- American Dental News
- Posts
- Weekly Digest
Weekly Digest
The ADN Weekly Digest is your concise guide to this week's most important dental developments. Week of January 13th, 2025
Chance Bodini
January 13, 2025
As we move deeper into January, dental practices across the country are finding their rhythm for 2025. Many of you are already seeing the impact of patients' renewed focus on health and wellness, while others are implementing new systems and technologies to enhance patient care. This surge of new year motivation presents an excellent opportunity to both serve your patients better and advance your practice goals.
In this week's carefully curated selection of industry updates, we're focusing on insights and developments that can help you capitalize on this period of renewed energy and commitment. From clinical innovations to practice management strategies, we've distilled the most relevant information to help you make informed decisions for your practice's continued success.
What is this digest about?
Each week, our team of dental industry experts sifts through hundreds of stories, podcasts, blog posts, and social media posts to bring you only the most relevant and impactful updates. Whether you're a practicing dentist, specialist, practice owner, or dental industry professional, we understand your time is valuable. That's why we focus on delivering clear, concise summaries that keep you informed without overwhelming your schedule.
Table of Contents
In The News
Medical Debt Will Not Appear on Credit Reports
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has issued a landmark rule that will prevent medical debt from appearing on credit reports. The final rule, announced January 7, eliminates an existing exemption that allowed debt collectors to report medical debt to credit bureaus. Under the new regulation, creditors will be prohibited from considering medical debt—including dental bills—when making lending decisions.
The American Dental Association raised concerns about the rule's impact, noting it could reduce patients' incentive to pay dental bills if they know their credit scores won't be affected. While the CFPB maintains the rule protects sensitive health information, critics argue it may hamper legitimate debt collection efforts. The rule is expected to take effect 60 days after Federal Register publication, though legal challenges from medical and credit reporting industries are anticipated.
The CFPB defines "medical debt information" as any medical information related to debts owed by consumers to healthcare providers or their assignees. This sweeping change will affect how dental practices and other healthcare providers handle billing and collections going forward.
Touro College Of Dental Medicine In New Mexico Names Exec. Assistant Dean Dr. Joseph Parkinson To Lead College
Touro College of Dental Medicine (TCDM) has appointed Dr. Joseph Parkinson as Executive Assistant Dean of their new Albuquerque campus. Dr. Parkinson, who brings over 25 years of clinical and academic experience, will oversee all operations and clinical training programs at the New Mexico facility.
$350,000 Ransomware Settlement
A recent ransomware attack on Westend Dental in Indianapolis has resulted in a $350,000 settlement, highlighting the growing cybersecurity risks facing dental practices. The breach, which compromised patient information including treatment plans and dental charts, was compounded by HIPAA violations in the practice's social media responses to patient reviews. Beyond the financial penalty, the incident serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of robust cybersecurity measures in dental practices. With over 5,500 global ransomware incidents reported in 2023, protecting patient data through encrypted backups, regular software updates, and proper staff training on HIPAA compliance has become essential for modern dental practice management.
New Products or Services
We have launched our own webpage for the best conferences in the United States. This is our first attempt at creating such a list. Please tell us how we did and if you want to add an event to the page, send us an email using the form provided on the page.
Dental Podcasts
Each week, we select up to 5 episodes from a variety of podcasts, covering a wide range of topics that you may find interesting. If you like the episodes, don’t forget to subscribe to the show in your favorite podcast app.
Continuing Education
Here’s a list of notable continuing education courses happening in January 2025.
