equipment, such as digital pans and cephs. By the late 90s, the
tide had shifted, and those who hadn’t embraced the new technology began seeing patients migrating to the “high tech” dentist
down the street. It’s fair to say that computers were starting to
actually help dentists manage their practices better, provide better care, and move patients though the office faster and more
efficiently. A patient no longer had to sit and wait for x-rays to
develop, or for someone to pull a chart. By the mid 2000s, as
more and more information was accessible, and as billing and
insurance systems gained in complexity, only the smallest dental
practices were not computerized.
Today, there is nary a dental practice that isn’t fully digital. Sure,
there are a handful of practices still using film, but it’s been years
since I walked into a dental office that didn’t have at least one
computer. That’s not to say they don’t exist, but they are definitely in near-extinction numbers.
Technology has improved, and a case can be made that your
practice can’t survive without computers. But that’s not to say
they aren’t still a hindrance. Beyond hardware failure, vandalism,
or human error, there are two primary factors that can cause a
network to crash and become a huge hindrance to a practice.
They are: 1) a lack of a good monitored backup/disaster recovery
system, and 2) a lack of systems in place to stop malware.
Computer systems have become complex and critical to your
practice. It’s your responsibility to ensure the safety and security
of your practice’s data. Fortunately, there are a few specialized
companies in the marketplace that will help you keep everything
safe and secure. Some have been around for decades and have
seen the industry evolve, and those with this experience have
seen it all. They can keep your practice running, even on your
worst day! They can ensure that your computers are always helpful, and not a hindrance.
Duane was born and raised in Texas, grew up
in Corsicana, and graduated from Corsicana
High in 1983. He graduated from The University
of Texas in Arlington in 1989 with a BBA in marketing. He opened his first computer company,
Arlington Computers, in 1997 and focused on
dental technology. His father was an orthodontist, and his brother and sister-in-law are practicing dentists. In 2006, he sold Arlington
Computers to pursue a career interest for a year
with Microsoft. He spent the next five years working for The Dallas County
District Courts, but missed the dental industry and returned to it in 2011.
In 2014, he split from the company he was with and became one of the founding
partners of Vital Technology Group, LLC. Send email to: [email protected].
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