We know how increasingly difficult it has become to ensure the success of your practice while keeping your employees happy and maintaining efficiency. Using the best dental practice management software technology can help us manage things well regarding both money and time.
Dental practice management software has now become a necessity for dental practices as it plays a crucial role in dental practice growth. By providing you with features like automated scheduling, billing and invoice management, patient portal, dental imaging, and integrated patient communications, dental practice management software has simplified the practice management task.
However, just like your human resources need training, the dental practice management software needs updating, and for updates to occur, the systems within which the software is running should be compatible with the updates. Ensuring the success of your practice is all about staying a step ahead in the market, and you can only stay a step forward if you keep up with the rapid changes occurring in the world of dental practice management technology.
Microsoft planned to completely phase out Windows 7 by January 14, 2020, marking the end of the lifespan of this popular operating system. When an operating system reaches the end of its lifespan, it is no longer supported or updated. This means that the new dental practice management software that comes into the marketing after the end of the lifespan of an operating system is not going to be compatible with it, and the only way to make use of new technology is to make sure that you are using the latest operating system that is compatible with the upcoming technology and can also itself be updated.
While a change of system may seem like it’s still well into the future, it’s essential that you begin preparing now to limit the disruption a dental practice management software system upgrade is bound to cause in your dental practice.
How Will Windows 7 End of Life Impact Your Practice?
If you’re running your dental practice management software systems on Windows 7, then this means that some extensive upgrades are in your future. It’s not merely about upgrading to Windows 10 on your office computers because the programs and software that work on Windows 7 will most likely not be supported on Windows 10.
To keep your office functioning smoothly, you’ll need to update your servers, computers, and printers and purchase new versions of any dental practice management software to ensure compatibility with Windows 10. A significant upgrade like this can mean change and distraction in your office, as well as increased costs, security risks, and potential HIPPA compliance issues if you’re not ready in time.
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Dental Practice Management Software Checklist to Prepare for Windows End of Life
Now is the time to prepare for Windows 7 end of life, and here’s a helpful checklist you can use to make sure your practice and dental practice management software are ready, and you have planned all the necessary upgrades.
Check to See if You’re Using Windows 7 for Your Office OS & Dental Practice Management Software
To understand the scope of the impact Windows 7 end of life will have on your practice, you’ll need to make sure you have a good understanding of what operating system you’re using in your practice and how many computers, servers, and other office equipment are dependent on that dental practice management software technology.
Know the Limits of Your Existing Dental Practice Management Software
When Windows 7 reaches the end of its lifecycle, any programs, applications, or software you’ve been running on that system will no longer be supported.
Research Options and Features of Dental Practice Management Software
Now is the perfect time to begin researching dental practice management software solutions to see what options work best on your upgraded operating system. Keep a close eye on each solution’s features and think through which ones will benefit your practice the most. Dental practice management software can go a long way toward your practice's success, growth, and smooth running. To invest in best dental practice management software systems, it is essential to move ahead with a bit of planning.
Plan Upgrade Timing and Budget for Dental Practice Management Software
A crucial part of successfully upgrading your dental practice management software is understanding how long it will take to replace or upgrade your hardware and implement your new dental practice software. If possible, you should plan to do most of the disruptive changes outside of office hours and peak busy times. Budgeting for a change like this is also essential, as the costs can add up quickly if you plan to do a full dental practice management software upgrade, including servers, a dental computer system, and other office technology.
Consider Cloud Based Dental Practice Management Software
Cloud software can be used on any device, with any operating system. As you’re planning your switch from Windows 7, a move to the cloud can help you streamline the future of your dental practice management software technology and ensure you’re always protected with updated security and HIPPA compliance. Using cloud-based dental practice management software will also help you avoid the costly upgrades and disruption that come with switching operating systems every time they reach the end of their lifecycle because you’ll always have the most updated dental practice management software technology available in the cloud, without having to upgrade and replace all your devices every couple of years.
Moreover, when using cloud-based dental practice management software for a dental office, you also get to pick and choose the features you want to select and pay only for them as opposed to buying dental practice management software off-the-shelf.
Set Up Demos with the Best Dental Practice Management Software Vendors
Seeing a dental practice management software solution in action is one of the best ways to understand how well that solution will support your practice and fulfill your needs. You should set up 3-5 dental practice management software vendor demos to compare features and tools in real-time and help you decide which dental practice management software solution will benefit your practice most.
Suppose you are having any trouble deciding which dental practice management software programs are best for you. In that case, you can visit our website, where we have curated a list of the best dental practice management software for you.
