With the amazing rendition and detail offered by 3D CBCT imaging, it is no surprise that an overwhelming torrent of dental offices are implementing the use of this amazing technology to improve treatment planning for patients. There are however several IT implications to implementing 3D in your practice.
Many offices have been pressed for more data storage as they try to utilize this tech. As a result, IT providers for dental offices are developing best practices for backup solutions to help avoid the large data files that quickly fill up local hard drives.
A 3D x-ray image has far-reaching benefits for treatment planning because it contains significantly more detail than a traditional 2D x-ray. In order to achieve this greater detail, a 3D x-ray image is typically composed of many smaller 2D segments of an image that a 3D rendering software will later splice together for viewing.
Before you implement 3D into your practice ask yourself the following questions:
- Is my current local storage sufficient for housing the increased requirements?
- Can my backup system support the new addition of files?
- How long will it take to recover the new larger image files if it becomes necessary?
Streamline Data Migration and Dental Backups
If you have decided to implement 3D imaging, figure out your back-end IT solutions beforehand. Moving forward with 3D x-ray imaging before you set up a reliable storage strategy could result in lost files, poor client service, and unnecessary complications.
Not only are storage requirements high, but the time to recover those images from a backup can also be extremely long because they are such large files.
This is an often overlooked but extremely important component of a backup system. Knowing how long it takes to not only get your data back but in the exact same location, program, and settings as you need it is crucial. 3D images can significantly increase this recovery time because of the large image size if the proper backup solution is not put in place.
Find a Knowledgeable Partner
Not all practices are equal, and not all support is equal. Most managed IT service companies provide cloud storage, however, not all IT companies operate on the same level. If you go with a generalized IT company that isn’t prepared for 3D imagery and the quick loading and heavy data recovery steps it requires, then you are setting up your office for IT problems in the future.
The right kind of 3D imaging backups offers ultimate protection while allowing fast recovery in the event of a data-loss scenario. They’re built to accommodate larger data sets of 3D images even as that data grows over time.
You want to have backups that include local and cloud redundancy to have a fallback within the structure of your data storage system. Any gap in office function spent recovering data is time and money lost. An IT company that specializes in dental offices should have the skillset and expertise you need.
In short, if you stay ahead of the curve and leverage the expertise of IT professionals, your 3D imagery can be safe, optimally backed up, and accessed on demand. If you’re looking to back up 3D imaging without overwhelming your dental office’s storage, contact DMA Tech Solutions today.
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