Restricting access to locations

With the Location Access Restrictions feature of Dentrix Ascend, you can add an additional layer of security by allowing users to log in to Dentrix Ascend only from specific IP addresses, such as your office's local network. If you have multiple locations in your organization, you set up and enable this feature for each location separately. Also, you can specify, by user role, which users can bypass the restrictions.

Important:

  • To turn on location access restrictions for a location, there must be at least one external static IP address specified for the location. Once this feature is turned on, users can access Dentrix Ascend for the location only via the designated internet gateways (unless the corresponding user roles have the "Bypass Location Access Restrictions" right selected).

  • Use location access restrictions only if your Internet Service Provider (ISP) uses a static IP address. Contact your ISP to verify that a static IP address is being used. If your ISP were to change the IP address, users without the "Bypass Location Access Restrictions" right would not be able to access Dentrix Ascend until either the invalid external IP address was deleted and replaced with the correct one, or the location access restrictions feature was turned off.

  • If there are other networks (such as other office and/or home networks) from which access to Dentrix Ascend for a location should be allowed, add all applicable external static IP addresses. If your organization has multiple locations, from the Location Information page of each location, add all applicable external static IP addresses and enable location access restrictions as needed.

To restrict access to a location

  1. Make sure that the user roles for the users who should be able to access Dentrix Ascend for this location from anywhere have the "Bypass Location Access Restrictions" security right (in the Other category) selected.

  2. If you are not already viewing the correct location, select it on the Location menu.

  3. On the Settings menu, under Location, click (or tap) Location Information.

    The Location Information page opens with the Basic Info tab selected.

    Note: To turn on and configure the location access restrictions for this location, your user role for this location must have the "Manage Location Information" security right selected.

  4. Under Location Access Restrictions, add and test IP addresses as needed.

    Do the following:

    1. Next to External static IP addresses, do one of the following:

      • To add an individual IP address:

        1. Click (or tap) the Add IP address link.

          A numbered box appears. Dentrix Ascend automatically detects your current internet gateway and inserts the IP address in the box.

        2. Leave the default IP address entered, or enter the correct external static IP address of the internet gateway through which access to Dentrix Ascend should be allowed.

      • To add a range of IP addresses:

        1. Click (or tap) the Add IP range link.

          A numbered box appears. Dentrix Ascend automatically detects your current internet gateway and inserts the IP address in both boxes.

        2. For the beginning IP address of the range, leave the default IP address entered, or enter the correct external static IP address of the internet gateway through which access to Dentrix Ascend should be allowed.

        3. For the ending IP address of the range, leave the default IP address entered, or enter the correct external static IP address of the internet gateway through which access to Dentrix Ascend should be allowed.

    2. Click (or tap) Test This IP.

      Important: You should test the IP address only if you are on premises (where the internet gateway is located).

      If the IP address or range passes the test, a green check mark symbol and the current date appear.

    3. Repeat steps a-b to add and test more IP addresses as needed.

    Note: To remove an IP address, click the Remove button .

  5. Set the Location Access Restrictions switch to On. This switch is available only if at least one IP address has been tested successfully.

    A confirmation message appears.

  6. Click (or tap) Enable if all the applicable user roles have the "Bypass Location Access Restrictions" security right selected.

  7. Click (or tap) Save.