Ruben Camp, founder and CEO of Darkhorse Tech, has seen this story play out across thousands of dental practices. With a background rooted in dentistry (his father is a dentist in Ithaca, NY and his uncle a former dental professor at UNC Chapel Hill), Ruben grew up immersed in the quirks, challenges, and opportunities unique to dental offices.

Today, he and his team work exclusively with dental practices across the country to provide HIPAA-compliant, rock-solid IT support and help make modern dentistry more efficient, more secure, and more patient-friendly.

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1. Great IT Should Be Invisible, Until It Isn’t

The best dental tech is like good lighting or clean air. You only notice it when it’s missing.

IT should never be the bottleneck that delays a patient’s visit or forces a provider to reschedule. When your network drops, your sensor fails to connect, or your software lags, the interruption isn’t just inconvenient, it directly impacts how the patient perceives your professionalism and reliability.

At Darkhorse, Ruben’s team designs dental IT systems to be invisible in the best way possible. That means fast-loading digital records, consistent Wi-Fi coverage across ops, no random crashes mid-appointment, and the kind of silent reliability that keeps the day on track. Like a referee in a well-played game, the goal is not to be noticed.

Pro tip: You shouldn’t be thinking about your IT setup. And if your patients are noticing it? That’s a sign something’s off.

2. Fast, Dental-Specific Support Saves Appointments

You’ve got a full chair schedule, a patient’s in the op, and suddenly your imaging software won’t load. You call IT, and the person on the other end has no idea what a DEXIS sensor is, let alone how it connects to your workflow.

This is where dental-specific IT support makes all the difference.

Darkhorse technicians are trained on the tools dentists actually use—Open Dental, Eaglesoft, Dentrix, DEXIS, Apteryx, Carestream, you name it. When a practice calls in, they don’t need to explain what a sensor does or walk through their tech stack from scratch. The support team already knows.

That speed matters. Every minute a patient is left waiting feels like an eternity. If their appointment stalls, it not only affects that experience—it may also ripple into delays for the rest of the day. Worse, it could become a negative review or a lost return visit.

Real impact: Fast tech resolutions lead to more completed appointments, happier patients, and less pressure on your clinical team.

3. Secure Communication Builds Long-Term Patient Loyalty

In a digital-first world, patients expect more than just great care—they expect their data to be protected.

Dental offices handle a significant amount of sensitive information: medical history, health insurance data, birth dates, social security numbers, and more. A single data breach could erode patient trust, damage your brand, and trigger HIPAA penalties.

That’s why Darkhorse bakes secure communication into every system they build. One standout feature is encrypted email through their Paubox module. Every outgoing message includes a quiet but powerful note: “Secured by Paubox.” That small detail tells patients their information is being handled with care.

“Patients may not say it out loud,” Ruben explains, “but seeing that line of text signals that your office takes security seriously. It gives them peace of mind and that builds loyalty.”

HIPAA isn’t optional but compliance can also be a competitive edge when done right.

4. Personalized, Tech-Enabled Touches Reduce Patient Anxiety

Anxiety is still one of the biggest barriers to dental care. But technology can help turn apprehension into calm, if it’s used thoughtfully.

Darkhorse works closely with startup and growing practices to design treatment spaces that feel modern, welcoming, and patient-focused. Sometimes that means integrating a welcome slide on a chairside monitor with the patient’s name. Other times, it’s setting up ceiling-mounted TVs and wireless headphones so the patient can binge their favorite Netflix series during treatment.

These may sound like small touches, but they make a big impression—especially for new patients. Personalization and comfort signal that the practice is invested in more than just clinical outcomes. It’s about creating an experience that feels human.

It’s about familiarity, personalization, and comfort. And when patients feel comfortable, they’re far more likely to return, refer others, and complete treatment.

5. Digital Workflows Speed Things Up and Set You Apart

Today’s patients don’t want clipboards and pens. They want a text link.

Digital workflows are no longer a nice-to-have, they’re an expectation. And they dramatically improve the patient experience when done well.

With Darkhorse’s help, practices can go fully digital—allowing patients to complete forms from their mobile devices, even before stepping foot in the office. Whether it's new patient intake, treatment consent, or financial agreements, everything can be handled through secure, mobile-friendly portals.

For patients who want to wait in the car or arrive early, that flexibility is key. And for your team, it reduces front desk traffic, minimizes data entry errors, and helps keep appointments on time.

Outdated workflow = outdated perception. Going paperless sends a message that your practice is modern, tech-savvy, and respectful of the patient’s time.

Bonus Tip: Don’t Wait Until It Breaks

The patient experience isn’t just about how things look, it’s about how they work. And if your technology only gets attention when something goes wrong, you’re already behind.

Preventative IT support—regular audits, system updates, security checks—helps eliminate disruptions before they happen. It also positions your team to work at their best and gives your patients a consistently high standard of care.

Darkhorse acts as an extension of your practice, preventing potholes before anyone hits them. 

Want to Improve Your Patient Experience Through IT? Start Here.

If you’re ready to modernize your tech stack, reduce friction for patients, and partner with a team that understands the unique needs of dental practices, Darkhorse Tech is here to help.

Visit darkhorsetech.com/contact to fill out a quick form. Once submitted, your request lands directly on their team board—no delays, no phone trees. You’ll get a fast, knowledgeable response from someone who speaks your language and knows your systems.

Better IT is about the kind of patient experience that keeps your practice thriving.

Darkhorse Dental IT Is Here For You

We understand that caring for your patients is your top priority. Dealing with a computer issue, slow IT response time or HIPAA compliance requirements just aren’t high on your list of to-do’s. That’s where Darkhorse Dental Tech comes in. Our team of Dental IT specialists are experts when it comes to running a great, secure and successful practice —and so much more. Whether you’re looking for IT services for startups, or existing support and security services for your practice, Darkhorse can do it all for you, so you can get back to your patients.

Have questions? Looking for ideas? Just want to talk teeth? Drop us a line at sales@darkhorsetech.com to get the conversation started! Or head to our Contact page to send us a message. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram!

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