Q: How long does the initial sync take?
A: The initial full data pull typically takes 1 – 3 hours, depending on the volume of historical data in the practice's Dentrix Ascend account. During this time, the practice can log into PbN, but some reports may show incomplete data.
Q: How current is the data in PbN?
A: Once the initial sync is complete, data is refreshed every 2–60 minutes (depending on the configured sync interval — 15 minutes is standard). Most data changes made in Dentrix Ascend appear in PbN within one sync cycle.
Q: Does the practice need to do anything to keep the data in sync?
A: No. The sync runs automatically in the background. The only user action available (but not required) is clicking "Force Sync Now" on the PMS Sync Settings page to get an immediate refresh outside the normal schedule.
Q: What happens if the sync fails?
A: Failed syncs are automatically retried. The Cloud PMS Admin team can see all failures in the Sync History page and can manually trigger a resync if needed. The practice is typically unaware of individual sync failures unless data is visibly stale.
Q: Can a practice have multiple Dentrix Ascend locations connected?
A: Yes, but each physical location is set up as a separate PbN practice account, each with its own connection to the corresponding Dentrix Ascend location.
Q: Is patient data secure?
A: Yes. Dentrix Ascend credentials (Client ID and Secret) are stored encrypted and are only used to authenticate API calls. Data in transit uses encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS). Data at rest is stored in an encrypted AWS infrastructure.
Q: What happens when a patient or appointment is deleted in Dentrix Ascend?
A: PbN's real-time delete tracking system captures the deletion immediately. The record is removed from PbN's data during the nightly processing window, so it will no longer appear in reports by the following morning.
Q: Can the practice disconnect from Dentrix Ascend?
A: Yes. The Cloud PMS Admin team can disable or remove the integration. This stops future syncs but does not automatically delete historical data already in PbN.
Q: Does PbN write anything to Dentrix Ascend without the practice's knowledge?
A: No. Write-back behavior is fully configurable on the PMS Sync Settings page. Each type of write-back (SMS logs, call logs, confirmations, etc.) can be enabled or disabled by the practice. Nothing is written back unless the practice has explicitly enabled that type.