How should a dental office network be designed?
On this page
- Key facts
- What does a dental office network actually have to carry?
- Why wired instead of Wi-Fi for clinical PCs?
- How should the network be segmented?
- Where does the rack go, and how big is it?
- What goes in the rack?
- What documentation should exist when the network is done?
- How is a network for a new build-out different from a refresh?
- How FloorStack helps
- Free tools for this step
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources
A dental office network in 2026 should be wired, gigabit and segmented. Dentrix, Eaglesoft and Open Dental all call for a 1 Gbps network (Dentrix 2026 requirements; Open Dental). Put clinical PCs, guests, cameras and imaging devices on separate network segments, and keep all of it in a locked rack with documented ports.
Which guide you need: this page covers the whole-office network. For imaging and CBCT specifics such as bandwidth, storage and static IPs, see network requirements for dental imaging.
Key facts
| Item | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Network speed, Dentrix server and workstations | 1 Gbps | Henry Schein One, Dentrix System Requirements 2026 |
| Wireless for Dentrix | "At your own risk" due to interference from X-ray machines; Wireless-AC or higher if used | Henry Schein One |
| Open Dental network | 100 Mbps absolute minimum; 1000 Mbps typical and suggested | Open Dental Hardware Requirements |
| Eaglesoft adapters | Gigabit Ethernet adapter on server and workstations | Patterson Eaglesoft Hardware Requirements |
| Max installed cable run (permanent link) | 90 m (about 295 ft) | Fluke Networks |
| Max end-to-end channel incl. patch cords | 100 m | Fluke Networks |
| Guest Wi-Fi | Separate guest networks from organizational data and systems | HHS 405(d) HICP, Technical Volume 1 |
What does a dental office network actually have to carry?
More than most small offices. A front desk running a practice management system (PMS) is the easy part. The hard part is the clinical side: intraoral sensors and cameras on operatory PCs, panoramic and CBCT units sending large image files to a server or imaging workstation, chairside monitors, intraoral scanners, VoIP phones, card terminals, and security cameras.
Each of those has a different owner. The equipment dealer installs the imaging, the phone vendor sets up the handsets, a security company mounts the cameras, and the IT provider is supposed to make it all talk. A network design is the one document that puts all of them on the same page before anyone pulls cable.
Why wired instead of Wi-Fi for clinical PCs?
Because the software vendors tell you to. Henry Schein One says wireless networks are used "at your own risk" for Dentrix because of potential interference from X-ray machines and other devices, and that wireless needs professional installation and should be Wireless-AC or better (Dentrix System Requirements 2026). All three major on-premise systems list gigabit networking for workstations (Open Dental; Patterson).
Wi-Fi still matters, just for different jobs: tablets, intraoral scanners that move between rooms, staff phones and patient guest access. Plan it as a second layer on top of a wired network, not a substitute for one.
How should the network be segmented?
Segmentation means splitting one physical network into separate zones, usually with VLANs on a managed switch and rules on the firewall, so a problem in one zone can't spread to the others. HHS's 405(d) guidance for small healthcare organizations tells practices to restrict access between devices, to place medical devices and IoT items such as security cameras in more restricted zones, and to keep guest networks separate from organizational data (HICP Technical Volume 1). CISA's ransomware guide makes the same point: segmentation limits how far an intruder can move (CISA #StopRansomware Guide).
A practical starting layout for a 4- to 10-operatory office:
| Segment | What lives there | Can it reach patient data? |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical/business | Server, front desk and operatory PCs, printers | Yes |
| Imaging | Pano, CBCT, sensor hubs, scanners that need a wired path | Only the imaging server or bridge |
| Voice | VoIP phones | No |
| Cameras / IoT | Security cameras, NVR, door access, TVs | No |
| Guest Wi-Fi | Patient phones and tablets | No, internet only |
| Management | Switch, firewall and access point admin interfaces | Restricted to IT |
The exact rules depend on how your imaging vendor's software talks to the PMS, so get that from the vendor in writing before the switch is configured.
Where does the rack go, and how big is it?
Every cable home-runs to one place, so pick the rack location early. The installed run from the patch panel to the wall jack (the "permanent link") can't exceed 90 meters, and the whole channel including patch cords can't exceed 100 meters (Fluke Networks). In most single-suite dental offices, a central location keeps every drop inside that limit without a second closet.
The room needs a lock, ventilation and a dedicated circuit. HHS 405(d) says to keep data and network closets locked, to prefer coded or badge access you can audit over plain keys, and to disable network ports that aren't in use (HICP Technical Volume 1). Keep it away from the compressor and vacuum. Mechanical rooms run hot.
What goes in the rack?
For a typical on-premise practice:
- Firewall/router with a primary internet line and, ideally, a secondary failover line
- Managed switch with enough ports for every drop plus about 20% spare, with PoE for cameras, phones and access points
- Patch panel, labeled to match the floor plan
- PMS/imaging server (if your software needs one; see server vs. cloud)
- Backup appliance or NAS, plus an off-site copy (see backup)
- UPS sized to ride through short outages and shut the server down cleanly
- Camera NVR, if cameras record locally
Open Dental calls a UPS optional but recommended, to protect the database server (Open Dental computer requirements).
To turn this into a drawing your low-voltage contractor can bid, the free network & IT plan generator (coming soon) is planned to produce drops, rack, Wi-Fi and VLAN plans from your floor plan.
What documentation should exist when the network is done?
A network diagram, a port map and an asset list, and the practice should hold copies. CISA recommends keeping comprehensive network diagrams showing systems, IP addressing, topology and third-party/MSP access, and storing them securely with offline and hard-copy backups (CISA #StopRansomware Guide).
As someone who runs a dental MSP, I'd put it more bluntly. If the only map of your network is in your IT provider's head or their private ticketing system, you don't really have one. The handoff package should include:
- Floor plan with every drop labeled to match the patch panel
- Switch port map (which port feeds which room and device)
- VLAN and firewall rule summary
- Admin credentials for the firewall, switch, access points, NVR and server, held by the practice (see who owns your passwords)
- Warranty and license dates
To see this on your own floor plan, FloorStack Studio (live, free plan) builds a 3D IT plan of your office with every device placed.
How is a network for a new build-out different from a refresh?
In a new build-out, the network is cheap to get right and expensive to fix. Cable goes in at rough-in, after framing and before drywall, and the window is usually coordinated with electrical rough-in (GCMM Dental Construction). That's why the IT design has to be finished before the low-voltage bid, not after the walls close. See when to involve IT in a build-out and how many drops each operatory needs.
In an existing practice you're working around finished walls, so the order flips. Document what exists first, then segment and replace hardware in phases.
How FloorStack helps
FloorStack is a dental build-out platform that maps your technology onto your real floor plan. The free FloorStack Studio plan places every computer, camera, access point and drop on your drawing, then lays out the cable runs and rack ports and produces a device schedule your low-voltage contractor can bid from. Server and workstation picks come from your software vendor's published specs, not a reseller catalog. Start a free Studio plan, or go back to the Dental Office IT Setup hub.
Free tools on the FloorStack dental build-out platform for this step: Network & IT plan generator (free tool, coming soon).
Free tools for this step
- FloorStack Studio (live, free plan): a 3D IT plan of your office with every device placed.
- Network & IT plan generator (free tool, coming soon): turn your floor plan into a drops, rack, Wi-Fi and VLAN plan.
Frequently asked questions
Does a dental office need a managed switch?
For any practice that segments its network, yes. VLANs, which separate clinical, guest, phone and camera traffic, need a managed switch. HHS 405(d) guidance recommends segmenting networks and keeping guest access separate (HICP).
Can my dental office run entirely on Wi-Fi?
Not for clinical PCs if you use Dentrix. Henry Schein One says wireless is used at your own risk because of X-ray interference (Dentrix 2026 requirements). Use Wi-Fi for tablets, scanners, staff phones and guests.
How far can a network cable run from the rack?
The installed run should be 90 m (about 295 ft) or less, with a 100 m total channel including patch cords (Fluke Networks).
Should patient guest Wi-Fi be on the same network as our computers?
No. HHS 405(d) guidance says to use guest networks in waiting areas so guests are separated from organizational data and systems (HICP).
Who should keep the network diagram?
The practice. Your IT provider can maintain it, but CISA recommends storing network documentation securely with offline backups and hard copies on site (CISA).
Does HIPAA require a specific network design?
No. The Security Rule is technology-neutral and doesn't dictate specific measures. It requires safeguards that are reasonable and appropriate for your size and risks, based on a risk analysis (HHS).
Sources
- Henry Schein One: Dentrix System Requirements 2026 (PDF, April 2026)
- Open Dental: Hardware Requirements (PDF)
- Open Dental: Computer Requirements
- Patterson Dental: Eaglesoft and CAESY Hardware Requirements (PDF)
- Fluke Networks: Channel, Permanent Link, Patch Cords
- HHS 405(d): HICP Technical Volume 1, Small Health Care Organizations (PDF)
- CISA: #StopRansomware Guide
- HHS: Summary of the HIPAA Security Rule
- GCMM Dental Construction: Structured Cabling for Dental Offices
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