As a dental affected person, you may have the proper to count on that your private data will likely be saved confidential. This implies it doesn’t fall into the incorrect fingers and isn’t used for any functions apart from people who have your consent. In truth, affected person privateness is so necessary that it’s protected by regulation, particularly by the Well being Insurance coverage Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

What’s HIPAA and what does it require of dentists?

HIPAA is a federal regulation that units nationwide requirements for the safety of well being data. Protected well being data, also known as PHI, is any data in your well being report that can be utilized to determine you, together with earlier or present diagnoses, together with private data like your identify, tackle or social safety quantity.

HIPAA regulation applies to all healthcare suppliers, together with dentists. Because the American Dental Affiliation explains, HIPAA requires dentists to take steps to guard the privateness of their sufferers’ well being data. These steps embody:

• Getting your written consent earlier than utilizing or sharing your well being data for any function apart from therapy, fee or healthcare operations.
• Offering you with a replica of your privateness coverage.
• Providing you with entry to your well being data upon request and in a well timed method.
• Maintaining your well being data confidential and safe. This consists of not posting your private well being data on public boards, even when we’re responding to a assessment you may have left about your expertise.

What are you able to do to guard your affected person privateness?

There are a number of issues you are able to do to guard your privateness as a dental affected person. These embody:

• Studying your dentist’s privateness coverage.
• Asking your dentist questions on how your well being data will likely be used.
• Understanding who’s allowed to obtain your well being data.
• Signing solely these consent varieties that you simply totally perceive and agree with.
• Verifying the supply earlier than sharing any private well being data.
• Refraining from posting non-public well being data on on-line message boards or social media. 

As dental suppliers, prioritizing affected person privateness helps keep a relationship with you that’s constructed on belief. When you have any questions on how your non-public well being data is getting used and guarded, don’t hesitate to contact our workforce!