Dental Specialists of Minnesota, operating under the name The Dental Specialists, has reported a serious data breach affecting the protected health information (PHI) of 38,442 patients. Suspicious activity was first detected in certain employee email accounts on January 23, 2024, prompting an immediate investigation. The affected email accounts were accessed by an unauthorized third party between January 11 and January 23, 2024.
The investigation, which concluded on June 10, 2024, confirmed that the compromised accounts contained sensitive patient data. This includes names, demographic information, medical records, health insurance details, and dates of birth. Additionally, some patients’ Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, and financial account information were also exposed during the breach.
Despite implementing security measures such as multifactor authentication, these safeguards were circumvented by the attackers. The Dental Specialists has since engaged third-party cybersecurity experts to assess and address the breach. They are also reviewing and strengthening their security protocols to prevent future incidents.
The organization has notified all affected patients and is offering support to help mitigate the impact of the breach. The Dental Specialists is committed to enhancing their data protection practices to safeguard against future cyber threats and ensure the confidentiality of patient information.
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