When COVID-19 reached the U.S. in early March 2020, dentists and hygienists were among the health care professionals most at risk because of their work. Commonly used tools, surgical instruments, and air/water syringes can emit sprays that linger in the air and can be inhaled.

Dentistry generally has a good track record for infection control, and practices were adding measures to combat the virus. One practice, for example, remodeled its space into five separate, sealable rooms and added air purification systems to keep people separate and safe.

At the time of writing, COVID-19 was forcing organizations everywhere, dental offices included, to embrace remote work while dealing with stay-at-home orders and heightened health concerns. That made dental IT services more important than ever for safe and efficient operations.

01How to ensure dental IT safety

These key tips help any business keep its people and data secure, with or without the threat of COVID-19.

1. 1
   Use a virtual private network (VPN)A VPN encrypts your data as it moves from your device to the internet and makes it harder for an attacker to identify your practice as the source.
2. 2
   Turn on multi-factor authenticationAn added piece of information, such as a numerical code sent by text, confirms the person using the login credentials is who they say they are.
3. 3
   Manage your passwordsA password manager generates, stores, and retrieves complex passwords for you, and can also remember PINs and payment card details securely.

1. 4
   Educate employees about scamsMake sure staff can spot social engineering. Phishing uses fraudulent emails that appear to come from reputable sources to get recipients to reveal sensitive information. Business email compromise is when criminals pose as a business or your bank or credit union and ask for a payment to be sent to them.
2. 5
   Protect personal informationBe careful what you share on social media and check your privacy settings. With weak settings, anyone can see personal details that help criminals guess passwords, answer security questions, and impersonate you.
3. 6
   Stay up to date with softwareFlaws in software are one of the most common ways criminals get into a network. Install patches and updates as developers release them.