What Should an Open Dental Backup Protect?
A complete Open Dental backup needs to protect more than the software installed on your server. For most locally hosted practices, recovery starts with the Open Dental database and the OpenDentImages A-to-Z folder.
Contains the operational information your practice depends on, including patient records, appointments, treatment information, billing activity, insurance data, and other practice-management information.
Stores scanned and imported files associated with patient records.
X-rays, CBCT scans, third-party imaging systems, NAS devices, mapped drives, and shared practice folders can reside elsewhere on the network. CDS reviews these locations so the backup reflects what your practice actually needs to recover.
Practices managing several systems or offices can learn more about dental practice and DSO backup →
Why Dental Backups Fail?
Most practice backups fail because they’re manual, unencrypted, or not validated. This puts PHI and operations at risk.
Manual or missed jobs
Human‑driven schedules are unreliable; our backups are automated and monitored.
Non‑compliant storage
No tested restores
Risk from cyber threats
Native Open Dental Integration with Managed Cloud Backups
Integrated, managed backups capture your Open Dental databases, A-to-Z image files, and configuration settings—automatically without practice interruption. Fast, granular restores get you back up and running quickly.
AES-448 encryption at rest & SSL/TLS in transit
Daily scheduled backups + on-demand restore access
BAA included for HIPAA compliance
Open Dental Built-In Backup vs. Managed Backup
Open Dental includes useful backup tools, but creating a copy of data and managing a complete recovery strategy are different responsibilities.
Open Dental Backup Tool
Open Dental's built-in Backup Tool can back up the Open Dental database and image folder. It can also restore a backup to another computer for testing or recovery.
The practice or its IT provider remains responsible for where backups are stored, whether jobs are monitored, how secondary copies are protected, and whether restores are tested regularly.
Open Dental Supplemental Backups
Open Dental also offers Supplemental Backups for eligible supported environments, but Open Dental explicitly states that they are not designed to replace an existing full backup method.
Supplemental Backups are not verified and do not include the OpenDentImages folders. They are intended as a last-resort safeguard rather than a complete disaster recovery strategy.
Read Open Dental's Supplemental Backup guidance →Managed Open Dental Backup With CDS
UnisonBDR adds managed monitoring, off-site protection, recovery verification, and restore assistance around the data your practice depends on.
The goal is straightforward: know what is protected, know whether the backup is healthy, and know that a usable recovery path exists before something goes wrong.
Explore UnisonBDROpen Dental Disaster Recovery After Data Loss or Ransomware
When an Open Dental server fails, a database becomes corrupted, or ransomware affects the practice network, recovery should start with the right restore point — not simply the newest file available.
CDS combines protected recovery copies, restore-point verification, and guided restoration.
See ransomware recovery services →Identify a Clean Recovery Point
After ordinary hardware failure, the newest verified backup may be appropriate. After ransomware or corruption, recovery may need to begin from a point created before the incident affected production data.
Restore the Open Dental Environment
Recovery may require the Open Dental database, OpenDentImages, and additional imaging or practice files. Restoring only part of the environment can leave staff with missing documents, incomplete imaging, or unusable application data.
Validate Before Returning to Production
The recovered environment should be checked before normal operations resume. Open Dental recommends verifying backup quality through restores to a separate computer.
How Your CDS
Protects your Dental Data?
Connect your Open Dental database & other sources
Database, images, file shares to CDS’s ISO 27001–certified UnisonBDR
Test restore (we send proof)
Go live with monitoring & monthly checks
Protect Your Open Dental Data Before You Need It Back
A reliable backup strategy should answer three questions: Is all critical practice data protected? Is there a protected recovery copy outside the production environment? Can that backup actually be restored?
Trusted by Dental Practices Nationwide
HIPAA-Aligned Security for Open Dental Backups
Open Dental environments may contain electronic protected health information, so backup should support the practice’s broader HIPAA security and contingency planning — not simply store another copy of the data. No backup product makes a dental practice HIPAA compliant on its own; compliance also depends on policies, risk analysis, workforce procedures, and incident response.
Encryption & Controlled Access
Backup Monitoring & Recovery Documentation
Business Associate Agreement (BAA) Support
Private U.S. Infrastructure
FAQs
Does Open Dental automatically back up my data?
Is Open Dental Supplemental Backup enough for disaster recovery?
What Open Dental data should I back up?
How do I know whether my Open Dental backup works?
How long should Open Dental backups be retained?
Can an Open Dental backup be used to move to a new server?
What is a good recovery time objective for Open Dental?
An Open Dental RTO is the maximum downtime a practice can tolerate. It should reflect how long scheduling, treatment, billing, and patient access can remain unavailable before operations are seriously affected.
Can one deleted Open Dental file be restored without restoring everything?
Should Open Dental be backed up before software or server updates?
Secure Dental Practice Now!
HIPAA‑aligned backups for Open Dental • No credit card required