Make sure your office is using passwords in Dentrix and that team members are keeping those passwords private.
These days we need passwords for everything: for our computers, our phones, and every recipe website you log into or game you download. So, it only makes sense that Dentrix would require complex passwords in order to access private patient and practice information.
In Dentrix G7.0, updated requirements for passwords were introduced. Passwords now must be at least eight characters in length, contain both capital and lowercase letters, and contain at least one number and one special character. This was a great upgrade to the passwords feature because some people will use the password 1234 for as long as they are able to! Passwords like that are just too easy for someone to guess and then use that information to gain access to patient and practice information in Dentrix.
Because Dentrix contains sensitive and private information about your patients—names, addresses, birthdays, Social Security numbers, health records, and so forth, it is the responsibility of your practice to keep that information private. Dentrix may also contain doctor’s license and DEA information, practice bank account information, and employee information. It’s critical that this information is password protected.
Other password features that were introduced in Dentrix G7.0 are the ability to set expiration dates for passwords and limiting the use of previously used passwords for security purposes.
Another feature added in Dentrix G7.0 is the option to allow individual users to reset their own passwords using security questions. This is such a helpful feature. Many office managers have to interrupt their daily workflow because a team member forgot their password or made too many login attempts and was locked out. Office managers had to then stop what they were doing to reset that employee’s password. By setting up security questions, each team member can reset their own password without interrupting the office manager.
If you feel that an employee’s password has been compromised or that employees may be sharing passwords, you can even expire everyone’s password, and team members will be required to create a new one. This is an important feature to ensure patient and practice security.
The upgrades made to password security in Dentrix G7.0 can help your practice protect the privacy of your patient information, provider and employee information, and practice information. Your dental practice has sensitive information contained in your practice management software, and you can keep it safe by having all your team members use secret, unique, and complex passwords.
Learn More
For additional information, see the following :
- The Power of Dentrix Passwords
- How Many People Know Your Administrator Password?
- Dentrix G7 Password Requirements
- Allowing Individual Users to Reset Their Own Passwords
- A Solution for Shared Dentrix Passwords
By Charlotte Skaggs
Certified Dentrix Trainer and The Dentrix Office Manager columnist
Charlotte Skaggs is the founder of Vector Dental Consulting LLC, a practice management firm focused on taking offices to the next level. Charlotte co-owned and managed a successful dental practice with her husband for 17 years. She has a unique approach to consulting based on the perspective of a practice owner. Charlotte has been using Dentrix for over 20 years and is a certified Dentrix trainer. Contact Charlotte at vectordentalconsulting@gmail.com.
