Free Cybersecurity Solutions for Dentists and Dental Practices

Good IT security costs money. There’s no way around that. Firewalls, antivirus, monitoring, patching, backups — they all require investment. We can recommend dozens of solutions, each with different levels of protection, cost, and benefit. 

But here’s the good news: there are also things you can do right now - today - that will significantly reduce your risk without spending a single penny on external tools or products. 

Think of this as the “security hygiene” your business should already be doing. The basics. The essentials. And if you don’t, no amount of fancy software is going to protect you. 

So here are four absolutely free cybersecurity solutions for dentists and dental practices that you should implement straight away (or as soon as practically possible). 

Free cybersecurity solutions for dentists

1. Train Your Staff to Treat Every Email with Suspicion 

Email remains the number one way cybercriminals attack businesses. The guidance here is simple: treat every email with suspicion, especially those with a link or an attachment. 

• Links can take you to malicious sites designed to steal passwords or install malware. 

• Attachments may contain viruses, trojans, or ransomware payloads. 

  
  

Make this part of your staff onboarding, and reinforce it regularly for existing staff. Post reminders in the kitchen, cover it in team meetings, and include it in every refresher session. 

A golden rule: don’t open links or attachments unless you’re absolutely certain who they’re from and that you were expecting them. 

If in doubt: 

• Pick up the phone. 

• Text the sender on a known number. 

• Double-check before clicking anything. 

  
  

Remember: you don’t get ransomware just from receiving an email. It’s only when someone clicks or opens something that the damage begins.    

2. Watch Out for Phishing and Payroll Fraud 

The second major category of email threats is Phishing or Business Email Compromise (BEC). This is where attackers impersonate colleagues, bosses, or suppliers - often targeting finance staff. 

The scam usually takes the form of: 

• “Please change my bank account details.” 

• “Can you urgently make this transfer?” 

  
  

If you see anything like this, alarm bells should ring immediately. 

Here’s the rule: 

• If it’s a familiar invoice from the same supplier, same amount, same date — it’s probably fine. 

• But if it’s unusual — a new payee, a different amount, a new request — it must be checked. 

  
  

That means a phone call to a known number, not just replying to the email. 

This is one of the simplest protections against fraud. Create a process, display reminders, and run dedicated training. A single fake transfer could cost you tens of thousands. 

3. Don’t Fall for Phone-Based Attacks 

Cybercriminals don’t only target inboxes — they pick up the phone too. Staff need to be alert to unusual calls asking for access to PCs, credentials, or systems. 

If our helpdesk calls you, it will always be from the same number, and we always use recognised remote access software. If someone else calls out of the blue and asks to connect, that’s an immediate red flag. 

If in doubt, hang up and call us. It costs nothing, and it could save you from letting an attacker into your network. 

And above all: staff must never give usernames or passwords over the phone. 

4. Get Passwords and MFA Right 

Passwords remain a huge weakness. Left unchecked, most staff will still use their dog’s name, their child’s birthday, or even the same password across their work and personal accounts. That’s a disaster waiting to happen. 

Here’s what you must ensure: 

• Staff use complex, unique passwords for work accounts. 

• Passwords are not reused across personal accounts. 

• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is enabled wherever possible (text message, authenticator app, or token). 

  
  

If you don’t actively check this, assume the worst: more than half of your staff’s passwords will be terrible. That’s just human nature. 

Spot the Pattern? It’s Your Staff 

By now, you’ll have noticed a theme: your staff are both your biggest weakness and your first line of defence. 

We can do the clever stuff: 

• Firewalls 

• Antivirus 

• Patch management 

• System hardening 

  
  

But none of that matters if someone in your team clicks a malicious link, falls for a phishing email, or reuses “smiles123” as their password. 

Ultimately, protecting your data and your business starts with your people. 

The Best Part: It’s Free 

The really good news? Everything I’ve listed above costs you nothing. No new products. No subscriptions. No consultants. Just a bit of process, culture, and training. 

So the question is: why wouldn’t you do it? 

Because at the end of the day, it’s not us, your IT provider, who pays the price if your business suffers a ransomware attack, payroll fraud, or data breach. It’s you. And if you can close off the biggest risks without spending a penny — there’s really no excuse. 

But if you'd like a hand on the more tech-y bits, we're here to help.

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