VIPRE Security Group, a global leader and award-winning cybersecurity, privacy, and data protection company, has released its Q3 Email Threat Landscape Report.
Processing and analysing 1.8 million emails, this report highlights the most critical email security threat trends identified in Q3 2025, to help organizations strengthen their email defense strategies against the creative, sophisticated, and highly targeted tactics of threat actors, designed to circumvent traditional cybersecurity measures.
Commercial clutter, the perfect cover for cyberthreats
Legitimate but “spammy” commercial messages dominated this quarter at 60%, up 34% year-on-year. Phishing messages rose to 23% from 20%, while scams dropped to 10% from 34%. This flood of routine commercial clutter is designed to desensitize even the most security-conscious users, making malicious emails blend seamlessly into the noise. When inboxes overflow with legitimate-looking messages, users become less vigilant about what they click on.
Overall, more than a third of all spam emails are maliciously designed to cause harm, encompassing phishing attempts, scams, and malware.
Cold outreach marketing and shotgun list bombing dominate commercial spam
Within the 60% commercial spam category, cold outreach marketing emails dominated with 72% of the cases. List bombing claimed another 16%, a tactic where attackers maliciously subscribe victims to hundreds or thousands of mailing lists, newsletters, or promotional sign-ups simultaneously, flooding their inboxes with unwanted content. This overwhelming deluge frustrates users but serves as the perfect smokescreen for concealing genuine threats among the chaos.
Newly registered domains on the rise for phishing, but open redirects preferred
Threat actors increasingly registered large numbers of domains to launch temporary phishing sites, quickly deactivating them upon discovery to evade detection and blacklisting. This trend stresses that traditional blacklisting of email domains and signature-based detection measures alone are inadequate.
However, despite the success of newly registered domains, compromised URLs or open redirects remain attackers’ preferred phishing vector, employed in 80% of campaigns. Newly registered domains account for only the remaining 20%, but is a trend to watch.
Outlook and Google mailboxes top targets for credential harvesting
Attackers are concentrating their efforts on the world’s two largest business and personal email platforms, Outlook and Google, which today form 90% of observed phishing attacks. This strategic focus is enabling threat actors to maximize efficiency by reducing the research and customization required for individual campaigns.
Fetch API emerges as preferred data exfiltration method
One-third of phishing attacks leveraged Fetch API, a sophisticated JavaScript interface for network requests, to exfiltrate stolen credentials. By comparison, fewer than 10% of attacks used POST requests – the traditional HTTP method for transmitting data to servers. This trend suggests attackers are adopting more advanced techniques that may evade conventional security detection mechanisms designed to monitor standard POST-based data transfers.
Apple TestFlight exploits to distribute malicious iOS apps
Sophisticated threat actors abused Apple’s TestFlight platform to deliver malware-laden iOS applications to targeted victims. Exploiting TestFlight’s legitimate beta testing framework allowed attackers to distribute pre-release test software via invite or public links, bypassing Apple’s standard App Store review processes and security controls, to deliver malicious payloads directly to users’ devices.
Geographic distribution is helping malware evade blocklists
Over 60% of spam emails originated from the United States, 9% from Hong Kong, showing a 5% growth in Q1 2025 and 8% in Q2 2025; 6% from Great Britain; and 25% collectively from other developed countries. This geographic dispersion across spam-sending markets makes IP-based geographic blocking impractical and inadvisable – a vulnerability that attackers deliberately exploit.
Attackers used a variety of creative techniques to evade detection and maximize spam delivery.
Most notably, compromised accounts (33%) demonstrate that attackers exploited trusted domains to bypass reputation checks and filters despite email authentication (SPF/DKIM) anomalies. 32% of campaigns exploited free popular services, such as Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook, alongside lesser-known free relays including GMX, ProtonMail, Zoho, and Yandex.
Misusing the strong IP reputations of bulk mailing services like SendGrid, Mailgun, and Amazon SES, attackers weaponised them either through fake sign-ups or compromised customer accounts.
Usman Choudhary
“Today’s cybersecurity threats are succeeding through creative, pinpointed, and strategic sophistication,” Usman Choudhary, General Manager, VIPRE Security Group, says. “They’re manipulating trusted platforms, layering evasion tactics into seamless attack chains, and using commercial spam as cover for their operations. To counter this, organizations need to deploy equally adaptive and layered defenses. The question isn’t whether defenses work today, but rather will they adapt fast enough for tomorrow?”
To read the full report, click here: Email Threat Trends Report: Q3 2025
VIPRE leverages its vast understanding of email security to equip businesses with the information they need to protect themselves. This report is based on proprietary intelligence gleaned from round-the-clock assessment of the cybersecurity landscape.
When people think of AI capabilities for healthcare, they’ll likely imagine automating electronic health records (EHRs), streamlining communication between nurses and emergency dispatch, or deploying rapid diagnostic tools to oncology units, leveraging predictive algorithms for personalized care.
Yet, one area of healthcare that might not immediately come to mind is dentistry, even though it has much to gain from integrating AI. Dentistry is currently leading the way in AI adoption across healthcare, setting a precedent for how intelligent tools can enhance diagnostic consistency, clinical efficiency, and patient outcomes.
It’s precisely here, at the intersection of patient trust, preventive medicine, and early disease detection, that AI’s transformative potential is rapidly gaining ground.
An Underappreciated Opportunity
While research, including studies from the American Dental Association, has established strong links between oral health and systemic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, and cognitive decline, dentistry remains largely manual. Even as the field leads the way in AI adoption across healthcare, core workflows still require dentists to piece together fragmented data, from health and social histories to clinical notes and subjective visual exams, resulting in inconsistent diagnoses and care that may overlook critical patient information. Existing manual and disjointed digital systems can pull clinicians away from patients. This divide dilutes trust, divides attention, and erodes the human experience and expectation of care.
The reliance on subjective assessments risks more than just clinical inconvenience; it directly threatens patient trust and acceptance of care. A recent report published in May 2025, based on a national survey of U.S. adults, found that 21% of adults avoid dental visits due to anxiety, with unclear communication cited as a major contributing factor. Additionally, 14% of parents have skipped dental visits for their children because of anxiety. When this occurs, and patients feel uncertain about their diagnoses, treatment gets postponed, and underlying health issues worsen.
How AI Changes the Dental Experience
In contrast, modern AI diagnostic solutions, especially those cleared by regulatory bodies like the FDA, supports clinicians offering a “second set of eyes” that reduces variability in diagnoses. A recent industry report noted that deep learning algorithms, such as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), a type of AI used in image recognition, have demonstrated over 90% accuracy in detecting periodontal conditions. These algorithms can analyze X-ray images by identifying patterns in pixel intensity to detect abnormalities, including cavities or bone loss.
Imagine, for example, a patient who has historically dreaded dental visits due to anxiety and confusion over treatment recommendations. At their most recent appointment, the experience feels entirely different. As they speak, AI is working ambiently in the background, listening, transcribing, analyzing, and automatically populating clinical records. Their dentist isn’t buried in a computer screen but fully present, engaging in real conversation. When it’s time to discuss findings, instead of offering a vague explanation about “problem areas” or “potential cavities,” their dentist showed them an AI-enhanced visual with clearly marked points of concern on their X-rays.
Immediately, the patient sees what her dentist sees: early-stage cavities that, if addressed promptly, could prevent more complex and costly treatments later. The technology has not only identified key diagnostic insights but also stayed invisible, removing disruption, enabling clarity, and allowing the focus to remain entirely on the patient. What was once a source of anxiety becomes a moment of understanding and trust, greatly increasing the likelihood of treatment acceptance.
Economic and Operational Benefits
The financial implications of integrating AI into dental practices extend beyond improved new patient treatment acceptance. A recent analysis highlights that dental practices adopting advanced technologies, such as AI, are also likely to see notable improvements in patient retention. As nearly 59%of patients report increased trust and satisfaction when AI-powered tools are used during their visits, this trend is likely to continue. AI can dramatically reduce missed diagnoses, thereby lowering the risk of more complicated and costly procedures later. This reduction in diagnostic error improves patient outcomes and reduces operational costs.
There are also internal savings and a reduction in turnover that change the narrative for dental offices. In the first quarter of 2024, 38% of private dental practices were actively recruiting dental assistants, with 77% describing the hiring process as “extremely” or “very” challenging. AI-powered platforms alleviate this staffing challenge by automating documentation, coding, and clinical workflows, allowing dental staff to concentrate more fully on patient care.
AI’s operational advantages also extend to administrative efficiencies. Gartner has forecasted that by 2027, AI will reduce clinical documentation time by 50%. By minimizing manual chart reviews and paperwork, dental practices can better manage patient care without needing proportional increases in staffing.
Multi-site dental organizations also benefit from AI-powered analytics, which enable practice leaders to remotely identify and benchmark clinical performance, providing targeted guidance and mentorship. This capability reduces travel demands and enhances timely, personalized training for dental professionals, further contributing to operational efficiency and consistency of care.
Policy and Preventive Care Alignment
This AI shift aligns closely with evolving healthcare policies. In 2025, policymakers and payers are more actively incentivizing preventive care, with a focus on early detection and intervention to reduce downstream healthcare costs. Dental practices deploying AI-based diagnostic technologies are positioned favorably under these new reimbursement structures, leveraging the enhanced documentation and consistent outcomes necessary to meet value-based care criteria.
Federal health authorities have also begun advocating for transparency and accountability in AI-driven healthcare tools. As a frontline site for these patient interactions, dentistry naturally serves as a testing ground for broader healthcare AI deployment, setting standards for patient clarity, diagnostic accuracy, and provider transparency.
Building Trustworthy AI
Not all dental AI tools are created equally. Initial AI offerings in the marketplace were criticized for false positives, cumbersome integration processes, and disrupting clinical workflows. Today’s effective solutions distinguish themselves through their seamless integration into existing practice structures, clinically validated accuracy, and straightforward visual interfaces designed explicitly to improve patient-provider communication.
As dental practices evaluate AI solutions, they should prioritize those that have received FDA clearance, undergone rigorous clinical validation, and offer transparent patient-facing communications. This diligence ensures that the technology supports the practice and enhances patient trust, rather than undermining it.
AI as an Educational Tool
Another key benefit of AI integration in dentistry is its potential as a powerful educational tool for patients and dental professionals. AI-enhanced visual representations of dental conditions can demystify clinical language and procedures, empowering patients to actively participate in oral health management. AI is also an ongoing educational resource for dental professionals, particularly those early in their careers, providing evidence-based insights and recommendations to reinforce clinical judgment.
Dentistry: AI’s Blueprint for a Healthier Future
In the broader healthcare AI conversation, dentistry’s growing role marks a noticeable shift, from viewing dental care as a secondary concern to recognizing it as a vital pillar of preventive medicine. AI’s capabilities to enhance diagnostic precision, patient clarity, operational efficiency, and alignment with modern healthcare policies mean dental practices are more critical than ever to our collective health outcomes.
Ultimately, dentistry may soon serve as a blueprint for how AI integration should look across healthcare; grounded in trust, transparency, measurable outcomes, and continuous learning. Surprisingly, the dental chair might just be where AI in healthcare truly finds its footing, reshaping patient experiences, improving health outcomes, and setting new standards for care delivery.
Cybersecurity is no longer an abstract IT concern; it’s a serious patient safety issue. A ransomware attack, misconfigured system, or forgotten device can paralyze operations, delay treatments, and put patient trust at risk.
Yet for many small- and mid-sized dental practices, cybersecurity remains a line item: a box checked during HIPAA training or vendor audits, but rarely part of the culture of care.
Why “Good Enough” Security Isn’t Enough
Many dental practices believe they are secure because they have HIPAA-compliant IT policies, cloud-based EHRs, and firewalls. The reality is far more complicated. Most cyberattacks aren’t targeting your practice specifically—they target gaps wherever they exist. Smaller organizations are especially vulnerable because their security measures often lag behind today’s threats.
Recent data from the Ponemon Institute highlights a troubling trend: nearly 60% of healthcare breaches now originate from third-party vendors or simple misconfigurations, not from sophisticated, zero-day attacks. What’s more, the IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2023 found the average cost of a healthcare data breach sits at $10.93 million—the highest across any industry. Beyond the financial impact, breaches erode patient trust, disrupt care, and can leave practices scrambling to recover, sometimes permanently.
The Hidden Threats SMBs Overlook
Dental practices face both obvious and hidden cybersecurity risks. Obvious risks include ransomware, phishing, and malware. But hidden threats—outdated software, improperly configured networks, forgotten devices, and vendor weaknesses—can be just as damaging. Mass outages like the 2024 CrowdStrike event or the 2023 Google Cloud disruption illustrate how even large-scale systems can fail.
Smaller technical or administrative gaps, which often go unnoticed, can cripple a practice for days.
Data shows that nearly all SMBs experience cyber incidents: 94% report at least one attack, and many are concerned they’ll be targeted again within months. For dental practices, this isn’t just a “what if”—it’s a real and ongoing operational risk.
Five Questions Every Dental Practice Should Ask
Even practices without large IT budgets or in-house security teams can uncover hidden vulnerabilities. A simple self-assessment based on five critical areas can reveal gaps that put operations and patient care at risk:
Staff Training: Are your staff trained to recognize phishing attempts, follow secure password protocols, and understand safe handling of patient data? Is the training reinforced regularly, not just once a year? Staff are often the first—and last—line of defense.
Security Safeguards: Are systems protected with multi-factor authentication, email filters, browsing restrictions, and role-based access controls? Are these safeguards regularly reviewed to ensure they remain effective against evolving threats?
Software Patches and Updates: Are there clear procedures for applying software updates and patches to all systems and devices? Attackers exploit unpatched systems every day, so timely updates are critical.
Vendor Oversight: Do your vendors, partners, and service providers follow strict cybersecurity protocols? Are contracts and SLAs reviewed to ensure that their security practices meet your standards? Remember: a breach in a third-party system can become your breach.
Business Continuity: Is there a tested and well-understood disaster recovery plan? Can staff quickly implement it to resume scheduling, billing, and patient communications? Outages and breaches will happen—how fast you recover matters more than how unlikely you think the event is.
From Reactive to Resilient
The dental practices that survive and thrive in today’s high-risk environment don’t wait for crises—they expect them. They test recovery plans like fire drills, hold vendors accountable, and integrate security into daily workflows. Security becomes as fundamental as infection control: ongoing, everyone’s responsibility, and embedded into practice culture.
Partnering with the right IT provider can extend capabilities without breaking the budget. Look for providers that offer proactive monitoring, regular audits, staff training, and incident response planning. The best partners also provide transparency, flexibility, and industry-specific expertise, ensuring dental practices can operate safely even as threats evolve.
The Patient Care Imperative
Cybersecurity isn’t just about protecting systems—it’s about protecting patients. When scheduling, records, or lab results are inaccessible, patient care suffers. Ransomware attacks timed to hit off-hours, or even a misconfigured network, can delay treatments or critical referrals. The long-term impact of downtime is reputational as well as financial: patients rarely wait for a practice to recover—they go elsewhere.
Embedding cybersecurity into practice culture protects not only your systems but your patients, staff, and business longevity. Ask not, “Are we secure?” but, “How quickly can we recover?” and, “Are we prepared for the unexpected?”
Invest in Longevity, Not Just Compliance
Identifying gaps and implementing protocols doesn’t require unlimited resources. Many vulnerabilities can be addressed through simple internal audits and staff education. When deeper expertise is needed, a skilled IT partner can provide cost-effective solutions tailored to your practice. Investing in cybersecurity is not an optional expense—it’s a safeguard for patient trust, operational continuity, and the survival of the business itself.
Bottom Line
Dental practices that thrive in the face of cyber threats do so because they embed security into their culture. They ask the right questions, audit their practices, challenge assumptions, and prepare for the worst while maintaining daily operations. Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical issue—it’s a patient care issue. Practices that embrace this mindset now will protect their patients, staff, and business for years to come.
SKYGEN, an industry leader in technology-driven solutions for dental and vision benefit management services, announced that its Dental Hub platform and Enterprise System SaaS platform, along with associated facilities, have earned certified status by HITRUST for information security.
The facilities include Menomonee Falls Data Center and Anthony Avenue Office Services in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin; the Mequon Data Center in Mequon, Wisconsin; and the Microsoft Azure North Central US Data Center in Chicago, Illinois.
HITRUST r2 Certification demonstrates that SKYGEN has met demanding regulatory compliance and industry-defined requirements and is appropriately managing risk.
“Achieving HITRUST r2 Certification across SKYGEN’s Enterprise System SaaS platform and, for the first time, our Dental Hub platform reinforces SKYGEN’s steadfast commitment to protecting sensitive information and maintaining the highest standards of data security,” said Darrin Haehle, SKYGEN’s Chief Technology Officer. “This certification reflects our continued investment in safeguarding our clients’ data, meeting rigorous compliance standards and ensuring our platforms remain resilient in today’s complex cybersecurity landscape.”
This achievement places SKYGEN in an elite group of organizations worldwide that have earned this certification. By including federal and state regulations, standards and frameworks and incorporating a risk-based approach, the HITRUST Assurance Program helps organizations address security and data protection challenges through a comprehensive and flexible framework of prescriptive and scalable security controls.
“HITRUST certification is globally recognized as validation that information security andprivacy controls are effective and compliant with various regulations. HITRUST certification isconsidered the gold standard because of the comprehensiveness and applicability of the control requirements, depth of the assurance process and level of oversight that ensures accuracy,” said Jeremy Huval, Chief Innovation Officer at HITRUST.
As the leading software as a service (SaaS) technology and third-party administration (TPA) services provider, recognition of SKYGEN’s Enterprise System, Dental Hub and data centers for the HITRUST CSF® Certification underscores the company’s ongoing commitment to serving customers as a trusted partner in delivering secure, compliant, and innovative benefit management solutions.
This Integrated Cloud Email Security (ICES) application is a cloud-based email security solution that supplements the native security of cloud email providers (such as Microsoft 365) using advanced detection techniques to identify malicious emails and suspicious activity.
ICES empowers organizations to identify and address email security vulnerabilities to better defend against today’s threats, such as Business Email Compromise, AI-crafted Phishes, Deepfake media, and more. For partners, this solution provides a valuable addition to their offerings, enhancing their ability to deliver comprehensive security solutions to customers.
Integrated Email Security Solution
The VIPRE Integrated Email Security Solution offers organizations a powerful, all-in-one defense system against today’s most persistent email-based threats. Combining advanced AI-powered detection, comprehensive protection of internal emails, real-time threat intelligence, automated policy enforcement, and seamless Microsoft 365 integration, this comprehensive solution helps businesses protect sensitive communications, block malicious content, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
“We are proud to deliver a fully integrated email security solution that empowers organizations to stay protected against the ever-evolving email threat landscape, without sacrificing simplicity,” said Oliver Paterson, director, product management, at VIPRE Security Group. “In a time when email remains the number one attack vector, this solution ensures our customers have the layered, adaptive protection needed to outpace evolving threats.”
The VIPRE Integrated Email Security Solution is available as a standalone service or as part of VIPRE’s broader suite of cybersecurity offerings. Its flexible deployment and integration capabilities support organizations in building a unified, layered security strategy tailored to their evolving business needs.
As sugar consumption rises and dental visits become increasingly expensive, nearly 3.5 billion people worldwide struggle with oral diseases. The dental industry faces mounting pressure to increase manufacturing efficiency, particularly in markets where centralized manufacturing is becoming the norm.
Today, Novenda Technologies announces $6.1m in funding to transform dental product manufacturing with its revolutionary multi-material 3D printing technology. This innovative solution aims to make high-quality dental care better, more aesthetically pleasing, accessible and affordable.
The $6.1m Series A funding round was led by Brightlands Venture Partners with participation from KBC Focus Fund (Belgium), Borski Fund (NL) and Limburg Business Development Fund/LIOF (NL) as well as a group of angel investors and an Innovation Credit from RVO.
Novenda Technologies was founded in 2019 by Klaas Wiertzema, Petra Doelman and Joost Anne Veerman following intensive market research and collaboration with dental professionals. The founders conducted extensive consultations with dentists, dental technicians, and other stakeholders to develop the right solution for the market.
By 2021, the company had installed its first printer at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, achieving its first multi-material print using its proprietary software and materials. This milestone marked the beginning of an intensive development process, leading to a successful proof of concept for nightguards and dentures in 2023.
The company’s full stack technology enables the manufacturing of more comfortable, natural-looking dental products that combine hard materials for protection with soft materials for comfort – all in a single piece. This represents a fundamental shift in dental product manufacturing.
While traditional methods require manual assembly and post-processing, the company’s platform combines multiple materials seamlessly in a single print run, using water-soluble supports that dissolve with a simple tap water wash. Most significantly, Novenda Technologies has developed smart print modes that achieve precise layer control without mechanical rollers – a limitation that causes ink contamination and restricted colour capabilities in competing systems.
Klaas Wiertzema, CEO and co-founder of Novenda Technologiescommented: “The combination of water-soluble support and the absence of mechanical interventions to compensate for imprecisions ensures unprecedented long-term accuracy and eliminates the need for extensive post-processing. This is particularly important in a world where dental technicians are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive.”
The platform’s impact is already evident. Its innovative colour management algorithm achieves unlimited colour possibilities using just a few base colours, while maintaining superior mechanical properties that ensure products won’t break during use.
The system can produce up to 15 nightguards and 8 dentures per hour, making it ideal for mid-size and large dental labs. While Novenda’s LD100 printer represents a one-time investment, the LD100 works exclusively with its own materials to ensure quality and biocompatibility, generating recurring revenue while maintaining strict quality standards.
The timing of Novenda’s solution coincides with a significant shift in the dental industry. The workflow for producing dental prostheses is becoming increasingly digital, with oral scanners replacing manual impressions.
However, existing manufacturing techniques haven’t kept pace with this digital transformation, often requiring substantial manual intervention. In several countries, this challenge is driving a trend toward centralized manufacturing facilities, where Novenda’s automated platform will have a huge impact.
Olga Goor, Investment Manager at Brightlands Venture Partners, added: “As lead investor, Brightlands Venture Partners is proud to support Novenda Technologies in this next phase of growth. Their multi-material jetting technology is a breakthrough in digital dentistry, enabling scalable, high-precision manufacturing with minimal waste and post-processing. This innovation not only sets a new quality standard for dental products but also enhances affordability of dental care for patients that are unable to afford alternatives currently available in the market. This will ultimately drive the transformation of the dental industry towards a more sustainable and equitable future.”
Novenda Technologies has built a team of 15 experts across physics, chemistry, material science, and software engineering. These disciplines work closely together in a spirit of collaboration and trust, rather than competition and control mechanisms.
The innovations are protected by multiple patents, with more in the pipeline. Early feedback from the industry has been exceptional, with experts noting that the surface finish and aesthetic appearance of Novenda’s night guards are “the best we have seen,” and some even suggesting that “multi-material jetting is the future in dental.”
“Having an idea for a disruptive technology is just the beginning. Realizing this vision requires the right people, the right drive, and the right team spirit,” added Klaas Wiertzema. “At Novenda, we don’t just say that people are our most important asset – we live it. We are deeply committed to fostering a culture that stimulates and supports our team, ensuring that every member is motivated and empowered to achieve the extraordinary. This drive for excellence is reflected in our approach to providing customers with the most reliable and user-friendly printers, combined with the best support they could wish for.”
Looking ahead, Novenda plans to expand its platform to other dental applications and eventually enter new markets where individualized mass manufacturing is key. The company’s immediate focus is on deploying its technology in large and mid size dental labs across Europe and the US, where its high-throughput, automated solution can help meet growing demand.
“At KBC Focus Fund, we invest in deep-tech companies that push the boundaries of innovation, and Novenda is a prime example of this. Their groundbreaking multi-material jetting technology has the potential to transform the dental industry by enabling cost-effective, high-quality production of dental products with minimal waste and post-processing. We are excited to support Novenda in this next phase of growth as they bring their pioneering solutions to market and redefine digital dentistry.” added Nuno Carvalho, Investment Director at KBC Focus Fund.
Walk into any modern dental practice and you’ll hear the familiar whirr of a high-speed drill, the muffled greetings behind N95 masks, and the steady hum of machines capturing 3D images of molars and molars-to-be. But just beyond the exam rooms, inside back offices and IT closets, a different kind of whirr grows louder—servers straining, inboxes pinging, firewalls blinking warnings.
Dentistry in 2025 is digital by default. But that digital transformation is exposing a harsh truth: technology is now as much a burden as it is a benefit for dental practices, and the gap between innovation and implementation is growing wider by the month.
Let’s step inside the practice and inside the pressure.
Cyber Threats: The Drill You Don’t Hear Coming
In early 2025, a mid-sized practice in Ohio was locked out of its patient scheduling system. A ransomware attack had breached a third-party imaging software vendor, and the infection had spread, fast. Patient records, insurance files, and imaging data were frozen. The front desk team had no access to patient schedules. Care came to a halt.
It wasn’t an isolated case. According to a recent analysis, dental practices are now prime targets for cybercriminals. Why? Their networks often house rich personal data but lack the IT budgets of hospitals or health systems. Many still don’t have multi-factor authentication enabled, and even fewer train front-desk staff to spot phishing emails.
As one IT director for a multi-location practice told us:
Too Much Tech, Too Little Integration
Back in the operatory, a dentist tries to access a patient’s x-ray scan taken minutes ago but the imaging software isn’t syncing with the EHR. Meanwhile, the billing platform is flagging mismatched codes from an earlier procedure, and the patient at the front desk wants to know why their mobile check-in didn’t register.
Sound familiar?
Dental practices are juggling dozens of platforms: scheduling tools, clinical documentation systems, claims processing apps, online review generators, imaging devices, and increasingly, AI-based diagnostic tools. But too often, these systems don’t talk to each other. Data is trapped in silos. Workflows get bogged down. Staff gets frustrated. Patients get delayed.
Despite the promise of all-in-one platforms, many practices feel like they’ve built a “tech Franken-system”—a mishmash of solutions duct-taped together.
Billing: The Back Office Black Hole
If clinical care is the front door, billing is the basement. And it’s flooding.
Dental billing in 2025 is more complex than ever. Insurance companies are leveraging AI to automate denials. Coding updates roll out frequently. And dental staff—already stretched thin—are expected to interpret vague payer rules with no room for error.
What’s worse, claims get stuck in limbo, and practices don’t always know why. As one practice manager vented:
“It’s like we’re fighting algorithms with guesswork. And the delay in payments? That hurts every week.”
To fight back, more practices are turning to AI themselves—automating claim reviews, flagging denial patterns, and even pre-screening procedures for insurance match likelihood. But adoption takes time, and not every office has the staff or budget to make that leap.
The Staffing Squeeze and the IT Domino Effect
Dental practices aren’t just short on hygienists and assistants—they’re critically short on front-desk talent. In 2025, more than half of dental practices report receptionist vacancies lasting three or more months.
The result? Missed calls. Slower intake. Frustrated patients. And a team under pressure.
The IT fallout is real. When practices can’t staff the desk, technology must fill in. Phone systems route calls to voicemail. Chatbots field basic questions. Appointment reminders become fully automated. But if those systems aren’t properly maintained or integrated, things slip through the cracks.
Chasing the Shiny Objects of Innovation
There’s no shortage of amazing tech on the horizon: AI that can detect cavities on x-rays faster than radiologists. 3D-printed crowns produced same-day. Augmented reality for dental education. But inside many practices, there’s barely enough bandwidth to maintain the basics, let alone pilot bleeding-edge innovation.
Most dentists we speak to are wary. Not of the tech itself—but of the operational strain that comes with adopting it. Implementation takes time. Training takes money. And results? They’re rarely immediate.
Patients Expect More And Notice When You Deliver Less
In the eyes of today’s patients, your tech is part of your brand. They expect mobile booking. They expect text reminders. They expect easy check-in and even easier follow-up. They expect security, speed, and transparency.
But many practices are still catching up. Outdated websites. No online booking. No mobile app. A broken review link. It doesn’t take much for a patient to look elsewhere and in today’s competitive market, they often do.
The Path Forward: Realism Over Hype
So where does this leave dental practices in 2025?
In a word: at a crossroads. The right technology—implemented well—can elevate a practice. But unchecked tech adoption without strategy will only lead to burnout, budget strain, and operational chaos.
If there’s one lesson from the practices we speak to every day, it’s this: Success isn’t about adopting more tools. It’s about choosing the right ones, integrating them smartly, and building a digital foundation that serves both patient and provider.
Because at the end of the day, dentistry is still a human profession. The tech should support it—not swallow it whole.
A single breach impacting any of the multiple cloud-based or internally connected tools, devices, and hardware and software solutions found in the typical dental practice or dental services organization (DSO) can put a stop to thousands of dollars of billings per day.
Add to that the cost of recovery and potential fines related to compliance issues if any of those devices or solutions touches patient information, and the outcome can be financially devastating.
For some, it is insurmountable.
Complicating the security environment for dental organizations is that the myriad of connected and interconnected technologies makes it impossible for a one-size-fits-all solution to adequately protect every mission-critical piece of dental equipment or software. Which is why an audit to identify and address security and cybersecurity vulnerabilities is a smart move for dental organizations of all sizes.
A uniquely vulnerable environment
Dental practices and DSOs are highly attractive targets for hackers and other nefarious cybersecurity actors. As a result, the industry experienced a 45% increase in data breaches since 2022.
There are several reasons why dental organizations are being targeted. Topping the list is the highly lucrative patient data they hold, including personal, banking, and insurance information, as well as the practice’s own financial and other information. Also at play is a perceived lack of robust security systems and limited employee training in security.
Once underway, the average hacking runs for 90 days, during which time hackers can plant malicious code, freely explore any accessible data, plan new ways to exploit stolen information, and identify inroads into connected systems outside the practice.
The threat level is high enough that the FBI in May 2024 warned the American Dental Association (ADA) and American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) about a credible, active cybersecurity threat to oral and maxillofacial surgical practices and expressed concern that general dental could eventually be targeted.
In terms of weaknesses, DSOs and dental practices face five primary cybersecurity vulnerabilities: phishing, ransomware, social engineering, fake software updates, and business email compromise (BEC). Security-wise, physical security and access control are the biggest problem areas, while other threats come in the form of financial fraud, insider threats, and identity theft.
The consequences of a successful breach are financial and reputational devastation, recovery from which can take years. If patient records are compromised, dental organizations could potentially face heavy fines ranging from $100-$50,000 for each HIPAA violation—not to mention loss of patient trust.
Marchex (NASDAQ: MCHX), which harnesses the power of AI and conversational intelligence to drive operational excellence and revenue acceleration, announced the launch of its innovative AI-powered signals, specifically designed to transform how dental practices understand and engage with their patients.
Its solutions go beyond surface-level data, offering actionable insights that help practices prioritize high-value appointments, tailor specific and targeted marketing efforts, and stay ahead of emerging patient needs.
Key Features of Marchex AI-Powered Signals:
Lead Category: Track whether patient conversations result in new or follow-up appointments, simplifying marketing-driven appointment attribution.
Lead Reason: Gain insights into why specific outcomes occur—such as routine cleanings or emergency care—to optimize campaigns and drive bookings.
Clustered Topics: Group inquiries by themes like practice hours, emergency services, or referrals to identify common patient needs and streamline operations.
Generative Topics: Detect emerging patient concerns in real-time, allowing practices to respond proactively to shifting demands.
Lead Value Indicators: Evaluate appointment potential—routine, emergency, or cosmetic—so teams can prioritize high-impact bookings and prove efficient ad spend.
Lead Value Score (coming soon): Practices will soon be able to classify appointments by value to focus on the most impactful patient interactions.
Why It Matters
Because dental practices operate in a competitive environment where understanding patient intent and acting on insights can make or break growth, Marchex’s AI solutions provide the precision and depth needed to drive better marketing ROI, improve patient engagement, and increase operational efficiency.
Marchex’s new dental-focused signals empower practices with actionable insights that go beyond traditional metrics. The solution helps dental practice teams focus on what matters most: providing exceptional patient care while growing their business.
Halo Dental Technologies, which is pushing dental practice innovation through the development of its digital mirror, announces that it has been honored with the prestigious Red Dot Award for “Design Concept 2024” for its groundbreaking product, the Halo Digital Mirror.
The only device of its kind, the Digital Mirror is set to transform dental care by enhancing patient communication, improving chairside diagnosis, and streamlining clinical workflows.
Crafted to innovate patient engagement, the Digital Mirror seamlessly integrates into dental practices, elevating patients’ comprehension of their care during procedures. The Digital Mirror empowers patients with visual aids for enhanced understanding and engagement in their care through high-quality images.
Exceptional Features and Benefits
Designed with the needs of both patients and dental professionals in mind, the Halo Digital Mirror offers a range of benefits:
Chairside Image Capture and Video Stream: The device streamlines patient education and treatment planning with effortless intraoral image capture and video streaming.
Streamlined Processes: It integrates a wide range of commonly used tools and processes into one handy device, designed for all-day use.
Enhanced Oral Cavity Visibility: Featuring integrated LED diffused light and a wide-angle camera, the mirror ensures improved, fog-free visibility for detailed examinations.
Durable Construction: Made of high-strength titanium and cassette autoclavable materials, the Halo Digital Mirror offers enduring durability without compromising on weight and feel, similar to conventional dental mirrors.
Transforming Dental Practices
The Halo Digital Mirror not only enhances patient communication and dental professional efficiency at the point of care but also improves overall customer care by reducing workflow interruptions and potentially lowering costs.
VIPRE Security Group
As sugar consumption rises and dental visits become increasingly expensive, nearly 3.5 billion people worldwide struggle with oral diseases. The dental industry faces mounting pressure to increase manufacturing efficiency, particularly in markets where centralized manufacturing is becoming the norm.
l Mirror is set to transform dental care by enhancing patient communication, improving chairside diagnosis, and streamlining clinical workflows.