ADA TR 1021-2023: Dental Practice Data Integrity

Data integrity serves as the critical foundation for success in dentistry, and unfortunately, data breaches are a very real threat to healthcare providers such as dentists. 725 healthcare data breaches were reported in 2023, and across those breaches, more than 133 million records were exposed or impermissibly disclosed. Therefore, ensuring that proper IT solutions and cybersecurity procedures is essential for protecting patient privacy. ADA TR 1021-2023: Recommendations For Data Integrity, Redundancy, Storage And Accessibility covers electronic data in dental facilities. 

The Significance of Data Security in Dental Practices

Besides protecting patient privacy and thus patient safety and care delivery, data security also protects the privacy of staff and the dental practice. It includes adhering to industry standards and upholding the trust that patients instill in their healthcare providers. Simply put, data security pertains to thwarting unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction of information. In dental office settings, dental records can range from sensitive patient records (e.g., sensitive personal details and medical histories), financial data (e.g., accounting records), and corporate data (e.g., employee records and sales reports).

If a dental practice does not take proper precautions, it could be vulnerable to security threats and data breaches. Therefore, adhering to ADA TR 1021-2023 helps dental facilities harness accurate and reliable data to assure best practices.

What Is ADA TR 1021?

ADA TR 1021-2023 reviews options presently available for data backup to prevent data loss and corruption, maintain data integrity, and restore and maintain access to data. The standard also discusses appropriate contingency plans in emergency situations for recovery and authentication of the data as well as accessing the information.

A dental practice’s data protection plan needs to address every possible situation to protect the data that has been collected and recorded. Therefore, ADA TR 1021-2023 specifies that this plan needs to have separate steps and protocols to address all potential causes of data loss or corruption. The recommendations provided in this standard are designed to be technology-neutral and to be scalable to address the needs of both large and small dental facilities.

This report does not address security issues as related to privacy/confidentially of health information.

Strategies for Safeguarding Patient Data Security

Here are some strategies that dental facilities can employ to assure the security of their patients’ data:

1. Implement Strong Access Controls: Limit access to patient data to only those who require it for their roles. Implement strong passwords and regularly update them.
2. Regular Data Backups: Regularly back up onsite and offsite data to protect against data loss from threats like ransomware. Additionally, make sure your back-up is not connected to your live data source, so any malicious activity does not reach it.
3. Employee Training: Consistently training employees on the significance of data security and how to identify potential threats (e.g., be warry of suspicious emails).
4. Use of Secure Networks: Always use secure, encrypted networks for data transmission. Where possible, consider using multi-factor authentication, which requires at least two separate forms of identification before access is granted.
5. Regular System Updates: Regularly update all systems and software to protect against vulnerabilities.
6. Secure Wifi Connection: Using public Wi-Fi, or an insecure connection, could put personal data at risk. If you are using a public network, consider using a secure Virtual Private Network (VPN). Additionally, always ensure that you use a secure connection when connecting to the internet.
7. Employ Data Encryption: Data, whether at rest or in transit, should be encrypted. By employing encryption protocols, healthcare providers can ensure the integrity and confidentiality of patient data.
8. Get Rid of Unnecessary Data: Getting rid of data you no longer need will free up storage space, causing less personal information to be at risk.

Formulating a Data Integrity and Redundancy Plan

ADA TR 1021-2023 specifies that the steps that should be included when formulating and implementing an electronic data integrity and redundancy plan should include the following:

1. Needs assessment (risks analysis)
2. Hardware and software requirements
3. Consumable supplies required
4. Storage plans for archived data
5. Cost analysis
6. Formulating disaster recovery plan
7. Formulation of written documentation of procedures for electronic data integrity and redundancy (backup and restore plan)
8. Training

ADA TR 1021-2023: Recommendations For Data Integrity, Redundancy, Storage And Accessibility is available on the ANSI Webstore.