The Impact of Québec’s Law 25, Two Years Later

Two years after its adoption, Québec’s Law 25 has reshaped the way dental practices manage patient data, ensuring stricter compliance with modern privacy standards. As dental clinics across Québec and Canada continue to navigate these regulatory changes, many have turned to HIPAA-compliant software to meet the heightened security and transparency requirements.

Law 25, formerly known as Bill 64, was introduced to strengthen data privacy protections in Québec, with full enforcement in September 2024. Now, two years into its implementation, dental practices have had to make significant adjustments to their data handling processes, bringing them in closer alignment with international regulations such as the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

5 key changes for Québecois dental practices

#1: Strengthened data protection measures

With Law 25 mandating robust encryption, access controls, and secure storage, Québecois dental practices have increasingly adopted HIPAA-compliant software that offers built-in security features. These tools help meet both Law 25 and HIPAA’s technical safeguards, reducing risks associated with data breaches.

#2: Patient rights and consent enforcement

One of the most significant changes has been the enforcement of explicit patient consent for data collection and processing. Clinics must now provide clear, accessible privacy policies and obtain affirmative consent before gathering patient information — aligning with HIPAA’s focus on patient rights and transparency.

#3: Designated privacy officers and compliance teams

Under Law 25, every organization handling sensitive data must appoint a privacy officer. Dental clinics have had to either designate an internal staff member or hire external consultants to oversee compliance, ensuring adherence to both Law 25 and HIPAA-like regulations.

#4: Privacy impact assessments (PIAs) as a standard practice

Two years in, privacy impact assessments (PIAs) have become a norm in dental practices, particularly when implementing new software or digital tools. Many clinics now integrate HIPAA-compliant software solutions that offer built-in assessment features to streamline compliance evaluations.

#5: Increased penalties and breach reporting

Failure to comply with Law 25 can result in severe financial penalties, mirroring HIPAA’s enforcement model. Since implementation, there has been a rise in breach reports and increased scrutiny from Québec’s Commission d’accès à l’information (CAI). Dental practices must now report breaches promptly, implement mitigation strategies, and ensure patient notifications align with legal obligations.

How Canadian dental practices outside Québec are affected

While Law 25 is a Québec regulation, its influence extends beyond provincial borders. Canadian dental practices outside Québec that serve Québec-based patients or use cloud-based services with Québec data processing must also comply. This has prompted many clinics nationwide to adopt HIPAA-compliant software as a proactive measure against future privacy law reforms across Canada.

Moreover, as Québec strengthens its privacy laws, other provinces may follow suit. Dental clinics across Canada are now preparing for potential legislative shifts that could align more closely with Law 25 and HIPAA requirements.

Why HIPAA-Compliant software is the best solution

As dental practices adapt to Law 25, the adoption of HIPAA-compliant software has proven to be an effective way to ensure compliance while maintaining operational efficiency. The best solutions offer:

• End-to-end encryption to protect patient records
• Granular access controls ensuring only authorized personnel handle sensitive data
• Automated privacy risk assessments to help meet ongoing compliance requirements
• Audit logs and breach monitoring for enhanced security oversight
• Cloud storage with compliance assurance for both HIPAA and Law 25 regulations

Committed to digital security through HIPAA-compliant software

Intiveo is committed to digital security by maintaining a HIPAA- and PIPEDA-compliant software for dental and oral surgery practices. We also offer a guide to the basics of digital security for dental practices, in addition to a number of other resources and our podcast.

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