Every dental operatory is a clinical workstation, an imaging station, and a network endpoint simultaneously. Getting the IT setup right in each operatory means planning cabling locations before walls close, choosing the right workstation hardware for the software running in that chair, and integrating imaging hardware with the practice management platform before the first patient sits down.
Here is how to plan each operatory’s IT setup correctly from the beginning.
The Most Common Operatory IT Problem
Cabling installed in the wrong location during construction.
A network drop placed two feet from where the workstation mount actually sits requires visible cable management or an expensive wall patch after the fact. Your IT provider must review the operatory floor plan and equipment placement before any cabling is installed.
Need every operatory wired, specced, and tested before your first patient? Find out in 15 minutes if we are the right fit.
Check each item as it is completed. Every unchecked item is a setup gap to close before that operatory sees its first patient.
Overall completion
0 / 12
Cabling and Power Planning0 / 3
Workstation Placement and Mount0 / 3
Workstation Hardware0 / 3
Imaging Hardware Integration0 / 3
Frequently Asked Questions
At minimum two: one for the workstation and one for imaging hardware. Operatories with multiple imaging devices may need three or four. Your IT provider should review what devices will be in each operatory and specify drops accordingly before cabling is installed.
Wired for all clinical workstations. Major imaging platforms including DEXIS and Carestream specifically require wired connections for reliable image transfer. Wireless connections introduce latency and interference that cause image transfer failures and slow practice management software during peak usage. Wireless is appropriate for tablets used for patient intake forms, not for clinical workstations.
Yes, with the right hardware specifications. A workstation running both practice management software and imaging simultaneously needs at minimum 16GB RAM and a current-generation processor. A workstation specced for charting only will struggle when imaging software is added. Confirm with your IT provider that each operatory workstation meets the requirements for all software it will run.
Adding or moving network drops after drywall is installed requires opening walls, running new cable, patching, and repainting. The cost is three to five times higher than installing drops during construction. This is the most preventable IT cost in a dental office buildout and the most common one discovered by practices that did not involve an IT provider before construction began.
Planning your operatory IT setup and not sure what needs to be decided before the walls close during construction?
Ekim IT Solutions works exclusively with dental practices. We serve New England and New York with on-site support and dental practices nationwide with remote support. We plan and install operatory IT from the cabling stage through go-live, workstations, imaging integration, and network drops all coordinated with your contractor before the build-out locks anything in.
Operatory IT decisions made after walls close cost more and deliver less. Get your IT provider involved before construction begins.
Ezra Angelo
