This ensures you reap all the benefits of internet access, but without the associated risk.

Internet access is now an essential part of any IT infrastructure. For the dental practice, it enables:

• Fast, effective help from your software and hardware support companies onto any machine on your network.
• Email and SMS communications with patients, for recalls, reminders, and other correspondence.
• Internal email to improve staff communications.
• Online ordering of stock items (often attracting special discounts).
• Clinical and other research.
• System updates and patches. It is extremely important that your computer operating system and core software is kept up to date.
• Access to free Internet radio.
• Access for remote working, for key staff and practice management.
• Access for Dental IT Limited for remote monitoring and remote backup services.

Staff Access and Security

A common concern among business owners and managers is that their staff will abuse internet privileges. If required, the network can be configured to limit internet access to certain users on the network. Furthermore, it is also possible to restrict access to certain websites, or restrict access by time of day.

Also, in a properly configured network, everyday use of a computer should be as an unprivileged user, with limited access rights. Because staff are not logging on to the system with administrator credentials, they are much less able to install viruses onto the system, change critical system settings, or otherwise damage the integrity and good functioning of the Operating System.

Further prevention from virus attack is accomplished with the deployment of a sophisticated firewall, the use of up to date anti-virus software, and good maintenance of all the internet-connected systems.