Great Expressions Data Breach Settlement ($2.7 million)

If you are a U.S. resident who received a notice from Great Expressions Dental Centers regarding a data security incident, you may be eligible to claim up to $5,000 from a class action settlement.

Great Expressions Dental Centers has agreed to pay $2,700,000 to settle a class action lawsuit for alleged negligence, breach of implied contract, and declaratory judgment related to a February 2023 data breach.

Who can submit a claim?

The settlement class includes U.S. residents to whom Great Expressions Dental Centers sent notice of the data security incident.

This includes both current and former employees and patients whose information may have been accessed or acquired by unauthorized individuals.

There are two subclasses within the settlement class:

• SSN Subclass Members: Individuals whose Social Security numbers were potentially accessed or acquired during the data security incident.
• Non-SSN Subclass Members: Individuals whose Social Security numbers were not potentially accessed or acquired during the data security incident.

How much can class members get?

Class members can claim various types of awards depending on their subclass.

SSN Subclass Members:

1. Cash Payment: Up to $500. If the aggregate amount of cash payments exceeds $300,000, such payments will be decreased pro rata.
2. Reimbursement of Ordinary Out-of-Pocket Losses: Up to $500 per individual for unreimbursed costs, losses, or expenditures incurred in responding to the data security incident.
3. Ordinary Attested Time: Up to 2 hours of time spent responding to the data security incident at a rate of $20 per hour.
4. Reimbursement of Extraordinary Losses: Up to $5,000 per individual for unreimbursed costs, losses, or expenditures that are fairly traceable to the data security incident and not reimbursable as ordinary out-of-pocket losses.

Non-SSN Subclass Members:

1. Non-SSN Attested Time: Up to 2 hours of time spent remedying issues related to the data security incident at a rate of $20 per hour.

If the aggregate amount of approved claims for non-SSN attested time exceeds the remaining amount of the settlement fund, such claims will be decreased pro rata.

If the aggregate amount of approved claims for non-SSN attested time is less than the remaining amount of the settlement fund, such claims will be increased pro rata to consume the remaining amount of the settlement fund or up to $80 per claim, whichever occurs first.

Is proof required to submit a claim?

Yes, proof is required to submit a claim.

• SSN Subclass: must provide documentation supporting their unreimbursed costs, losses, and expenditures
• Non-SSN Subclass: must provide an attestation and a brief description of the actions taken in response to the data security incident and the time associated with each action

How to claim an award

To claim an award, you can submit a claim online or by mail. To file a claim online, visit the online claim form.

If you prefer to submit a claim by mail, send your completed and signed claim form and any supporting materials to:

In re Great Expressions Data Security Incident Litigation

Kroll Settlement Administration

PO Box 5324

New York, NY 10150-5324

Payment options

If your claim is approved, you will receive payment electronically unless you request to be paid by check.

Electronic payment options:

• ACH
• Zelle
• PayPal
• Venmo
• e-Mastercard

$2,700,000 Settlement Fund

The settlement fund of $2,700,000 will cover various costs associated with the settlement, including:

• Payments to settlement class members who submit valid claims.
• Costs of administration and notice, approximately $928,254.
• Attorneys’ fees and costs awarded by the court to settlement class counsel, up to $900,000 plus litigation costs and expenses of up to $25,000.
• Service awards to the representative plaintiffs, up to $2,500 each.

Important dates

• Deadline to File a Claim: November 8, 2024
• Exclusion Deadline: October 11, 2024
• Final Fairness Hearing: December 12, 2024

When is the Great Expressions Data Security Incident payout date?

The awards will be paid after the court gives final approval to the settlement and any appeals are resolved.

What happens next?

Next, the court will hold a final fairness hearing on December 12, 2024, to decide whether to approve the settlement. If the settlement is approved and no appeal is taken, the settlement fund will be fully funded, and payments will be made to class members who submitted valid claims.

Why is there a class action settlement?

The class action settlement was reached to resolve claims against Great Expressions Dental Centers related to a data security incident that occurred in February 2023. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants are legally responsible for the data security incident and asserts various legal claims, including negligence, breach of implied contract, and declaratory judgment. By agreeing to settle, both sides avoid the cost and risk of a trial, and class members who submit valid claims will receive compensation.

The affected information types involved in the breach may have included:

• Names
• Social Security numbers
• Driver’s license numbers
• Passport numbers
• Bank account and routing numbers
• Patient names
• Dates of birth
• Contact information
• Mailing addresses
• Financial account information
• Credit or debit card numbers
• Diagnosis and treatment information
• Medical and dental history
• Dental examination information
• Charting information
• Treatment plans
• X-ray images
• Dates of service
• Provider names
• GEDC office of treatment
• Billing records
• Costs of services
• Prescription information
• Health insurance information