Dentrix Is Dropping Windows 10 Support: What Arizona Dental Practices Need to Do Now

If your dental practice runs Dentrix, there are two back-to-back deadlines you need to know about, and one of them has already passed.

The Microsoft Deadline Has Come and Gone

On October 14, 2025, Microsoft officially ended support for Windows 10. Any workstation still running Windows 10 is no longer receiving security patches, bug fixes, or technical support from Microsoft. The operating system is not getting more secure over time; it is getting less secure with each passing day.

Dentrix Is Next

Henry Schein One has announced that as of June 19, 2026, Dentrix will no longer support installations running on Windows 10. Once that date hits, your practice will not be able to install future Dentrix updates unless your workstations and server meet the current minimum requirements:

• Server: Windows Server 2016 or higher
• Workstations: Windows 11

If your hardware cannot run Windows 11, upgrading the operating system alone will not be enough. You may need new computers entirely.

This Is a HIPAA Issue, Not Just a Software Issue

Under HIPAA's Security Rule (45 CFR § 164.312), covered entities are required to implement technical safeguards that protect electronic protected health information (ePHI). Running software on an unsupported operating system puts your practice in direct conflict with that requirement.

The same logic applies to your practice management software. When a vendor like Henry Schein One drops support for an older version or configuration, continuing to run that unsupported setup means your software is no longer receiving security-related updates from the application vendor either. That gap in coverage is exactly the kind of technical vulnerability that HIPAA's Security Rule is designed to prevent. Regulators and auditors treat unsupported software as a known, addressable risk. Ignoring it is difficult to defend in the event of a breach investigation.

To stay compliant, you need both layers: an operating system that receives updates from Microsoft, and practice management software that is actively maintained and patched by its vendor.

Who This Affects Most

If you are running a multi-provider dental practice in Arizona, the scope of this upgrade is larger than a solo office. More providers typically means more workstations, more data, and more regulatory exposure. Getting ahead of the June 19, 2026 deadline requires time, including inventory, procurement, scheduling, and deployment across every machine running Dentrix.

Waiting until May to start this process is a risk you do not need to take.

What to Do Right Now

Start by auditing every computer in your practice:

1. Right-click Start and choose Windows Settings, select System and pick About. 
2. Under Windows specifications, check which edition and version of Windows your device is running.
3. Compare each machine against Dentrix's published system requirements.

Do this for your server and every workstation. What you find will tell you how large the project is.

We Can Help

PK Tech works with multi-provider dental and healthcare practices across Arizona. If you are not sure where your technology stands, or you already know it needs work, reach out to us. We will evaluate your current environment and put a clear plan in place to get your practice onto modern, supported hardware and software before the Dentrix deadline, and keep you on the right side of HIPAA in the process.

Contact PK Tech to Schedule Your Technology Assessment