Which type of records must be kept confidential between the patient and dental professional?

Confidentiality in the dental profession is paramount for building trust between patients and dental professionals. Medical and dental records contain sensitive information about a patient's health, treatment history, medications, allergies, and personal identifiers. This information is protected under various laws and regulations, including the Data Protection Act and, in some jurisdictions, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). These laws require dental professionals to maintain the confidentiality of patient records to ensure that sensitive information is not disclosed without explicit consent from the patient.

The other types of records mentioned—financial records, patient preferences, and workplace policies—do not carry the same level of confidentiality as medical and dental records. While financial records may contain private information, they do not typically include health-related information and are governed by different privacy regulations. Patient preferences may be important for treatment but are generally considered less sensitive than detailed medical histories. Workplace policies usually pertain to the operational aspects of a dental practice and are not linked to individual patient confidentiality in the same way health records are.