Protected Health Information (PHI) in Dentistry

In dentistry, PHI stands for Protected Health Information. Under HIPAA, it refers to any identifiable patient data—including name, address, X-rays, treatment plans, and billing records—that dental practices must keep secure, whether in electronic, paper, or oral form.

Dental PHI:

• Patient Identifiers: Names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, and National Insurance numbers.
• Clinical Records: X-rays, intraoral photos, charts, and treatment plans.
• Administrative Data: Appointment dates, scheduling notes, and insurance information.
• Financial Records:
  Payment history and billing statements.

HIPAA and Dandy:

• All of the software that we use is HIPAA-compliant
  • We also establish a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) to enhance HIPAA compliance.
• Keeping personal information to a minimum
  • We do use patient-specific information for billing purposes; however, we avoid it where possible.

PHI on Lab Boxes

• Recently, Dandy has become aware that patient names are laser-etched on lab boxes.
  • This makes them identifiable and trackable, but creates a challenge if practices dispose of them or use them for alternative purposes.
  • Presently, the names will remain on the boxes to aid in identification whilst we look for a remedy to this challenge.
• Removal Recommendations:
  • Abrasive Polishing Device
    • Heatless Stone
    • Rubber Wheel
    • Green Stone
    • Dental Bur
    • Rough Pumice and Rag Wheel