Catching up on recent dental news: September and October

New HIPAA guidelines

Most dental practices understand much how HIPAA impacts their in-office procedures. But did you know that your website and marketing can make patient information vulnerable too? From contact forms on your website to tracking pixels to email and SMS marketing, your practice may be collecting and transmitting personal health information (PHI) from patients every day. But is that data protected up to HIPAA standards? Furthermore, do you know if your website and marketing data meet these standards? If the answer is no, you may be putting your organization at risk. Find out by reading the full article here. 

The 2024 dental Reform Bill

Michigan Congresswoman Debbie Dingell recently introduced a bill designed to expand dental coverage under Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and the VA. The Comprehensive dental Care Reform Act of 2024 aims to improve access to dental care in underserved areas by increasing reimbursement rates for dental procedures under Medicaid and prioritizing dental service accessibility in community health centers, schools, nursing homes, and mobile units nationwide.

This bill has the potential to change the lives of those who struggle to access dental care. Millions of Americans do not have access to affordable health care, particularly pregnant women, veterans, those who are non-white, low-income, live with disabilities, or are located in a rural community. dentistry/research-and-news/article/55234851/how-the-2024-dental-reform-bill-could-transform-dental-practice-and-reimbursement”>Learn more about why this bill matters here.

 $6.2 million grant to develop AI-powered smart materials

The National Institute of oral and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) just awarded the ADA Forsyth Institute (AFI) a $6.2 million grant to develop next-generation smart materials for dental fillings with the help of AI. Although the dental industry has dabbled in artificial intelligence before, this project is one of the first applications of AI for oral health research with the goal of accelerating the testing and development process.

The AFI’s new grant, funded under the RM1 mechanism, will create a viable material for fillings that can replace amalgam—which is slowly being phased out in many dental offices. Since current alternative restorative filling materials are expensive to use and must be frequently replaced, scientists are designing a new material that are easy to use and universally accessible. dentistry/research-and-news/article/55172888/ada-forsyth-institute-awarded-grant-to-develop-smart-materials-for-dental-fillings-with-the-help-of-ai”>Read the full article here.

Recent report linking ADHD and poor oral care

A recent report by the CareQuest Institute for oral Health discovered that adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely to have poor oral health than those without ADHD. According to the study, more participants with ADHD rated their oral health as either fair or poor, were more embarrassed about the state of their oral health, and reported not visiting a dentist in the past year compared to neurotypical patients.

Eschewing regular dental care may be a result of discrimination in the oral health care setting; the same study also found that more patients with ADHD reported feeling discriminated against in a dental setting as well as an increased level of dental anxiety. dentistry/research-and-news/article/55235362/new-study-finds-patients-with-adhd-are-at-a-greater-risk-for-poor-oral-health”>Read more about the statistics and breakdown of this study here.

How payment card industry noncompliance affects dental practice security

The transition to PCI DSS version 4.0, mandatory by March 2025, requires  dental practices to protect themselves from data breaches, noncompliance fines, and rising credit card processing fees amidst a surge in cyberattacks. 

A 2023 study highlighted a concerning trend, which is that many organizations lack a thorough understanding of PCI DSS version 4.0 requirements. Some have not even begun implementing the necessary changes, which could lead to compliance issues, increased risk of data breaches, and potential fines as the deadline approaches.¹ This is especially alarming since the health care sector is a prime target for bad actors looking to collect sensitive patient data; in the US, attacks against the health care sector were up 128%, with 258 victims in 2023 and 113 in 2022. dentistry/research-and-news/article/55236888/payment-card-industry-noncompliance-risk-data-breaches-and-loss-in-revenue”>Learn more about how to protect your practice’s privacy here.