A new operatory is not just a chair and a light. It adds another workstation, imaging path, PMS configuration, network load, switch-port demand, and server workload.
The safest time to solve those dependencies is before construction closes the walls and before the first patient is scheduled in the new room.
Most Expensive Timing Mistake
Waiting until construction is finished turns simple cabling changes into finished-wall work.
The article emphasizes defining cable routes, power requirements, workstation hardware, and network infrastructure while the walls are still open instead of discovering those needs after the room is built.
Adding an operatory and want IT planned before construction is done? Find out in 15 minutes if we are the right fit.
Plan the Room Around the Technology Before Framing Starts
The article’s pre-construction review focuses on the physical infrastructure that becomes expensive to change later.
Cabling
Ethernet Drop Locations
Define the workstation, imaging-device, and other networked equipment drops before walls are closed.
Power
UPS-Protected Circuit
Plan protected power for the workstation and sensitive equipment instead of adapting around whatever outlets happen to be nearby.
Capacity
Switch + Server Headroom
Confirm open switch ports and enough server RAM/CPU headroom for another concurrent clinical workstation.
A Standard Operatory Starts With Two Wired Cat6 Drops
The article separates the clinical workstation from the imaging-device connection instead of forcing both workflows through one improvised path.
Drop 1 — Clinical WorkstationDedicated wired Ethernet for the operatory computer and PMS workflow.
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Drop 2 — Sensor / Camera ControllerDedicated wired Ethernet for the intraoral sensor controller or camera where required.
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Additional Drop — If NeededCBCT or panoramic equipment may require another Ethernet connection with capacity for larger imaging traffic.
Preferred for Clinical Imaging
Wired Ethernet
The article recommends wired connections for imaging workstations because predictable latency and packet delivery matter when large image files move through the network.
Avoid as the Primary Imaging Path
Wi-Fi
Wireless packet loss and latency can create imaging failures that a properly installed wired connection avoids.
Specify the Workstation for the Whole Clinical Stack
The operatory computer has to meet the combined requirements of every application it will run at the same time.
PMS
Dentrix, Eaglesoft, or Open Dental must run reliably alongside the rest of the operatory workload.
Imaging
Sensor, camera, bridge, and any related imaging software requirements must be included before hardware is purchased.
Voice / AI Tools
Any chairside charting or AI diagnostic tools in use at the practice add to the workstation’s real simultaneous workload.
The Operatory Has to Exist in the PMS Before the First Appointment
The article treats operatory setup as a workflow configuration task, not just a hardware installation.
Create the OperatoryAdd the new room in Dentrix, Eaglesoft, or Open Dental.
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Assign the ProviderConfirm credentials, fee schedules, and charting defaults for the provider using the room.
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Test Scheduling + ChartingVerify appointments can be scheduled and clinical notes entered correctly.
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Run the Full WorkflowTest the complete operatory setup before the first patient arrives.
See What One New Operatory Adds to the IT Environment
Open any dependency around the new operatory to see what has to be planned and what can break if that layer is missed.
Open a dependency to see the plan and what breaks if it is missed.
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1Cabling
PlanAt least two Cat6 drops for a standard operatory, plus another drop if CBCT or panoramic equipment requires it.If MissedFinished walls may need to be opened later, increasing cost and delaying the room.
2Power + UPS
PlanDefine protected power for the workstation and sensitive equipment during construction.If MissedThe operatory may be forced onto inconvenient or unprotected circuits after the room is finished.
3Workstation
PlanSize the workstation for the PMS, imaging software, bridge components, and any voice or AI tools used together.If MissedThe new computer may technically boot but still perform poorly or fail to run imaging reliably.
4Imaging
PlanInstall the sensor or camera, imaging drivers, and bridge settings before go-live.If MissedX-rays may capture but fail to appear in the correct patient chart.
NEW OPERATORYOne room creates new dependencies across the physical build, clinical workflow, and shared infrastructure.
5PMS Setup
PlanCreate the operatory in Dentrix, Eaglesoft, or Open Dental and configure provider defaults before scheduling patients.If MissedAppointments, charting, and provider workflow can fail even when the hardware is installed correctly.
6Switch Capacity
PlanConfirm enough available switch ports and decide whether expansion or replacement is needed.If MissedThe practice may discover there is nowhere to connect the new workstation and imaging equipment cleanly.
7Server Headroom
PlanMeasure RAM and CPU utilization under the current clinical load before adding another concurrent workstation.If MissedAn already-constrained server can become noticeably slower once the new operatory joins the workload.
The room is ready only when the physical build and the shared IT environment are ready together. A perfectly installed workstation can still fail if the switch is full, the server is saturated, or the PMS and imaging bridge were never configured.
New Operatory IT Readiness Checklist
The operatory should be tested as a complete clinical workflow before the first patient appointment.
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Cable routes and Ethernet drops defined before walls close
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UPS-protected power planned for workstation and sensitive equipment
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Workstation specified for PMS, imaging, and other simultaneous applications
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Operatory and provider configured in the PMS
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Imaging device, drivers, and bridge tested to the patient chart
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Switch-port capacity confirmed
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Server RAM/CPU headroom verified under current load
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Full scheduling, charting, imaging, and network workflow tested before go-live
Frequently Asked Questions
Before construction begins, not after. Cabling specifications, electrical requirements, switch capacity assessment, and server performance evaluation all need to happen while walls are open and changes are inexpensive. Ekim IT Solutions reviews construction plans before work begins for every Tampa Bay operatory addition.
Not recommended for clinical workstations running imaging software. Wireless packet loss causes imaging transmission failures and PMS connection drops that wired connections do not. Ekim IT Solutions specifies wired ethernet connections for every clinical workstation in new Tampa Bay dental operatories.
Yes. The new operatory must be configured in the PMS system setup, providers must be assigned to the operatory, and operatory-specific settings such as default appointment types and charting defaults must be configured before the first appointment is scheduled. Ekim IT Solutions completes this setup and tests the full clinical workflow in the new operatory before patient care begins.
Yes. Ekim IT Solutions handles the complete IT workstream for operatory additions at Tampa Bay dental practices, from pre-construction specification through cabling coordination, workstation setup, imaging bridge configuration, PMS operatory setup, and network capacity assessment.
Opening a new operatory without knowing if X-rays and the network will actually work on day one?
Ekim IT Solutions serves Tampa Bay from our office at 600 N Westshore Blvd, Suite 701. We configure the workstation, imaging bridge, PMS setup, and network capacity so your new chair is fully functional the day construction completes.
Ezra Angelo
