Absolute Dental Services (“ADS”), a dental laboratory based in Durham, North Carolina, recently experienced a data security incident that potentially affected the personal or protected health information of individuals who received dental services from various dental practices supported by ADS. The company has taken immediate action to address the incident and has reached out to potentially impacted individuals to provide support and resources.
The incident came to light on February 21, 2023, when ADS detected suspicious activity in one of their email accounts. In response, ADS swiftly secured the account and initiated an investigation into the matter. To determine the extent of the incident and whether any unauthorized access or acquisition of information occurred, ADS enlisted the help of independent digital forensics and incident response experts. It was confirmed on March 8, 2023, that the email account in question had indeed been accessed without authorization. Subsequently, ADS engaged a vendor to conduct a thorough review of the account’s contents.
During the investigation, it was discovered in June 2023 that certain personal or protected health information of individuals may have been included in the compromised email account. The specific information varied for each patient and could potentially include details such as date of birth, date of medical service, full-face photos, physician or medical facility information, medical condition or treatment information, medical device identifiers, medical diagnosis information, DNA profiles, medical record numbers, or referrals. Immediately upon discovering this, ADS promptly notified relevant dental providers who worked closely with the company to obtain up-to-date address information of potentially affected individuals. On August 21, 2023, ADS sent out notifications to these individuals, providing them with information about the incident and outlining steps they can take to protect their information.
As part of their commitment to resolving the issue and supporting those affected, ADS has set up a toll-free call center to address any questions or concerns. The call center is operational Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time and can be reached at 1-800-939-4170.
ADS understands the importance of privacy and the protection of personal and health information. The company deeply regrets any inconvenience or concern caused by this incident and remains dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of data security.
Reference:
Absolute Dental Services. (2023, August 22). Absolute Dental Services Announces Data Security Incident. Retrieved from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/absolute-dental-services-announces-data-security-incident-301676798.html