Just Kids Dental to Blame for August 2023 Data Breach, Class Action Alleges

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A proposed class action claims pediatric dental care provider Just Kids Dental failed to protect the private information of more than 129,000 people during an August 2023 cyberattack.

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According to a September 1 notice letter, Acadia Health—which does business as Just Kids Dental—learned on August 8 that a “malicious actor” had infiltrated its computer network and compromised certain patient and employee data stored in the system. The notice relays that the targeted cyberattack had occurred days before, on August 2.

The 48-page lawsuit shares that the data breach exposed the personal information of current and former employees and patients, including at least individuals’ names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, Social Security numbers and driver's license numbers. Per the suit, the cyberattack also may have compromised health insurance policy information and treatment data, such as radiographic images; medical record numbers; account numbers and health conditions.

Reports say the company was contacted by the cybercriminal group responsible for the attack, and, after allegedly having their ransom demands fulfilled, the hackers claimed to have deleted the data without disseminating it.

Despite the defendant’s legal obligation to safeguard the information in its care, Just Kids Dental failed to implement reasonable cybersecurity practices to protect the data, which it allegedly stored in a “vulnerable” and “dangerous condition” in its computer systems, the case argues.

What’s more, the company delayed notifying victims of the breach until early September of this year, a month after the ransomware attack occurred, the complaint contends. Though the delay has exacerbated the harms suffered by impacted individuals, Just Kids Dental has “offered no explanation” for it, the filing charges.

According to the lawsuit, the defendant has “done absolutely nothing” as far as providing relief for victims and has yet to offer complimentary credit or identity monitoring services to affected individuals.

One of the plaintiffs, the mother of a patient who had visited Just Kids Dental in the past, received notice in mid-September informing her that their personal information had been compromised in the breach, the suit says. Like other victims, the mother and child now face an increased risk of identity theft, fraud and other illegal schemes as a result of the defendant’s negligence, the case claims.

The lawsuit looks to represent anyone whose private information was compromised as a result of the data breach discovered by Just Kids Dental in August 2023, including those to whom it provided notice in September 2023.

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