On March 24, 2025, William F Rinehart DMD PA (“Rinehart Dentistry”) filed a notice of data breach with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights after discovering that an unauthorized party was able to access information that had been provided to the practice. In this notice, Rinehart Dentistry explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access patients’ sensitive information. Upon completing its investigation, Rinehart Dentistry began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.
If you received a data breach notification from Rinehart Dentistry, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. A data breach lawyer can help you learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft, as well as discuss your legal options following the Rinehart Dentistry data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.
What Caused the Rinehart Dentistry Data Breach?
The Rinehart Dentistry data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, for now, Rinehart Dentistry does not seem to have issued a press release or posted a notice on its website discussing the incident. Additionally, Rinehart Dentistry’s filing with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights provides only limited information on what led up to the breach.
Based on the available information, we know that the Rinehart Dentistry data breach stemmed from a “Hacking / IT Incident” of a network server. While it’s possible that this means that Rinehart Dentistry was the target of a cyberattack; that’s not necessarily the case because Rinehart Dentistry could be reporting a third-party data breach that occurred at one of the practice’s vendors.
Either way, after learning that sensitive patient data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Rinehart Dentistry reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which patients were impacted. Rinehart Dentistry recently completed this process; however, the notice filed with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights doesn’t mention what type of information was leaked.
That said, Rinehart Dentistry will likely start to send out personalized data breach letters to anyone who was affected by the incident. These personalized letters should provide victims with a list of what information belonging to them was compromised. In total, Rinehart Dentistry estimates that there were 25,000 people affected by the incident.
More Information About William F Rinehart DMD PA
William F. Rinehart, DMD, PA, better known as Rinehart Dentistry, is a dental practice based in Columbia, South Carolina, specializing in comprehensive general and cosmetic dentistry. The practice offers a range of services, including routine cleanings, restorative procedures, teeth whitening, crowns, bridges, and implant restorations, with a focus on personalized patient care and comfort. The organization employs approximately 25 people and generates an estimated $5 million in annual revenue.
