IT Support for Dental Practices

The DSPT for dental practices

The Data Security and Protection Toolkit is an annual online self-assessment run by NHS England. Dental practices that hold an NHS contract are expected to complete it, and the deadline each year is 30 June. Missing it can affect access to NHS systems and is visible to commissioners.

Much of the toolkit is policy and training, which your practice manager owns. A significant part, though, asks technical questions: are devices on supported software, are security updates applied, is MFA in place for remote access and email, are laptops encrypted, are backups taken and tested, and is there an up-to-date list of equipment. Those answers come from your IT.

We collect that technical evidence for you: device inventories, patch status, BitLocker reports, backup and restore test records and firewall settings. That way your practice manager can answer the toolkit honestly and quickly rather than guessing.

Practice software, imaging and old Windows

Most practices run their appointment book, charting and patient records on software such as Exact from Software of Excellence, R4 from Carestream Dental, or the cloud-based Dentally. NHS claims go to the NHS Business Services Authority, either from the practice software or through the Compass portal.

Imaging is where IT often falls behind. Intraoral sensors, OPG units and intraoral scanners rely on specific drivers and capture software, and suppliers sometimes certify only certain versions of Windows. Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on 14 October 2025, so any imaging PC still on it needs a plan: an update to the imaging software, Extended Security Updates where available, or isolating the PC on its own network segment while a replacement is arranged.

We work with your imaging and software suppliers rather than around them, because changing drivers on a capture PC without their input can stop the sensor working mid-appointment.

Networks, Wi-Fi and card terminals

A typical practice has reception PCs, surgery PCs, an imaging server, card terminals, phones and patient Wi-Fi all sharing one broadband line. When something saturates the connection, the appointment book slows and card payments time out.

We separate patient Wi-Fi from the clinical network, set sensible bandwidth priorities, check switches and cabling, and make sure card terminals have a reliable connection. If calls are part of the problem, see our VoIP phone support. For Wi-Fi dead spots in older buildings, see Wi-Fi support.

Backups, email and patient data

Patient records are special category data under UK GDPR. If your practice software is installed locally, the database must be backed up daily, copied off site and tested by restoring it. A USB drive that nobody checks does not count. We set up monitored backups and record restore tests for your DSPT evidence. See data backup and recovery.

For email, many practices use NHSmail for clinical correspondence and Microsoft 365 for everything else. We secure Microsoft 365 with MFA, set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC so appointment reminders and invoices are delivered, and give each staff member their own login so access can be audited.

Logins, staff and phishing

Shared logins on surgery PCs are common because clinicians move between rooms all day. The trouble is that nobody can tell who opened which record, and a single leaked password opens everything. We give each team member their own account and use fast user switching or short screen-lock timers so logging in stays quick between patients.

Reception teams receive a steady flow of emails from labs, suppliers, patients and the NHS, which makes them a natural target for phishing. According to the UK Government's Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025/2026, phishing was the most common type of attack, reported by 38% of businesses. We turn on external sender warnings, filter attachments and give staff short, practical training. See staff security training.

Plans and prices for dental practices

Most practices choose the Complete plan at £99 a month + VAT, which includes updates, daily backups, monitoring, 3 hours of fixes or changes each month, and IT and Microsoft 365 helpdesk support for the whole team. If you only need your website looked after, Essential at £25 a month + VAT or Business at £50 a month + VAT may be enough.

One-off work is £45 an hour + VAT. Network rewiring, imaging PC replacement and on-site installs are quoted upfront. See pricing or ask for a quote.

What it costs

Support plans from £25 a month + VAT, or £45 an hour + VAT for one-off fixes. Pick a plan if you want it looked after every month, or pay by the hour for a one-off job.

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