Aspen Dental Hit by Cyber Attack Causing Patient Scheduling Issues

US: Aspen Dental, a dental company with more than 1000 locations across the United States, has fallen victim to a cyberattack that has caused issues with scheduling patients. 

While the company is still accepting patients, scheduling has become a significant obstacle, with patients expressing frustration over the lack of communication and difficulty reaching their dentists. The attack has knocked all six of Aspen Dental’s locations in western Pennsylvania offline.

Currently Still Caring for Patients

The company stated that the cybersecurity incident temporarily affected its ability to access scheduling systems, phone systems, and other business applications, but it is still working to resolve all related issues. Aspen Dental’s media spokesperson said they are currently accepting walk-ins and cannot confirm if patient information has been compromised. Patients have expressed concerns over their personal information, with some opting to find new dentists.

Aspen Dental discovered the incident on April 25 and is still unable to provide a specific timeline for when everything will be back to normal. The company says it is continuing to care for patients, but the issue is preventing it from accepting new patients.

Importance of Cyber Security in Healthcare

Tony Sabaj, head of engineering for Check Point Software Technologies, explained that the healthcare industry is often targeted by hackers as it’s a profitable target for cybercriminals, and the pandemic has only increased the industry’s vulnerability. 

“Complete healthcare records can go anywhere from $150 to $1,000 a record depending on how complete those records are and how much data is in there,” said Sabaj.  “Compared to a credit card number or even a social security number which are going for single digit dollars on the dark web.”

Kim Dickerson, owner of Viera Social Media, urged business owners to understand the importance of social media security, stating that social media pages are like a business identification card. If the page is abandoned or handed to an employee, it could be vulnerable to cyberattacks.

Aspen Dental assured patients that its investigation is ongoing and, if any personal information is involved, the company will notify those individuals in accordance with applicable law and as soon as possible.