Technology is continuing to advance, and dental practices are increasingly finding digital solutions to manage patient care, streamline operations, and enhance communication.
This digital transformation introduces cybersecurity risks with every transaction we make and each patient we see. Sensitive patient information and our businesses are at stake, so it's imperative that dental practices prioritize robust cybersecurity measures this year.
Here are five cybersecurity resolutions your dental practice must adopt in 2025 to stay secure, compliant, and relevant.
Implement comprehensive team training
Tasha Dickinson.
Your team is your biggest asset but also your biggest liability. A well-informed team can prevent breaches caused by human error, but it's also imperative that they learn how to use tools to keep your business safe. In 2025, prioritize regular cybersecurity training sessions that address these areas:
- Phishing awareness: Teach employees how to identify and report phishing attempts.
- Password hygiene: Emphasize the importance of strong, unique passwords and the use of password managers.
- Device security: Educate staff on securing their personal devices, especially in remote or hybrid work environments.
Annual refreshers are no longer sufficient; make training a continuous process with periodic updates and simulations to keep staff alert and informed.
New cybersecurity alerts are posted often. Staying up to date and discussing the latest threats with your team helps everyone stay more diligent, saving you time and money.
Adopt 'zero trust' security architecture
Zero trust is no longer optional in today's cybersecurity landscape. This model operates on the principle of "never trust, always verify," which requires strict identity verification for every person and device attempting to access patient and business data. Steps to implement zero trust include the following:
- Network and data segmentation: Limit access to sensitive areas of your network, passwords, and specific types of patient data to authorized personnel only.
- Multifactor authentication: Add an extra layer of security by requiring two or more verification methods.
- Continuous monitoring: Regularly monitor network, device, and account activity to detect and respond to anomalies in real time.
- Zero trust devices: Do not let just anyone or any program automatically download, install, or modify your computers or data.
Implementing zero trust in your dental practice significantly reduces the security break points and mitigates the risk of unauthorized access to critical systems. Most of us don't think about it, but all of those connected cloud-based programs also contain your data. Ensuring that we know who has access to those programs, including our usernames and passwords, helps control who has access.
It's also important to think about your practice's social media accounts. Some important questions to ask are:
- How many people have the usernames and passwords?
- What happens when an employee leaves the practice? Do you automatically change that password?
- What happens if you don't change the password and a disgruntled ex-employee changes it for you and locks you out?
These questions can be addressed by simple system modifications or programs. Consulting with a cybersecurity expert can help take the strain off the practice.
Ensure HIPAA compliance and regular audits
Michael Ventriello.
HIPAA sets strict standards for protecting patient data. Noncompliance can lead to hefty fines and damage your practice's reputation. In 2025, dental practices must do the following:
- Conduct regular risk assessments: Identify vulnerabilities and address them proactively.
- Encrypt patient data: Both in transit and at rest to ensure it remains secure.
- Develop an incident response and business continuity plan: Outline steps for responding to a data breach or data loss to minimize impact, reduce fraud, and keep your business up and running.
Regular audits and updates to your security policies are essential to stay compliant with evolving regulations. Protocols and standards are put in place to help protect patient data and your business -- do not take them lightly.
The more work you put in upfront, just like with a fire drill, the better prepared you will be. Good cyber hygiene and awareness prevent cybercrime, fraud, and possible data loss.
Invest in advanced cybersecurity tools
Sophisticated cyberthreats require equally sophisticated solutions. Threat actors and criminals now use artificial intelligence (AI). Fight back! Dental practices must allocate budget and resources for advanced tools, such as:
- Endpoint detection and response: Provides real-time threat detection and remediation
- Backup and disaster recovery solutions: Ensure your data can be restored quickly in the event of a ransomware attack or system failure
- AI-driven threat detection: Leverages machine learning to identify and neutralize threats before they escalate
- Security information and event management monitoring: Use AI where it counts to help monitor for suspicious activity and help to automatically comply with requirements
It's also critical that you have at least one backup that is completely offline. This means the backup device is not connected to the internet at all. Be aware that cloud-based backup systems are susceptible to cybercrime.
Collaborate with a cybersecurity expert to tailor these tools to the unique needs of your practice. You may even get a discount on your insurance when you put these safeguards into place.
Secure Internet of Things devices
From digital x-ray machines to smart thermostats, Internet of Thing (IoT) devices are becoming commonplace in dental offices. However, these devices can be an entry point for cyberattacks if they are not secured properly. Follow these preventive steps:
- Change default passwords: Replace factory-set passwords with strong, unique ones.
- Update firmware regularly: Ensure devices are running the latest software versions to patch vulnerabilities.
- Isolate IoT devices: Keep these devices on a separate network from your practice data.
Taking proactive measures to secure IoT devices prevents them from becoming open back doors in your cybersecurity chain.
Conclusion
Cybersecurity is a critical component of modern dental practice business management. By adopting these five resolutions in 2025, your practice can safeguard patient data, comply with regulations, and build trust with patients. Working with a professional can help shorten the time it takes to implement and adopt these and other standards. It's important to have someone watching your back. These investments in cybersecurity not only protect your business, but they also help ensure uninterrupted, high-quality patient care in an increasingly digital world.
Tasha Dickinson is the founder and chief technologist of Siligent. She has completed and installed multiple information technology infrastructure projects for dentists across the U.S., including consulting on cybersecurity, computer architecture, and data protection.
Michael Ventriello is the owner of Ventriello Communications and is widely recognized as the "Dental Launch Expert." He specializes in developing strategic marketing and public relations programs needed to launch game-changing dental companies and products. Ventriello is also a dental industry pundit and author. Contact him at [email protected].
The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.