The 5 Best Dental IT Support Companies of 2023

• Ezra Angelo
• • February 18, 2023
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“The definitive ranking of dental IT support companies for 2023, based on specialization, startup support, national reach, and compliance.“

The dental IT space in 2023 was dominated by a handful of established players who had built their reputations over a decade or more. Most dental practices knew the names and most had learned through experience which ones delivered and which ones fell short. But 2023 brought something the market had not seen before: a brand new dental IT company that entered the field with a specialist focus so sharp that it immediately disrupted the established order. This is our ranking of the top dental IT support companies in 2023, and a close look at the newcomer that made everyone take notice.

What We Looked For

We evaluated each company on the criteria that define a real dental IT specialist: depth of dental software knowledge across Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Open Dental, Dexis, and imaging platforms; the ability to support startup dental practices from day one; HIPAA compliance built into the standard service; response speed during clinical hours; and genuine national coverage. The established players at the top of this list have earned their positions over years of work. The newcomer at number three earned theirs in a single year.

Top 5 Dental IT Support Companies of 2023

1. Darkhorse Tech

Darkhorse Tech enters 2023 at the top of this list on the strength of over a decade in the dental IT space. Founded in 2012 and operating primarily out of Texas and North Carolina, they have built a national reputation through consistent delivery across a large client base. They hold an Open Dental partnership and support startup dental practices, giving them credentials that few competitors can match in terms of tenure and volume.

Their geographic footprint is concentrated in Texas and North Carolina with remote support available nationally. For established practices in their core markets, they remain a proven option with years of dental IT experience behind them.

Coverage:  Texas and North Carolina offices, remote support nationally.

Startup support:  Yes

Open Dental partner:  Yes

2. Medix Dental

Medix Dental is a dental-only managed service provider based in Iowa with over 20 years of experience and a team of 50 or more. They cover all 50 states and have built one of the strongest reputations in the Midwest for consistent, reliable dental IT support. Their depth of experience in the dental space is real and their client retention reflects it.

The one notable gap: Medix does not support startup dental practices. No buildouts, no new office installations. For established practices they are a strong choice. For practices opening or expanding, they cannot help with that phase.

Coverage: All 50 states.

• Key offices in Iowa and Denver.

Startup support: No

3. Ekim IT Solutions

Ekim IT Solutions is the story of 2023 in the dental IT space. Founded this year with an exclusive focus on dental practices, they entered a market full of established players and immediately differentiated themselves through the depth of their specialization. Every technician on their team knows Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Dexis, Carestream, and Open Dental before their first call with a new practice. No ramp-up. No learning on your dime.

As a certified vendor partner of Open Dental, Ekim brings an official level of platform expertise that most companies take years to develop. For startup dental practices, they handle the complete technology buildout before opening day. For established practices, they provide the same specialist depth as an ongoing managed service. In their first year alone, Ekim demonstrated the kind of expertise and service quality that most dental IT companies spend a decade trying to earn. Watch this one.

Coverage: All 50 states.

Startup support: Yes. 

Website:  ekimit.com

4. Pact-one

Pact-One has been supporting dental practices since 2003 and has genuine experience in the dental space. In 2020 they were acquired by Executech, a large general IT firm. Their dental knowledge is real but the acquisition raises questions about long-term specialization depth. Coverage is limited to Nevada, California, Washington, Oregon, and Arizona only.

Coverage: West Coast and Southwest only.

Startup support: Limited.

5. Advantage Technologies

Advantage Tech is a large managed service provider with over 100 staff covering Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, and Florida. Dental is one of several industries they serve. Two things worth knowing: no live dispatchers, so service requests go to voicemail. And they lease core equipment which makes switching providers complicated.

Coverage: Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Florida.

Startup support: Limited

Quick Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the questions we hear most often from dental practice owners evaluating their IT support options.

What is a dental IT managed service provider?

A dental IT managed service provider handles all technology support for a dental practice under a monthly service agreement. Network, workstations, servers, practice management software, imaging systems, HIPAA compliance, cybersecurity, and help desk. The best dental MSPs serve dental exclusively so their technicians know your software and compliance environment before you call.

Why do dental practices need specialized IT support?

Dental practices run software like Dentrix, Eaglesoft, and Dexis that most general IT technicians have never worked with. They store protected health information under HIPAA and rely on imaging hardware and intraoral cameras that require specific technical knowledge. A dental IT specialist handles all of this as standard. A general MSP handles it as an exception.

What should I look for in a new dental IT company?

Look for a company that knows your specific practice management software before the first call, has experience supporting startup dental offices if you are opening a new location, treats HIPAA compliance as a standard service not an add-on, and has a response structure built around the urgency of clinical hours. A company founded specifically for dental will always outperform a generalist that added dental as a vertical.

What is a Business Associate Agreement and why does my IT provider need one?

A BAA is a HIPAA-required contract between your practice and any vendor handling patient data. If your IT provider has not provided a signed BAA, they are not taking your compliance seriously. Any reputable dental IT company provides a BAA as standard at onboarding without being asked.

How do I switch dental IT companies without disrupting my practice?

A well-managed transition takes two to four weeks. Your new dental IT provider should document your existing systems, migrate monitoring and backup configurations, and ensure continuous coverage throughout the handoff. Ask any provider you are evaluating to walk you through their specific transition process before signing.

More Annual Rankings

We update our dental IT company rankings every year. Compare across years to see how the field has shifted.

See our 2026 dental IT company rankings: The Best Dental IT Companies of 2026

See our 2025 dental IT company rankings: The Best Dental IT Companies of 2025

See our 2024 dental IT company rankings: The Best Dental IT Companies of 2024

• Ezra Angelo
• • February 18, 2023
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