You’re three hours into a long drive to visit family for the holidays. Your son asks, “Can I play Roblox on your laptop?” Your work laptop. The one with access to Eaglesoft, your patient records, and insurance billing portals. You’re tired, the drive isn’t over, and honestly, a quiet back seat sounds pretty good.
But one careless click and you’re not just dealing with a grumpy child—you could be looking at a HIPAA violation, data breach, or worse.
Holiday travel introduces cybersecurity risks that are easy to overlook when you’re juggling family, fatigue, and the demands of running a dental practice. Whether you’re a dentist sneaking in chart reviews from the hotel lobby or an office manager "just checking" a claim status while boarding a flight, this guide is for you.
Here’s how Salt Lake City dental professionals can travel securely during the holidays—without putting their practice or patient data at risk.
Before You Leave: A 15-Minute IT Security Prep
Take 15 minutes before your trip to prep your devices and set expectations:
Device security checklist:
- Run all pending updates on your laptop and mobile devices
- Back up your practice management system data to the cloud
- Turn on screen auto-lock (set to 2 minutes max)
- Enable device tracking like "Find My Device"
- Charge your power banks and pack all necessary chargers
Family device rules:
- Make it clear which devices are off-limits (like your work laptop)
- If you must share a device, set up a separate user account
- Pack a family iPad or tablet preloaded with games, movies, and parental controls
Pro tip: A $150 tablet for your kids is far less expensive than recovering from a ransomware attack on your Dentrix server.
Hotel WiFi: The Danger Zone
It’s tempting to jump on hotel WiFi the moment you arrive. Your kids want to stream, your spouse wants to check emails, and you’re reviewing your hygiene schedule for the week.
But here’s the problem: Hotel WiFi is shared by dozens—sometimes hundreds—of guests. And it’s a hotspot (literally) for hackers.
What to do instead:
- Confirm the WiFi name with the front desk. Fake networks are common.
- Use a VPN if you need to log into your cloud-based dental software or email.
- Use your phone’s hotspot for anything involving patient records, QuickBooks, or billing portals.
- Keep work separate from family streaming – Let the kids enjoy WiFi. You stick with the secure connection.
This is critical for practices running Open Dental, Eaglesoft, or cloud-based imaging tools. Even one unsecured connection could compromise your entire system.
When Your Kid Asks, "Can I Use Your Laptop?"
Your laptop is more than a computer. It holds access to patient health data, your imaging software, your payroll, and even your email linked to insurance portals.
Letting your kid use it unsupervised is a massive risk.
Better solutions:
- Bring a travel-friendly device that doesn’t access your practice systems
- Set up a restricted user account with no admin privileges
- Monitor their use carefully and delete history afterward
Or just say: "No, this is a work-only device. Here’s the tablet instead."
Hotel Smart TVs: A Security Nightmare
Many hotel TVs now offer login access for your streaming accounts—like Netflix, Disney+, or Hulu. Convenient? Yes. Secure? Not at all.
Here’s what happens: You log in, forget to log out, and the next guest has access to your accounts. If you reuse passwords (don’t), that puts other accounts at risk too.
What to do:
- Stream from your phone or tablet, not the hotel TV
- Download shows before your trip to avoid needing a login
- If you do log in, set a reminder to log out before checkout
And never, ever log into anything with patient info or financial data from a hotel TV.
If a Device Goes Missing
It happens. A tablet gets left in the airport security bin. Your work laptop disappears from the hotel lobby.
What to do in the first hour:
- Use "Find My Device" or tracking tools immediately
- Lock or wipe the device remotely
- Change all key passwords (email, imaging software, practice management systems)
- Notify your IT provider or MSP (hello, Qual IT)
If the missing device held patient data, you may also need to:
- Notify affected patients
- File a report with HHS if it qualifies as a HIPAA breach
Prevention is everything:
- Always travel with encryption enabled
- Require strong passwords and enable multi-factor authentication
- Never save passwords in plain text
Bluetooth in Rental Cars: The Hidden Risk
You connect your phone to the rental car’s Bluetooth to play music or get directions. The car stores your contacts, call logs, and sometimes even texts.
Before returning the car:
- Delete your device from the car’s system
- Clear recent destinations
Or skip Bluetooth altogether and use an aux cable instead.
Working While Vacationing: The Boundary Blur
You told your team you’d be "offline." But you’ve checked email six times, updated your schedule, and responded to three lab cases.
Aside from frustrating your family, you’re more likely to make mistakes when you're switching between relaxation and work mode.
Set these boundaries:
- Limit email checks to once or twice a day
- Use secure connections only (your hotspot, not hotel WiFi)
- Work in private spaces where screens can’t be seen
- Block off specific times for work and commit to being present with your family outside of those times
Taking a true break from the practice helps you return sharper—and it protects your data, too.
Final Thoughts: Keep Your Holiday Stress-Free (And Breach-Free)
Whether you’re a dentist, office manager, or practice owner, your systems are holding more than just patient X-rays—they’re holding your reputation, your compliance status, and your peace of mind.
Traveling during the holidays doesn’t have to mean sacrificing IT security.
A few simple steps can save you the heartache of dealing with:
- Compromised PHI
- HIPAA violations
- Hours of IT recovery work
- Explaining to your patients why their data was exposed
Want help setting up travel security protocols for your Salt Lake City dental team (and yourself)?
Click here to book your free network assessment with Qual IT.
We specialize in managed IT services, cybersecurity, and cloud-based system support for dental practices across Salt Lake City. Whether you’re planning a weekend away or managing remote access for your team year-round, we’ll help you stay protected.
Because the best holiday memory should never be, "Remember when our practice data got hacked while we were out of town?"
