be available between 9 AM and 5 PM, five days a week. That’s it. Outside of these hours, any IT downtime will either require calling an emergency IT support team or waiting until the next working day to rectify the issue.
Second, much of the time, there may be insufficient work for IT teams to do. For smaller dental offices, paying IT professionals to wait for a problem is often out of budget. Conversely, when adopting a new IT system or software package, the same team may suddenly be wholly overwhelmed, unable to scale operations to solve the problem.
Last, in-house dental IT support can draw attention from running the surgery. Dentists or practice managers are forced to hire candidates (an expensive process) without fully understanding their qualifications or expertise. Plus, given the competitive sector, securing the right IT professionals can cost a sizable salary, further hampering normal dental operations.
Even if you find a candidate, recruiting and training an employee can take months. Meanwhile, losing an IT team member puts other people under extra stress and workload, potentially causing a staff drain from your company.
Advantages of Outsourcing Dental Computer Support
Dental IT support doesn’t have to be an in-house headache. Turning to a tried-and-tested dental office support agency removes much of the stress and financial burden. Consider these key advantages when weighing up your options:
- Scalability. Forget about the underworked or overwhelmed dynamic of in-house teams. Professional agencies ensure they’ve got ample staff available to handle your IT demands. Whether that’s taking on more patients, expanding your existing IT systems, or dealing with a sudden IT problem, they’ve got you covered.
- Cost Efficiency. Most agencies operate on a subscription-based model, standardizing monthly costs. No salaries, training or office space to pay for. You’ll reduce your overheads and gain greater capabilities.
- Proactive Maintenance. Dental office support firms usually provide proactive maintenance of your IT systems. They’ll perform routine inspections, identifying and addressing issues before they escalate into significant problems.
- Round-the-Clock Support. What happens if your IT system shuts down outside of regular business hours? The answer: you’ll get the support you need. Considering you’d have to ring an emergency IT support provider anyway, this approach cuts out the middleman.
- Advanced Tools and Technologies. Using the latest tools means your dental IT infrastructure is always ahead of the curve. That’s especially important considering the growing threat of cybercriminals.
- Risk Management. Maintaining a database of patient information requires significant data security systems fully compliant with the latest regulations, like HIPAA. External dental IT support companies reduce the risk of data breaches and non-compliance penalties.
Most of all, outsourcing dental computer support leaves time for your dental team to do what they do best: looking after patients. That’s what you specialize in.
Closing Thoughts
Don’t try to do it all! Dental IT support is a highly technical area that involves significant expertise. Hiring the right people, protecting against data breaches, and preventing regulatory non-compliance is too much for the majority of dental practices.
Outsourcing your dental computer support streamlines operations, ensuring you have the most current technology and expert assistance at all times—day or night. It’s not just about solving IT issues; it’s about elevating your practice to deliver the best patient experience with peace of mind.
Sources:
https://rapiditsupport.co.uk/who-we-serve/it-support-for-dental-practices/
https://www.firewalltechnical.com/disadvantages-of-in-house-it-support/
https://www.ukitservice.co.uk/blog/it-support-in-house-vs-outsourcing/
https://www.managedsolution.com/pros-cons-of-in-house-and-outsourced-it-support/
https://blog.superfast-it.com/inhouse-vs-outsourced-it-support
