Healthcare
Data backup and recovery for dental practices
Mindtime copies your practice server, X-ray and scan images, mail and workstations to its own data centres in the Netherlands and Germany, as immutable backups plus an air-gapped copy. Every job is checked, so a failed backup does not go unnoticed for months.
In Dutch, German or English.
- NL · DEStored only in our own Tier III data centres in the Netherlands and Germany
- ImmutableObject Lock storage plus an air-gapped copy; every backup job is checked
- ISO 27001 · NEN 7510Audited security, with a data processing agreement in every contract
- NL · DE · ENSupport from people, no offshore call centres or chatbots
In short
Dental practices need an off-site backup because the KNMT guideline says a practice must always have a good backup of its patient records, which the law requires you to keep for at least 20 years. Mindtime backs up practice servers, X-ray images, Microsoft 365 and workstations to its own NEN 7510-audited data centres in the Netherlands and Germany.
What's at stake
The data dental practices can't afford to lose
Patient dossiers and treatment history
Medical history, medication, periodontal findings, treatment plans and informed consent are all mandatory dossier content under the KNMT guideline. They are what you need at every check-up.
X-rays and intraoral scans
For every X-ray, the indication and the dentist who requested it must be traceable. The images themselves often sit on a separate imaging workstation or NAS rather than in the practice software.
Tomorrow's agenda and unsent claims
The appointment book and claims still waiting to go to insurers keep the practice running. Without them, nobody knows who is coming in or what has been billed.
Rules and obligations
What the rules ask of dental practices
Summarised from the sources listed at the bottom of this page. This is general information, not legal advice.
The KNMT expects a good backup
The KNMT-richtlijn Patiëntendossier (2020) states that the dental practice keeps the dossier, is responsible for its storage and must always have a good backup of the data. [1]
At least 20 years, sometimes longer
According to the same guideline, patient dossiers are kept for at least 20 years by law, counted from the last change. Keeping them longer is required when good care calls for it. [1]
Security according to NEN 7510
Under the Wabvpz, care providers, including dental practices, must organise their information security according to NEN 7510. The IGJ supervises this. [2]
Most practices sit below the NIS2 threshold
The Cyberbeveiligingswet covers healthcare providers from 50 FTE, or above the EU small-enterprise ceilings for both turnover and balance sheet. A single dental practice is usually below that; larger dental groups should check their status. [3]
When it goes wrong
The server in the back office stops
Illustrative example: on a busy Tuesday the server in a dental practice's back office will not start after a power failure. The practice had a USB drive for backups, but nobody noticed that it stopped working months ago. With Mindtime, a failed job would have been flagged the next day, and the server, its database and the X-ray folders could be restored from the off-site copy to replacement hardware. The team would rebuild the day's agenda from the restored system instead of from memory.
How Mindtime protects it
Backup for dental practices, workload by workload
- Laptop and endpoint backupReception and chair-side PCs, and the imaging workstation, hold data that is not always on the server.
- NAS backupMany practices store X-rays and scans on a Synology or QNAP box in the practice.
- Microsoft 365 backupReferral mail and lab orders in Outlook need a copy outside Microsoft.
- Database backupPractice software on a local server usually keeps its data in a database that needs a consistent backup.
The software you use, and what we protect around it
| Exquise (Vertimart) | Practice software used in many Dutch dental practices. If Exquise runs on a server in your practice, Mindtime backs up that server and its database; for a hosted set-up, check the supplier's backup and export terms. |
|---|---|
| Simplex (Gé Systems Nederland) | Practice software for dentists, orthodontists and other oral care providers. Where it runs on your own hardware, Mindtime protects that machine; otherwise ask GSN how you can export your data. |
| X-ray and scan workstation | Imaging software often stores images locally or on a NAS. Mindtime backs up the Windows workstation and Synology or QNAP storage where they are kept. |
| Microsoft 365 | Referral letters, lab orders and correspondence with specialists. Mindtime backs up your Microsoft 365 mail and files to its Dutch and German data centres. |
Before you switch
What dental practices ask us first
We already copy everything to a USB drive every night.
A drive in the same building shares the same fire, theft and ransomware risk, and nobody checks whether it worked. Mindtime keeps immutable copies off-site plus an air-gapped copy, follows the 3-2-1-1-0 rule and checks every backup job.
Our software supplier takes care of backups for us.
The KNMT guideline places responsibility for storing the dossier with the practice. Ask your supplier exactly what they back up and where. Mindtime protects what usually falls outside: the local server, X-ray images, mail and workstations.
Does our patient data end up outside the Netherlands?
Mindtime stores backups only in its own Tier III data centres in the Netherlands and Germany, audited against ISO 27001 and NEN 7510. A data processing agreement comes with every contract.
FAQ
Questions about backup for dental practices
How long does a dental practice have to keep patient records?
At least 20 years from the last change to the dossier, and longer when good care requires it, according to the KNMT guideline based on the WGBO. X-rays and their indication are part of that dossier. A backup does not replace the dossier, but it makes sure you still have it after a server failure or ransomware.
Do X-ray images need a separate backup?
If your imaging software stores images on its own workstation or on a NAS instead of the practice server, then yes: include that device. Mindtime backs up Windows workstations and Synology or QNAP storage, so the images are protected along with the rest of the practice.
What happens to our backups if ransomware hits the practice?
Mindtime's backups are immutable through Object Lock, so ransomware on your network cannot encrypt or delete them, and there is a further air-gapped copy. Before restoring, backups are scanned for malware. The Dutch Data Protection Authority treats encrypted patient files as a data breach, so you still assess and report it.
Can we try it before committing?
You can book a free 15-minute demo to see how Mindtime would protect your practice server, images and workstations. For Microsoft 365 there is a 7-day free trial, so you can test the backup of your practice mail first. Support during the trial comes from people, in Dutch, German or English.
See it with your own data
Book a 15-minute demo
We show you a backup and a restore, and answer your questions in Dutch, German or English. No offshore call centres, no chatbots.