Title: Explain confidentiality and its connection to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Course: Dental Careers I (14054-I) > Section: Investigating Dental Ethics and Law

Explanation should include

- the definition of confidentiality
- the reasons that patient confidentiality is important in the practice of dentistry
- the possible consequences of not maintaining patient confidentiality
- a summary of the provisions found in HIPAA (e.g., privacy standard, patient rights, administrative requirements)
- the privacy standards mandated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to protect the privacy of patients
- Virginia Code §32.1-127.1:03.

Process/Skill Questions

- Why is confidentiality important in patient relationships?
- What could be the consequences of not maintaining patient confidentiality?
- When does patient confidentiality move from an ethical issue to a legal issue?
- When was HIPAA enacted? Why was it enacted?
- What types of health information are protected under HIPAA?
- Who is responsible for the enforcement of HIPAA?
- What are the consequences of violating HIPAA?
- What are the privacy standards mandated by the HHS to protect the privacy of patients?