Apteryx Imaging
By Planet DDS
Pre-Implementation Planning: Assigned Implementation Coordinator works with your IT and clinical contacts to establish a timeline, clarify roles, and confirm system requirements for a smooth project kickoff.
Software & Device Installation: Technicians install Apteryx Imaging software on each imaging workstation and set up device extensions; this typically takes about 60 minutes per workstation.
Initial Data & Image Conversion: The bulk of conversion (about 95%) occurs behind the scenes: all existing imaging data (X-rays, scans, photos, templates) from your legacy software are converted to Apteryx’s database. The practice receives an audit form to review converted data and request any fixes before proceeding.
Training: Interactive training sessions are delivered to dentists, hygienists, assistants, and other image-capturing staff. Training covers image capture, enhancements, workflows, and device operation, ensuring user confidence before go-live.
Final Differential Conversion: After the initial review, a quick “catch-up” conversion transfers any new images added since the first conversion, ensuring the database is fully up to date. These are generally ready within 2–3 days.
Apteryx Imaging is designed with high adaptability, making it suitable for dental practices of any size, specialty, or technical ecosystem. Below are key data points illustrating the platform’s customization capabilities:
Device-Agnostic Integration: Works with 100+ imaging sensors and devices from virtually any manufacturer. Practices can select and mix their preferred devices or migrate existing equipment without compatibility concerns.
Practice Management Integration: Seamlessly connects with a wide range of practice management software (PMS), enabling workflow continuity and simplified data exchange between clinical imaging and front/back-office systems.
Open Architecture: Adopts industry-standard DICOM file formats, ensuring interoperability and flexibility for growth, acquisitions, and migration between systems.
Custom Clinical Filters and Templates: Users can create or modify filters for specific diagnostic tasks, build custom bitewing and measurement templates, and tailor image enhancement tools to support their diagnostic style.
Layout Customization: Supports personalized clinical layouts (e.g., custom mounts for different types or numbers of X-rays), enabling practices to standardize imaging views and documentation per their workflow.
Annotation and Measurement Tools: Arrows, ellipses, text labels, and spot magnifiers can be tailored for marking or highlighting images, including custom settings for size, color, and overlay.
Filter and Enhancement Settings: Real-time and batch filters (such as invert, colorize, contrast/brightness) offer fine-tuning of image appearance to match each provider’s preference or specialty needs.
Custom Toolbars and Interface: Individual users can configure toolbars and menus, prioritizing the features they use most, which enhances efficiency and mirrors existing habits.
Multi-Location and Multi-User Settings: Supports custom access levels and organization-wide or user-specific settings. Practices can tailor user permissions, workflow sequences, and access by role or site, streamlining operations across single or multiple offices.
Offline Mode: Practices can customize backup and synchronization settings for capturing/retrieving images without internet service disruptions, supporting unique operational requirements.
3D Imaging and Advanced Tools: Features customizable modules for 3D imaging (CBCT, STL file management), measurement tools, nerve canal tracing, implant planning, and volume rendering, all with configurable settings.
Custom Data Export and Sharing: Practices can export images and patient data in their choice of formats, share securely with external providers, specialists, or insurers, and create customized sharing workflows based on compliance or referral requirements.
Cloud Access and Storage: Assign permissions for cloud access, set storage management protocols, and scale storage or performance per changing business needs with no limit on growth.
Custom API Integrations: Enables bridging and workflow automation with other clinical or administrative applications through customizable API functions and connector tools.
Automated Image Quality and Workflow Scripts: Practices can script repetitive processes (e.g., auto-rotation of images, mounting patterns), automate image quality checks, and standardize documentation tasks based on their protocols.
Tailored Onboarding: Implementation and training support can be adapted to a practice’s specific equipment mix, workflow needs, and user knowledge level, allowing phased rollouts or specialty-focused onboarding sessions.
Personalized Implementation Coordination: Each new practice is guided by an Apteryx Implementation Coordinator, who oversees setup, data migration, and ensures seamless transition with minimal disruption. The implementation team establishes a clear timeline, sets roles, and manages all technical aspects in the background.
Interactive Web-Based Training: New users participate in interactive, web-based training sessions. Dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, and other imaging staff are encouraged to attend. Sessions cover image capture, enhancements, workflow best practices, device operation, and achieving optimal image quality. Super-user training is also available for internal administrators.
Role-Specific Resources: Users receive tailored instructions for their specific workflow, covering day-to-day tasks, advanced features, and troubleshooting. Training materials and detailed videos are available to explain each aspect of the software screen-by-screen.
Unlimited Lifetime Support: Apteryx Imaging subscriptions include unlimited technical support for the lifetime of your service, with no caps on ticket numbers or support time. Support is available for both software and hardware challenges, updates, troubleshooting, and workflow optimization.
Comprehensive Help Portal: The online help center offers nearly 1,000 reference articles, detailed guides, FAQ answers, troubleshooting tools, and a glossary of dental terms. Users can browse, search, and request help directly via this portal.
User Guides and Video Library: The software features easy access to user manuals and a library of training videos, accessible directly within the XVWeb application through the “About & Help” section or the kiwi bird icon in the header menu.
Release Notes and Feature Updates: New features and updates are documented and distributed via the help portal, ensuring users are always working with the latest version and understand recent enhancements.
Apteryx Imaging implements a comprehensive set of security protocols to protect patient data and ensure regulatory compliance. Below are the key measures and practices in place:
Microsoft Azure Backbone: All data is hosted in Microsoft Azure’s secure data centers, benefiting from advanced physical and digital protections, robust infrastructure, and round-the-clock monitoring by a team of over 3,500 cybersecurity experts.
Offsite Backups and Disaster Recovery: Image data is automatically and securely backed up in the cloud, safeguarding against natural disasters, hardware failures, theft, and local server issues.
Data Encryption: All patient data is encrypted during transmission (using HTTPS connections) and at rest within cloud storage, ensuring that sensitive information is protected from unauthorized access or interception.
Access Control: User access is tightly managed through authenticated logins with password protection or Microsoft Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS). Only authorized users can access patient records.
Audit Trails: The platform maintains detailed logs that track all user logins, image access, and changes, enabling practices to monitor and review activity for compliance and security auditing.
HIPAA Compliance: Apteryx Imaging is designed to comply with HIPAA and HITECH standards, encompassing administrative, physical, and technical safeguards needed for protecting electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI).
Administrative Safeguards: Includes standardized policies, ongoing staff training, and contingency plans for emergencies.
Physical Safeguards: Protection against physical damage or unauthorized hardware access through the secure Azure environment.
Technical Safeguards: Includes system access controls, encryption, secure data sharing, and regular risk assessments.
HIPAA-Compliant Sharing Portal: Images and records can be securely shared with outside providers, specialists, and insurers through a dedicated portal, ensuring all data transfers remain compliant and encrypted.
Role-Based User Permissions: Customizable permission levels allow organizations to restrict system access based on user roles, ensuring only necessary personnel can view or modify sensitive information.
Automatic Software Updates: Security patches and new features are routinely updated to block viruses, malware, and ransomware, keeping security defenses current with the latest threats.
Regular Updates: Apteryx Imaging releases updates consistently, ensuring that practices benefit from the latest features, device integrations, security improvements, and regulatory compliance. Updates are typically rolled out whenever new enhancements, device or sensor compatibility, or critical fixes are ready for deployment.
Automatic Software Updates: For cloud users (such as with XVWeb), updates are deployed automatically in the background, meaning practices always have access to the most recent, secure version without manual intervention or downtime.
No-Additional-Cost Releases: All future software updates are included in the subscription, so clients benefit from continual improvements without separate upgrade charges.
Seamless Cloud Deployment: Updates, patches, and enhancements are applied centrally through the cloud, requiring no action by the practice’s IT team. This eliminates the need for manual downloads or installations at each workstation.
Legacy/On-Premise Installations: For legacy installations or on-premise solutions, updates can be manually downloaded from the designated Apteryx updates page. These installations may require administrator rights for applying updates or upgrades to imaging software modules, device drivers, and add-ons.
Component and Device Extensions: Updates don’t just apply to core software, but also components, imaging device interfaces, and add-ons, making sure that all connected devices remain compatible and fully supported.
Automated Support and Troubleshooting: If update-related issues arise, Apteryx's unlimited lifetime support is available to help configure, troubleshoot, and streamline the update process, ensuring optimal performance and minimizing workflow disruption.
Full Practice Control: Dental practices retain complete ownership of all patient imaging data and clinical information uploaded into Apteryx Imaging. The platform acts solely as a secure custodian, ensuring your practice always has exclusive rights to access, manage, and control your data.
No Vendor Lock-In: Apteryx’s open-architecture philosophy means practices are never “locked in” to proprietary hardware or systems. You are free to choose and change devices, software, and workflows without risk to your data ownership or accessibility.
HIPAA Compliance: Apteryx is fully HIPAA-compliant, protecting all stored data according to strict federal privacy and security regulations. Your practice information, including patient records and images, cannot be accessed, used, or shared by the vendor except as required for technical support or by law.
Open File Formats (DICOM): All images are stored in the universal DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) format. This facilitates easy export and ensures compatibility with other imaging systems and practice management software. If your practice transitions to a new platform, your complete imaging records can be exported and imported without complex or costly conversion.
Simple Export Processes: Practices can export single images, groups of images, or entire patient histories directly from Apteryx Imaging using built-in export tools. File formats such as JPEG and DICOM are available, and exports can include patient identifiers and details as required for migration or sharing.
Secure Data Sharing: Apteryx provides HIPAA-compliant tools for securely sharing images and records with outside providers, specialists, or for referrals. Temporary user permissions and encrypted sharing portals ensure data remains protected during transfers.
Cloud to Local Export: For cloud-deployed practices, images and data can be downloaded and backed up locally at any time. Data remains accessible and transferable for as long as your account is active—practices are responsible for exporting their data before account closure.
Apteryx Imaging is designed for flexibility and scalability, enabling dental practices to adapt the imaging platform easily as their organizational needs change, whether scaling up with growth or adjusting down during contraction.
Cloud-Based, Unlimited Scaling: Apteryx’s cloud architecture removes traditional limits seen with on-premise servers. Practices can store unlimited 2D and 3D images, adding users, locations, or high-resolution imaging devices without facing storage or performance bottlenecks.
Device and Practice Management Agnostic: The solution is compatible with over 100 devices and integrates with virtually any practice management system. Adding new devices, offices, or specialized equipment is seamless and does not require hardware replacement or proprietary lock-in.
Centralized Multi-Location Support: For multi-site groups or Dental Service Organizations (DSOs), Apteryx Imaging centralizes image storage. All offices, regardless of size, can securely access images from anywhere, making it significantly easier to manage clinical data across multiple locations.
Flexible User and Site Licensing: You can add or remove users, sites, or devices as needed. Subscription terms adjust based on actual usage—there are no artificial minimums or penalties for scaling activity up or down within your agreement.
No Manual Upgrades or IT Overhead: As your organization grows, there’s no need to invest in new servers or complex infrastructure. All updates, support, and disaster recovery are included in your subscription. For expanding practices, Apteryx eliminates the significant IT spend and maintenance typically associated with local storage.
Open Architecture and DICOM Format: Practices can acquire, integrate, or divest locations and devices with confidence that data remains interoperable and easily exportable in standard DICOM format.
Effortlessly deactivate or remove users, sites, or devices as needs change.
Reduce subscription costs in line with reduced usage, with no penalties or forced minimums.
Initial Term:
The standard contract starts with a one-year initial term, commencing on the effective date specified in your order or at installation/service activation.
Automatic Renewal:
After the initial term, the subscription automatically renews on a month-to-month basis unless either party provides written notice of non-renewal at least 30 days before the current term expires.
Multi-Site & Additional Services:
If new services or additional office locations are added mid-term, those additions are conterminous—meaning all services renew together with a single renewal date.
Pricing Adjustments:
Upon renewal, Planet DDS (the service provider) may make reasonable changes to the subscription pricing. Any changes are communicated in writing before the new renewal term and apply to all covered locations and services.
Billing & Payment Terms:
Fees are billed monthly, payable within 30 days of invoice. Payment is typically made by credit card or automated clearing house transfer in US dollars.
Cancellation Process:
Either party can cancel by providing a minimum of 30 days’ written notice before the next renewal date. The subscription will not auto-renew for another term once such notice is provided.
No Early Termination Penalty (After Initial Term):
After the first year, there is no financial penalty for cancelling at the end of any month following proper notice. If you cancel mid-term within the initial year, however, you are typically responsible for paying any remaining contract value or specified fees.
Termination for Cause:
Either party may terminate with immediate effect for material breach, including non-payment or violation of contractual obligations, if not remedied within 30 days of written notice.
Provider Service Commitment:
If Apteryx consistently fails to meet the agreed service uptime (less than 98% availability for three consecutive months or five months in a year), you may terminate without penalty, although outstanding fees remain due.
Outstanding Fees:
Upon cancellation, any unpaid fees or charges for services received must be settled in full.
Data Export Rights: Practices have the right to export all patient images and data before account closure, using built-in export tools like DICOM or JPEG.
There may be a processing fee (e.g., $995 per export/download) for comprehensive data extraction services.
Exports are available for individual, batch, or full-patient data sets.
Apteryx Imaging software is engineered to meet and exceed the strictest compliance standards relevant to dental and medical imaging, ensuring secure and lawful handling of patient data. Key frameworks and certifications it meets include:
HIPAA Security & Privacy Rules: Apteryx Cloud Imaging is fully compliant with all standards under the HIPAA Security and Privacy Rules, including the requirements for Business Associates. This means it maintains robust administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI).
HITECH Act: All necessary HITECH requirements are addressed, supporting breach notification, data protection, and enhanced privacy rights for patients.
SOC 2 Type 2: Planet DDS, including Apteryx Imaging, has achieved the SOC 2 Type 2 attestation. This independent certification verifies that robust and continuously effective controls are in place for data security, availability, confidentiality, processing integrity, and privacy.
DICOM Imaging Compliance: Apteryx saves all patient images as DICOM files (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine), an international standard for storing and transmitting medical images. This ensures open interoperability and protects against vendor lock-in, while facilitating compliant data exchange and export.
FDA-Cleared Imaging Modules: Apteryx XVWeb modules and workflows are verified and validated per FDA recommendations for medical device software, supporting clinical safety and effectiveness.
Cloud Security: Hosted on Microsoft Azure, Apteryx benefits from enterprise-class physical and data security enforced by more than 3,500 cybersecurity professionals, with offsite backup and disaster recovery to exceed regulatory and industry standards.
Encryption: Encryption is applied both in transit (HTTPS/SSL) and at rest within the cloud to meet HIPAA and modern cybersecurity requirements.
