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How should a dental practice report an outage?

A good ticket is a clinical handoff: room, product, patients seated, last change.

Journal · Chairside Manners · D·02 | Last reviewed: October 1, 2026 | 3 min read | By CyberDental Group LLC, Hialeah, Florida

Short answer: Report an outage like a clinical handoff: say which room, which product, how many patients are affected, when it started, what changed last, what you already tried, and how to reach you. Never include patient names. A good report shortens time to the first correct hypothesis and gets the right engineer on it sooner.

At a glance
Seven things to say Where, What, Impact, Onset, Last change, Tried, Contact
Call or ticket Phone for anything affecting patients now; ticket for non-urgent
Never include Patient names, charts or PHI
HelpDesk (954) 639-7049
Benefit Faster first correct diagnosis

What makes an outage report effective?

The same thing that makes a referral or a shift handoff effective: the essential facts, in order, without noise. IT engineers cannot see your operatory. The report is their only window, and the quality of the first sixty seconds often decides the next sixty minutes.

What should you say?

Use this seven-line template, by phone or in a ticket:

  1. Where: office, room or workstation (for example, "Operatory 3, sensor PC").
  2. What: the product or device (PMS, imaging software, printer, network, phone).
  3. Impact: how many people or rooms are affected, and are patients seated?
  4. Onset: when it started, and whether it is constant or intermittent.
  5. Last change: anything new today or this week, such as an update, new device, power flicker or moved cable.
  6. Tried: what you have already done, and what you have not done (please do not restart mid-procedure).
  7. Contact: the best direct number and who will be on site.

What does a bad report look like, and a good one?

Bad: "The computer is broken."

Good: "Operatory 3 sensor PC. The imaging software opens, but the sensor isn't detected. Patient is seated and needs a bitewing. It worked this morning; Windows updated overnight. We've re-seated the USB cable but haven't restarted. Call me directly at [number]."

The second report tells the engineer where to look (post-update driver issue), how urgent it is and what has already been ruled out.

When should you call and when should you open a ticket?

What should you never put in a report?

Patient names, charts, insurance IDs or other PHI. Say "a patient is seated" and describe the problem; the engineer will ask for specifics only if needed and only through the proper channel.

Who in the office should report?

Ideally one designated person, usually the office manager, so the HelpDesk is not receiving five partial and conflicting reports about the same outage. Everyone else tells that person. See What does the front desk own, and what does IT own?.

Why does this matter beyond speed?

A clean report also becomes the incident record, which helps spot patterns and supports compliance documentation. See What a 15-minute P1 SLA actually means for how response is measured.

Frequently asked questions

What information should I give IT when reporting an outage?

Where it is, what product is affected, the impact and whether patients are seated, when it started, what changed last, what you tried, and how to reach you.

Should I include patient names when reporting a problem?

No. Do not include patient names or other PHI. Describe the problem without identifying patients.

Should I restart the computer before calling IT?

Not if a procedure is in progress. Call first; the engineer can tell you whether a restart is safe.

Sources and further reading

Related in the Journal

About CyberDental

CyberDental Group LLC is a dental-exclusive managed IT and cybersecurity provider headquartered in Hialeah, Florida. Founded in 2016 by Mr. Dimitri Lopez, it supports 1,000+ licensed dental practices, has completed 250+ dental office IT build-outs, and operates a dental-only HelpDesk. Plans are priced per location: Remote $350/month, Priority $650/month, Ultimate $1,200/month; Concierge is quoted for multi-location groups and DSOs. CyberDental signs a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with every practice it serves.

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