Podcast Recap: Maximize Your Dental Practice Value With Effective Trust Strategies

In this episode of Beyond Bitewings, Ash sits down with estate planning attorney Antoinette Bone to explore a topic many dental practice owners delay far too long: creating a trust. With decades of legal experience, including time as a JAG in the Air Force, Antoinette has helped countless professionals protect their assets, businesses, and families through thoughtful estate planning, and she’s on a mission to help dentists understand why trust-based planning is essential.

Antoinette explains that while wills serve an important purpose, they don’t offer the flexibility, privacy, or control that trusts do, especially for practice owners. A well-structured trust can streamline the transition of ownership, provide for loved ones, and preserve the value of a dental practice long after the owner retires or passes away. For those with multiple practices or a desire to avoid probate, trust-based planning becomes even more critical.

She also highlights a key point many dentists overlook: estate planning isn’t just about death – it’s also about protecting your practice in the event of incapacity. If you’re sidelined by illness or injury, having the right legal tools, like durable powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and properly structured trusts, ensures someone you trust can manage your affairs and keep your business running.

Throughout the episode, Antoinette warns against taking shortcuts, such as using online legal forms or skipping the operating agreement when forming a business. Without proper planning and coordination between your estate plan and business structure, your assets, and your loved ones could be left vulnerable. She stresses that estate planning is deeply personal and should reflect both your family dynamics and your financial goals.

Perhaps most importantly, Antoinette reminds listeners that creating an estate plan is an act of love. It reduces the burden on your family during emotionally difficult times and helps avoid confusion or conflict. Whether you’re just starting your practice or planning to retire in the coming years, now is the time to put the right plans in place.

To learn more about Antoinette Bone and the resources she offers, visit abonelaw.com or check out her educational videos on YouTube at youtube.com/abonelaw. And for more expert insights on managing the business side of dentistry, be sure to subscribe to Beyond Bitewings.

Disaster-Proofing Your Dental Practice: Why Planning Ahead Protects More Than Property

The devastating flooding in central Texas has been a sobering reminder of how quickly disaster can strike. While nothing compares to the loss of life and community displacement, these events also bring major disruptions to small businesses, including dental practices. Offices can flood, equipment can be destroyed, and patient records can become inaccessible overnight.

While this post isn’t financial advice in the traditional sense, being prepared for a natural disaster is essential to protecting the financial health of your practice. Without a plan, your ability to reopen, pay staff, file insurance claims, and maintain patient trust could be severely compromised. And with peak hurricane season approaching, now is the time to revisit your plan or create one if you haven’t already.

According to a survey published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, more than 65% of healthcare professionals reported having no prior disaster preparedness training. And while data specific to dental practices is scarce, the American Dental Association (ADA) stresses that far too many offices still lack comprehensive emergency plans. As accounting and financial advisors for dental practices, we’ve seen how unprepared practices face prolonged financial recovery while those with a solid plan bounce back faster and stronger.

Here’s what to know and what you can do now to safeguard your practice and its bottom line.

Why Disaster Planning Should Be Part of Your Financial Strategy

  • Cash Flow Can Vanish Overnight: A flood or fire can shut your practice down for weeks, even months. Without emergency reserves or business interruption insurance, paying staff, rent, or loan obligations can quickly become impossible.
  • Insurance Claims Take Time: Even with great coverage, claims processing doesn’t happen overnight. Having documentation, like inventory records, vendor contracts, and pre-disaster financial reports, on hand can speed things up and ensure full reimbursement.
  • Lost Data = Lost Revenue: If your practice management software or EHR system goes down without a backup, you risk losing billing info, treatment plans, and patient history. That’s not just an inconvenience; it’s a revenue and compliance risk.
  • Recovery Costs Add Up Quickly: Water remediation, equipment replacement, and temporary relocation costs can easily run into six figures. Planning ahead gives you options beyond emergency loans or dipping into retirement savings.

Practical Steps to Protect Your Practice

  • Review and Strengthen Your Emergency Plan: Make sure you have a written plan that covers evacuation procedures, patient communication, data recovery, and roles for each team member. If you don’t have one yet, the ADA has helpful guidance here.
  • Secure Your Data and Records: Use encrypted cloud backups for patient records, accounting files, and insurance documents. Keep physical copies of essentials off-site and review your backup strategy regularly.
  • Assess and Update Insurance Coverage: Ensure your policy includes business interruption, equipment replacement, and extra expense coverage. Talk to your broker about what’s covered and what’s not.
  • Build a Cash Reserve: Set aside 1-3 months of operating expenses in a dedicated account. This cushion can keep you afloat during unexpected closures.
  • Document Assets and Inventory: Keep an up-to-date record (with photos) of your equipment and furnishings. Store it securely, off site, with your financials so it’s ready in case of a claim.
  • Train Your Team: Emergency plans only work when your staff knows what to do. Hold regular drills, assign responsibilities, and include disaster response in new employee onboarding.

Preparation Builds Resilience

No one wants to think about disasters, especially in a profession built around care and connection. But ignoring the possibility puts your livelihood, your patients, and your financial future at risk. A well-prepared dental practice isn’t just safer, it’s more resilient, more trusted, and better positioned to recover when the unexpected happens.

At Edwards & Associates, we help dental professionals plan not just for growth, but for risk. From reviewing your cash reserves to managing your monthly bookkeeping to guiding you through business transitions, we’re here to support you. We can also connect you with vetted professionals who specialize in everything from emergency preparedness to IT and facilities planning. You don’t have to do it alone.

Economic Confidence May Be Down But Dental Practices Have Options

According to a recent article from ADA News, U.S. dentists’ economic confidence dropped significantly in the first quarter of 2025, the lowest since the pandemic. This insight, based on data from the Health Policy Institute’s Economic Outlook and Emerging Issues in Dentistry Poll, highlights concern over rising operational costs, stagnant insurance reimbursements, and a slowdown in patient volume. 

While it’s easy to feel discouraged by these trends, dental practices still have tools at their disposal to weather the storm and even come out stronger. At Edwards & Associates, we help practices in Texas and across the country take control of their financial future through proactive planning and tailored support.

Here’s how we’re helping dental practices respond to today’s challenges:

  • Strategic Tax Planning: With tax laws changing and margins shrinking, a reactive approach won’t cut it. We build customized, year-round tax strategies to reduce your liability and maximize after-tax income.
  • Outsourced Accounting That Does More Than Crunch Numbers: If you’re trying to run your practice and manage your books, you may be missing opportunities or exposing yourself to risk. Our outsourced accounting services go far beyond bookkeeping. We deliver clear, timely financial reporting, help you manage cash flow, identify profit leaks, and provide the insights you need to make confident decisions. For many dentists, outsourcing accounting is not just a convenience, it’s a strategic advantage.
  • Overhead Analysis: With costs rising, it’s essential to understand where your money is going. We help you uncover hidden inefficiencies and restructure expenses to preserve profitability.
  • Practice Valuation & Transition Guidance: Whether you’re looking to grow through acquisition or planning for retirement, understanding your practice’s value and options is critical. We’re here to help you navigate those decisions with clarity and foresight.
  • Financial Planning with the Long View: In uncertain times, it’s easy to get stuck in the day-to-day. Our comprehensive financial planning services help you look beyond the current dip, map out your long-term goals, and build a practice that supports them.

Yes, confidence may be down, but your control over your financial health doesn’t have to be. With the right systems, strategy, and support in place, your dental practice can stay resilient and even thrive.

Ready to stop guessing and start planning? Let’s talk.

Podcast Recap: How To Utilize AI Search Engine Optimization (GEO) As a Marketing Tool

Artificial intelligence (AI) is more than just a buzzword, it’s actively reshaping how dental practices market themselves, connect with patients, and compete in the digital space. In a recent episode of the Beyond Bitewings podcast, we sat down with Jennifer Christensen, co-founder and CMO of Beacon Media + Marketing, to talk about how AI is transforming the world of marketing and what dentists can do to stay ahead.

A New Era: From Information to Intelligence

Jennifer refers to this shift as moving from the “Information Age” to the “Age of Intelligence.” Patients no longer search the way they used to. Instead of typing a few keywords into Google, they’re asking full questions to AI-powered tools and expecting personalized, accurate answers.

That’s a big deal for dental practices that rely on being found online.

Why Traditional SEO Alone Won’t Cut It

According to Jennifer, SEO still matters, but the rules are changing. With the rise of AI-generated overviews and zero-click searches (where users get what they need without visiting a website), practices need to do more than just optimize for keywords. They need to create expert-level, personalized content that establishes credibility.

Her advice? Stop publishing generic blog posts. Instead, focus on:

  • Original content authored by dentists or team members
  • Clear bylines and bios to establish expertise
  • FAQs that address real patient concerns
  • Transparent pricing and treatment timelines where possible

The goal is to become the trusted voice AI platforms pull from when patients ask questions like “How much does Invisalign cost in Dallas?” or “What is holistic dentistry?”

AI Isn’t Just for Marketing

Jennifer also discussed how AI can help practices operate more efficiently behind the scenes. From streamlining patient communications to helping front desk staff manage appointments and follow-ups, AI tools can save time, reduce errors, and enhance the patient experience without replacing people.

The key is to use AI to augment what your team already does well.

Act Now, Not Later

Many large dental service organizations (DSOs) are already experimenting with AI, but small and mid-sized practices still have a window of opportunity to get ahead especially by niching down and being transparent. Those who wait risk falling behind in visibility and relevance.

Jennifer’s final message was one of hope: small businesses that understand AI and use it wisely have a chance to shape how it develops and can level the playing field with bigger competitors.

Want to learn more? Jennifer offers free 15-minute consults via LinkedIn or through Beacon Media + Marketing.

Why Your Team Is Your Most Valuable Asset

As a dental practice owner, you probably didn’t get into this line of work because you love HR. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned from working with hundreds of dental practices, it’s this: your people are just as important to your success as your patients – and your numbers.

You can’t deliver great care without a reliable, motivated, and engaged team behind you. And in today’s competitive labor market, retaining that team takes more than paychecks and PTO.

Here’s what the research says and what your practice can do about it.

According to talent expert Jeremy Wortman, employees leave when they feel unheard, undervalued, or disconnected from their workplace culture. It’s not just about money. It’s about meaning. That’s why building a talent-centric culture is no longer optional, it’s a strategic necessity.

Here are a few ways to start:

  • Clarify your vision and values. Just like your practice has clinical protocols, your workplace culture needs a clear foundation. What do you stand for? What kind of environment do you want to create?
  • Invest in your team. Whether it’s leadership development, team-building, or professional growth opportunities, supporting your staff beyond the daily tasks goes a long way.
  • Measure engagement. Annual surveys, regular check-ins, and “stay interviews” can help you spot problems before they become turnover.
  • Give feedback often. Employees want to know how they’re doing and where they can grow. Don’t wait for annual reviews; make feedback a part of your routine.
  • Create a workplace they won’t want to leave. People stay where they feel seen, supported, and aligned with the practice’s purpose. And when they stay, your patients benefit too.

It’s true, our expertise lies in accounting, tax, and financial strategy. But we’ve seen firsthand how practices thrive when they focus on the people side of the business, too. If you want to talk more about building a practice that performs, on paper and in person, reach out anytime.

What the New Federal Tax Law Means for Estate Planning

The recently passed federal budget bill, dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” includes major updates that will shape estate planning for years to come. Chief among them is a permanent increase in the federal estate and gift tax exemption, which rises to $15 million per person (or $30 million per married couple) starting in 2026.

For dental professionals building long-term wealth, this presents both opportunities and responsibilities. 

  • Larger Exemption = More Tax-Free Wealth Transfer: The new exemption threshold allows dentists and other high earners to transfer significantly more assets –whether during their lifetime or after death – without triggering federal estate or gift tax. This opens the door for more impactful gifting strategies, especially when funding trusts or assisting family members with practice ownership transitions.
  • Lifetime Gifting Just Got More Powerful: Making strategic gifts while alive is one of the most efficient ways to manage estate size. With the higher exemption, you can now gift larger amounts directly or through irrevocable trusts, helping secure generational wealth or support causes they care about.
  • Plan for the Long Game But Be Flexible: While the bill makes these changes “permanent,” nothing in tax law is truly set in stone. Future administrations or Congresses could lower exemption amounts or shift tax strategies. Building flexibility into your estate plan is key.
  • Dynasty and Multi-Generation Planning: The increase to the generation-skipping transfer (GST) exemption now aligns with the estate tax exemption, allowing high-net-worth families to build long-term legacy plans – such as dynasty trusts – without immediate tax hurdles.
  • Trusts Still Matter: The new law didn’t change how trusts are taxed, but it does prompt a good reason to revisit them. Some older trust structures may no longer be optimal, while others could be updated to better align with today’s limits and tomorrow’s goals.
  • Keep an Eye on State Laws and Income Taxes: While the federal exemptions are generous, your state may still impose estate taxes with much lower thresholds. And income tax strategies, including the use of non-grantor trusts, can help manage exposure on passive income or capitalize on deductions.
  • Now’s the Time to Review Your Plan: Life changes such as getting married, having children, investing in a practice, should prompt a fresh look at your estate plan. But with these new federal changes in place, it’s more important than ever to ensure your strategies match your goals and take full advantage of available tax relief.

What Should You Do Next?

Whether you’re a dentist nearing retirement, early in your practice, or preparing to pass the reins to the next generation, now is the right time to talk to us about your financial and tax strategies. We can help you take full advantage of these changes and ensure your plan is aligned with your values, your family’s future, and your practice’s legacy.

What the Latest Federal Tax Bill Means for Dental Practices and Their Owners

After months of debate, Congress has passed an enormous budget reconciliation bill with a wide range of tax changes affecting small businesses and individual taxpayers alike. While the headlines focus on sweeping economic measures, many of the provisions could directly shape how dental practices operate, invest, and plan ahead.

If you own or manage a dental practice, here are the highlights you should know and steps you might consider in response.

New Incentives for Equipment and Technology Investments

One of the most significant changes is the return of full expensing for major purchases. If you’re planning to upgrade your equipment, invest in advanced imaging technology, or modernize your administrative systems, the revised Section 179 rules will allow you to deduct up to $2.5 million of qualifying purchases in the year you buy them.

Previously, deductions had to be spread out over time, but the accelerated write-off can now provide immediate tax relief and help improve cash flow. Keep in mind that if your total qualifying purchases exceed $4 million, the deduction begins to phase out.

More Room to Deduct Interest Expenses

If you’ve taken out loans to renovate your office, open a second location, or acquire another practice, the rules for deducting interest payments just became more favorable. The new law allows interest deductions to be calculated using EBITDA, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, rather than the narrower EBIT measure.

This adjustment increases the amount you can deduct each year, which can be especially helpful for practices carrying debt from growth or equipment financing.

Expanded Research and Development (R&D) Deductions

While many dental practices don’t think of themselves as research businesses, certain investments – like developing proprietary patient education materials, implementing new digital workflows, or testing innovative service models – can qualify for R&D deductions. Under the bill, smaller businesses with less than $31 million in gross receipts (which is most dental practices) can immediately deduct eligible R&D costs rather than amortizing them over time. This change rewards innovation and may help offset the expense of improving patient care.

QSBS Exclusion Returns for C-Corporations

If your practice is organized as a C-corporation and you’re considering selling your business in the next few years, take note of the revived Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) exclusions. Owners who meet certain requirements, including holding their shares for at least five years, may be able to exclude up to 100% of gains from federal tax when they sell. This could translate into substantial tax savings at the time of exit or succession planning.

SALT Deduction Cap Temporarily Increased

The bill raises the cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions to $40,000, with a gradual phaseout beginning at $500,000 of income. However, this relief is temporary; the cap is scheduled to revert to $10,000 in 2030. For dental practice owners, especially those operating pass-through entities, this creates a narrow planning window. It’s a good time to reevaluate whether the entity-level SALT workaround remains effective and how to best optimize deductions while the higher cap is in place. Strategic tax planning now can help minimize liabilities before the cap drops again.

Personal Tax Changes That Matter to Practice Owners

While these business provisions can influence practice finances, there are also personal tax updates to be aware of:

  • Expanded Child Tax Credit: Temporarily increased to up to $2,500 per qualifying child, with more flexibility in how it phases in.
  • New Deductions for Common Expenses:
    • Up to $6,000 in additional standard deduction for taxpayers over 65.
    • Interest deductions on loans for U.S.-assembled electric vehicles, up to $10,000.
    • Above-the-line deductions for overtime and tip income (though not likely as relevant for dental offices).
  • No Federal Tax on Tips: While this mostly affects hospitality workers, employees with tip income will no longer pay federal tax on it.
  • Individual Tax Rates Extended: The lower tax brackets set in 2017 are extended through 2028, helping many owners save on personal income tax.

How Your Practice Can Prepare

Navigating these changes doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are a few things you should consider:

  • Evaluate planned purchases of equipment and technology to optimize deductions.
  • Review financing structures to maximize interest expense benefits.
  • Assess your entity type and QSBS eligibility if a sale or transition is on the horizon.
  • Update your personal tax plan to leverage available deductions and credits.

Even though this legislation is complex, and this just scratches the surface of what it contains, it creates some opportunities to strengthen your practice’s financial position while supporting your personal goals. If you’d like to discuss how these updates apply to your specific situation, we’re here to help.

Three Smart Ways to Attract and Retain Dental Talent

In our last post, we dug into the numbers behind the dental hiring crisis, and the impact is clear: staffing shortages are costing practices time, money, and patient trust. But solving the problem takes more than help-wanted ads. Recruiting and retention challenges are often rooted in culture, not just compensation.

If you’re still trying to recruit the way you did five years ago, it’s time for a refresh. Here are some ways to build a workplace where the right people want to work and stay.

1. Invest in Your People

  • Competitive Pay & Incentives:
    Compensation still tops the list of reasons dental professionals leave or stay. Benchmark your pay regularly against industry averages, and don’t wait for an exit interview to find out what’s missing. Use “stay interviews” to proactively address concerns and reward loyalty.
  • Smarter Scheduling & Burnout Prevention:
    Burnout is one of the biggest threats to retention. Offer scheduling options like staggered shifts or four-day workweeks, and support staff well-being with perks like wellness app reimbursements or occasional in-office stress relief (like chair massages) during peak periods.
  • Empowering Practice Culture:
    Recognition should be more than a shout-out; it should be a strategy. Build a culture where feedback is mutual, wins are celebrated across roles, and everyone feels connected to the success of the practice. When people feel heard and empowered, they stay engaged.

2. Foster Growth & Development

  • Mentorship that Builds Belonging:
    New hires don’t just need training, they need connection. Mentorship shortens ramp-up time, strengthens culture, and keeps both new and seasoned employees invested in each other’s success.
  • Career Progression with Purpose:
    Create clearly defined growth paths for all roles, from admin to clinical. When employees understand how they can advance within your practice, they’re more likely to commit long-term and bring their best to the role.
  • Commitment to Learning:
    Support CE credits, certifications, and in-house training. Team members who have opportunities to grow their skills are more motivated, more effective, and more likely to stay. Development shouldn’t be optional, it should be expected.

3. Prioritize Work-Life Balance

  • Flexible Work Models:
    A modern dental team expects more than a 9-to-5 mindset. Offer flexible scheduling wherever possible to help your staff manage their time and energy and to create a workplace that adapts to their lives, not the other way around.
  • Support Mental Well-Being:
    From mental health days to EAPs, well-being initiatives are no longer “nice to have,” they’re essential. Encourage open communication about stress and support your team in meaningful, stigma-free ways.
  • Culture of Recognition & Respect:
    Appreciation drives engagement. Make recognition a shared responsibility across your team with peer shout-outs, milestone celebrations, and leadership modeling what it means to value every role. Recognition isn’t fluff, it’s fuel for retention.

Final Takeaway

Treat your team as your most important asset, because they are! A culture centered around growth, wellness, and flexibility doesn’t just attract staff, it keeps them and boosts productivity, patient care, and your bottom line.

Podcast Recap: Dental Marketing ROI & Google’s Best Practices

In this episode of Beyond Bitewings, Ash sits down with David Herman, founder of Web Marketing for Dentists, to dive into the nuances of dental marketing. The conversation explores how marketing can go beyond vanity metrics and instead focus on attracting the right patients, supporting practice goals, and generating a measurable return on investment.

David emphasizes that dental marketing isn’t one-size-fits-all. While some providers cast a wide net using generic ads or basic websites, truly effective campaigns reflect a practice’s unique strengths, services, and patient base. For example, different messaging is needed for marketing emergency care versus implants or Invisalign. Patients are often driven by urgency or emotion and understanding that dynamic is key to designing outreach that resonates.

Another focus of the conversation is the importance of data. While many dental professionals view marketing as a necessary expense, David encourages practices to treat it like an investment, one that should deliver trackable results. He explains how to tie leads back to production, giving practice owners the information they need to make smarter decisions about their marketing budgets and strategy.

The episode also touches on the most common pitfalls that practices – particularly newer ones – tend to face. From slow-loading websites and underdeveloped content to inconsistent follow-up processes, these issues can derail even the best campaigns. David offers practical advice on how to audit and improve a practice’s digital presence, emphasizing that simple, foundational changes often yield the biggest returns.

Throughout the conversation, one theme stands out: good marketing starts with knowing who you are and what kind of patients you want to serve. Whether you provide general dental care, or specialize in cosmetic dentistry, full-arch restorations, or TMJ treatment, building a marketing plan that reflects your values and capabilities is what ultimately creates trust and drives results.

The Dental Hiring Crisis: What the Numbers Are Really Saying

From revenue losses to patient delays, staffing shortages are hurting practices more than you think. Across the dental profession, hiring and retention challenges are more than just a passing phase; they’ve become a chronic pain point. Whether you’re struggling to fill a front desk role or losing seasoned billing specialists, the numbers reveal a tough truth: staffing gaps are directly impacting profitability, patient experience, and clinical efficiency.

The Data Doesn’t Lie

  • 38% of dental practices report administrative understaffing, with front desk roles remaining vacant for more than 47 days on average. This obviously causes major disruptions in scheduling and billing.
  • Billing specialists are turning over at more than 2x the normal rate, affecting collections and cash flow.
  • 45% of practices can’t fill hygiene appointments consistently, resulting in an average lost production of more than $4,000 per week.
  • One-third of practices have dental assistant vacancies, which often means reduced provider productivity and longer appointment times.

What’s Driving the Crisis?

A combination of factors is fueling the shortage, from pandemic-related career shifts and burnout to wage competition with other healthcare roles. Many potential hires now seek better compensation, clearer career paths, and a workplace culture that values work-life balance. And practices that haven’t evolved their recruiting and retention strategies are falling behind.

When a front desk coordinator leaves, it’s not just a lost employee, it’s hours of rescheduling, delayed claims, and stressed-out staff. Multiply that by multiple roles, and you’ve got a major practice disruption.

Beyond the Numbers: Real Consequences

These aren’t just operational annoyances; they’re measurable threats:

  • Revenue Loss from unfilled chairs and delayed claims.
  • Reputation Risk as patient wait times grow and service falters.
  • Team Burnout when remaining staff are asked to carry too much weight.

What’s Next?

The staffing crisis isn’t going away, but it is solvable. In our next post, we’ll explore some proven strategies to help you attract and retain the right team, and why solving your staffing challenges starts with building a workplace where people want to stay.

Why Windows 10’s End-of-Life Matters for Dental Practices 

Update: Microsoft has announced a paid Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10, giving dental practices a little more time before support officially ends. For $61 per device in the first year (with costs doubling each year thereafter, up to three years), practices can continue receiving critical security patches. However, this stopgap doesn’t include feature updates or technical support, which can add up quickly. Some experts recommend holding off on upgrading to Windows 11 and instead planning for Windows 12, expected in 2026, which will be more optimized for AI and new hardware, but we recommend checking with your IT provider to get advice specific to your practice.

Microsoft will officially stop supporting Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, which means no more security fixes, feature updates, or technical support. For dental practices handling sensitive patient data, this isn’t just a technical update, it’s a compliance and cybersecurity red flag.

Unsupported = Non-Compliant with HIPAA

HIPAA’s Security Rule mandates that ePHI be protected using supported and monitored software systems. After October 2025, Windows 10 will be unsupported, making systems non-compliant. This places practices at risk of fines, patient data loss, and reputational harm.

Escalating Security Risks

Without updates, any new vulnerabilities in Windows 10 remain open doors for cyberattacks, ransomware, malware, or data breaches, and healthcare practices are prime targets. A single breach can cost a dental practice a minimum of $429 per compromised record, and the average cost of a data breach in the healthcare industry (which, of course, includes dental practices), is just shy of $11million. A dental data breach isn’t just messy, it can bankrupt and shutter your practice.

Compatibility & Operational Disruptions

Post-End-Of-Life (EOL), new dental software, patient portals, or billing systems may be incompatible with outdated systems. You are very likely to see unexpected bugs, crashes, or performance issues, impacting day-to-day patient care and practice efficiency.

What Dental Practices Should Do Now

  • Inventory & Assess
    • Identify which computers are running Windows 10, and whether they meet Windows 11 hardware requirements (most PCs made since 2019 do). 
  • Choose Your Upgrade Path
    • In-place upgrades to Windows 11 for those that qualify.
    • Full hardware replacements for older machines.
    • Extended Security Updates (ESU) are available post-EOL, but they’re costly and not a long-term solution.
  • Plan & Execute
    • Schedule upgrades ahead of time to avoid last-minute scramble.
    • Back up data carefully and ensure patient info is safe.
    • Train your team on Windows 11 and consider bringing in an IT partner to manage migration smoothly and securely.
  • Verify Compliance & Cybersecurity
    • Post-upgrade, run a HIPAA risk assessment and update your policies to reflect the change in IT infrastructure. Make sure your setup continues addressing ePHI security.

Bottom Line for Dental Practices

If your practice is still on Windows 10, now is the time to act. Upgrading is essential for compliance, cybersecurity, and operational reliability. Don’t wait for a breach – or a compliance violation – to remind you.