CVServicesIT for dental practices
IT for dental practices
X-rays, CBCT images and intraoral scans grow every year, and they have to be kept for a long time. I plan storage and backups for your imaging data, separate the networks for devices and treatment rooms, and make sure your practice is back at work quickly after an outage.
Or call me: +49 156 78 737 565
Where dental practices often stand
- Storage is full, and every new device produces more data than the old one.
- Images load slowly in the treatment room while the patient waits.
- X-ray unit, scanner, camera and billing come from different vendors, and each one only knows their part.
- An external hard drive is the only backup.
- Nobody knows exactly how long which images have to be kept, or where they are.
Retention and the guideline
In Germany, X-ray images and their records have to be kept for ten years under § 85 (2) of the Radiation Protection Act (StrlSchG). For patients under 18, the period runs until they turn 28. A backup has to cover these periods, and the images have to stay readable throughout.
Dental practices follow the IT security guideline of the KZBV, the national association of statutory health insurance dentists, under § 390 SGB V. As for medical practices, the requirements depend on the size of the practice.
What I do
- A storage plan for imaging data that accounts for growth over the coming years and for retention periods.
- Backups following the 3-2-1 rule, with an immutable or off-site copy that ransomware cannot reach.
- Separate networks for imaging, treatment rooms, administration and guests.
- Monitoring of storage, backups and updates, with a warning before something fills up or falls behind.
- Coordination with the vendors of your devices and practice software, so changes do not fail at the interfaces.
- Regular restore tests, an emergency plan and documentation your team understands.
How it works
- First callfreeBy video or phone. You describe the situation, I ask questions.
- AssessmentSystems, dependencies and risks, written down.
- PlanTarget picture and steps, with priorities and effort.
- ImplementationStep by step, without disrupting daily operations.
- Operations and handoverDocumented, tested and handed over to you or your team.
Why work with me
I have worked in software since 2004. Today I lead infrastructure and DevOps at hessnatur; before that I was head of platform infrastructure at Calida Group Digital. So I know both sides, the code that gets shipped and the platform it runs on.
For Nun Pirat, an app for learning Arabic, I built the whole platform, with Kubernetes, shared pipeline templates and monitoring across everything. The case study shows how it is put together. From the first assessment to the handover you deal with the same person. More about me in the CV.
Related
Frequently asked questions
How long do X-ray images have to be kept?
Ten years under § 85 (2) of the German Radiation Protection Act. For patients under 18, until they turn 28. Other records can have their own periods, which we include in the assessment.
Can patient data be stored in a cloud backup?
Yes, if the data is encrypted before upload, the provider stores it in the EU and there is a data processing agreement. I agree the decision with your data protection officer.
What do we do if ransomware hits the practice?
First disconnect the affected devices and follow the emergency plan. The restore comes from a copy the attacker could not change. How fast that goes depends on whether the restore was practised beforehand, which is why tests are a fixed part of the concept.
Will this work with our practice software?
I work with the software and devices you have and agree changes with the vendors. You do not need to switch practice software for it.
How much storage do we need?
I work it out from your data, meaning today's volume, the growth per year for each device and the retention periods. That gives a size with headroom for the coming years.
Let's talk about your setup
In a free first call we look at where you stand and what the next sensible step would be.