Frequently Asked Questions

Literary Nobel Prize winning Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) once said, “I keep six honest serving men (they taught me all I knew); their names are What and Why and When and How and Where and Who.”

So why not start with these “honest” questions?

What is DPid?

DPid is a system providing fast, secure, and affordable access to ownership identification, manufacturing data, and support documentation for government and industry regulations for any dental prosthetic or appliance. This access is available to Dental Laboratories, Dental Practices, and Patients establishing an open line of communication and a constant source of documentation, identification, and traceability. See How It Works for additional information.

Why DPid?

This is a good question with numerous answers, which can be considered from a number of perspectives:

DPid increases Dental Laboratories’ productivity by providing immediate access to data required to repair or to remanufacture any dental prosthetic or appliance to its original specifications (no more mystery cases) by making available information about a component’s manufacturer, brand name, certifications, related identifiers such as lot numbers, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Product Codes and Regulation Numbers in addition to country of origin, contact information of dentist, unique identification number, date of manufacturing, and any subsequent changes. The DPid process provides identification, documentation, and traceability to support a number of government and industry requirements set forth by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) and the National Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL) Dental Appliance Manufacturers Audit System (DAMAS). See Dental Laboratory Benefits for additional information.

DPid places Dental Practices ahead of the curve by providing an inconspicuous and confidential (HIPAA compliant) means of identifying ownership of any dental prosthetic or appliance.  This is especially important in states mandating identification. The DPid process provides access to critical component data reducing guesswork and research time and increasing productivity. Pertinent Health Information may also be available listing a patient’s allergies or medications that may impact the patient’s well-being, either by the materials used in the manufacturing of the dental prosthetic or related to the dental procedure. See Dental Practice Benefits for additional information.

DPid provides peace of mind for Patients who are concerned about the preservation of their smile. A patient may now rest assured that his or her dental prosthetic or appliance can be restored quickly to its original specifications, economically and safely. Whether a problem occurs at home or half-way around the world, the DPid process provides a list of materials used in making their dental prosthetic.  No more guessing tooth shades, acrylic type, or type of mechanical attachment. It also provides an inconspicuous and HIPAA compliant means of identifying ownership, which is especially important in states mandating identification. Pertinent Health Information may also be included to alert the dentist, who may be unfamiliar with your patient history, of possible allergies or medications, and other information that may impact your well-being either by the materials used in the manufacturing of the dental prosthetic or related dental procedure. See Patient Benefits for additional information.

When was DPid established?

Starting in 2013, DPid was the first company to lay the foundation in creating true 'transparency' in regard to dental prosthetics; establishing a secure open-line of communication between the patient, dentist, and dental technician. Although DPid is a new company, we have aligned ourselves with knowledgeable and progressive businesses to create a fast, secure, and affordable dental prosthetic identification system. Taking that into consideration, a better question might be Where does DPid plan to go? One of DPid’s customer principles is Innovation – Who knows more about what you need than you do? Whether you are a dental laboratory, dental practice, or patient, we welcome your input. Our goal is to make changes and improvements that support your business, help meet your goals, and keep you smiling longer.  Let’s do it! See About Us for additional information.

How does DPid work?

When a patient opts to participate in the DPid system, the process typically begins with a dentist prescribing a unique DPid Code to be embedded into a patient’s dental prosthetic by a dental laboratory (a DPid Identification Card may be used in place of the embedded code). Then the dentist or dental laboratory technician enters the patient’s name and related dental prosthetic or appliance manufacturing data into the system. Once the patient’s data is entered, accessing is done by scanning the DPid Code using a smart phone or electronic tablet equipped with a 2D Code Reader App or logging on to the DPid website and entering the patient’s identification number and password. Once access is approved on the secure website, information relating to the patient’s ownership identification, device manufacturing data, and support documentation for government and industry regulations can be accessed. See How It Works for additional information.

Who is DPid?

DPid is a concept Ellen Bostock, CDT, initially developed to help make dental laboratories more productive by reducing research time related to mystery cases. The concept soon evolved into an open line of communication between the dentist, dental laboratory technician, and the patient. See About Us for additional information.

What information does a DPid Code provide?

There are two levels of information, Tier 1 and Tier 2. When authorized access is provided, Tier 1 information typically lists the patient’s name, dental practice, and dental laboratory contact information, as well as data necessary to repair or remanufacture the dental prosthetic or appliance to its original specifications. Optional Tier 2 information is provided at an additional level of security and may list the patient’s address, phone, email, and emergency contacts. The primary reason to have Tier 2 information is the notification on Tier 1 that there is Pertinent Health Information that may impact the well-being of the patient through the manufacturing materials or the procedure of inserting a dental prosthetic. It is NOT intended to contain Personal Health Records (PHR) of the patient that have no impact on the work being done by the dentist or dental laboratory technician. If a patient or a trusted representative of a patient is uncertain about what, if any, Pertinent Health Information needs to be entered in Tier 2, DPid strongly suggests they consult with their dentist. See How It Works for additional information.

What is Tier 1 information?

Tier 1 information will typically include the following: patient’s first, middle, and last name; manufacture date of dental prosthetic; manufacturing country of origin of the dental prosthetic; Dental Laboratory business name, address, phone, email, contact person, and if the dental laboratory is CDT (Certified Dental Laboratory Technician on staff), CDL (Certified Dental Laboratory), DAMAS (Dental Appliance Manufacturer’s Audit System) Certified Laboratory, or a State Registered Dental Laboratory; Dentist business name, address, phone, email, dentist name, and dentist license number; notification that Pertinent Health Information is listed on the optional Tier 2 that may impact the well-being of the patient with respect to the manufacturing materials or the procedure of inserting the dental prosthetic; and all essential data listed on the Dental Prosthetic Categories to manufacture, repair, or re-manufacture the dental prosthetic. This information is typically entered by the dental laboratory technician per the dentist’s prescription regarding the manufacturing data of the dental prosthetic or appliance. It is strongly recommended that Tier 1 information be updated every time work is performed on the patient’s dental prosthetic or appliance. Current and accurate information can save time and reduce costs. See How It Works for additional information.

What is Tier 2 information?

Tier 2 information will typically include the following: patient’s date of birth, address, phone, and email, and emergency contact information. The primary reason to have information in Tier 2 is the notification on Tier 1 that there is Pertinent Health Information that may impact the well-being of the patient through the manufacturing materials or the procedure of inserting a dental prosthetic. Only if Pertinent Health Information is entered in Tier 2 will an icon automatically appear as an alert in Tier 1. If a Pertinent Health Information icon appears in Tier 1, the dentist or dental laboratory technician, after gaining authorized access to the patient’s Tier 1 information, can click on the icon to view the patient’s Pertinent Health Information. The dentist and dental laboratory technician may ONLY view the Pertinent Health Information and do NOT have access to any other Tier 2 information. Because of the sensitive nature of Tier 2 information, it is optional and requires a higher level of security. It is recommended that the patient or a trusted representative of the patient take the responsibility to enter and update the information. See How It Works for additional information.

What is DPid Pertinent Health Information?

It is dental-related health information that may impact the well-being of the patient with respect to the manufacturing materials or the procedure of inserting a dental prosthetic. Pertinent Health Information may include concerns such as allergies to certain metals or materials used in the manufacturing of a dental prosthetic or appliance, medications that may cause excessive bleeding during a dental procedure involving insertion of a dental prosthetic or appliance, or any other health condition that a dentist or dental laboratory technician, unfamiliar with the patient, may need to know to maintain the well-being of the patient. It is NOT intended to contain Personal Health Records (PHR) of the patient that have no impact on the work being done by the dentist or dental laboratory technician. If a patient or a trusted representative of a patient is uncertain about what, if any, Pertinent Health Information needs to be entered in Tier 2, DPid strongly suggests such a patient or representative consult with the dentist.

What type of dental prosthetics can a DPid Code be embedded within?

A DPid Code and Identification Number can typically be embedded into the following dental prosthetics or appliances: complete and partial denture, orthodontic, Bruxim Splint, mouth guard, and sleep apnea device. In addition, attachments, denture gold teeth, and implants may also have a DPid Code and Identification Number embedded when used in conjunction with a complete or partial denture. In cases where a DPid Code cannot be embedded, the patient’s DPid Identification Card can be used in its place. This is an acceptable alternative because the patient’s Identification Card displays an identical DPid Code and Identification Number as the one that may have been embedded into the dental prosthetic or appliance. See How It Works for additional information.

How often can DPid information be accessed?

If you’re a patient, you have unlimited access to view (not edit) your Tier 1 information. Changes to the patient’s first, middle, or last names and dental prosthetic information can ONLY be made by the dentist or dental laboratory technician, which will typically be the case when the patient’s dental prosthetic or appliance is repaired or re-manufactured. The intent is to keep Tier 1 dental prosthetic data as current as possible so accurate information is available to the dentist or dental laboratory technician when needed. Changes and updates to a patient’s Tier 2 information can be done ONLY by the patient or a trusted representative of the patient because of its sensitive nature and higher level of security. ONLY if a Pertinent Health Information icon appears will a dentist or dental laboratory technician have viewable access to this information on Tier 2. NONE of the patient’s other Tier 2 information will be visible or accessible. See Patient Benefits for additional information.

If you’re a dental practice or dental laboratory, you have unlimited access to view and edit any DPid patient’s Tier 1 information as long as you have a monthly or yearly subscription. A few of the subscription benefits include:

See Dental Practice and Dental Laboratory Benefits for additional information.

What if the embedded DPid Code cannot be read/scanned?

A number of options are available to access the patient’s dental prosthetic data (Tier 1). The first option is to scan the patient's DPid Identification Card. If neither of the DPid Codes is readable, information can be accessed by logging onto DPid’s website and entering the patient’s Identification Number and (Patient, Dental Practice, or Dental Laboratory) password. A final option is to contact DPid directly at 804-591-1783. See How It Works for additional information.

What if my dental prosthetic is misplaced and someone else finds it?

First and foremost, your information is secure, even if your device is scanned.  A password must be used to access Tier 1. However, depending on your circumstances, you may opt to allow ownership identification to be provided without a password, particularly in cases where the patient is a nursing home resident or admitted to a hospital.

What about security?

DPid realizes that for patients, dentists, and dental laboratory technicians to benefit from an open line of communication through Information technology (IT), a series of security policies, procedures, and safeguards needed to be set in place. These include: the DPid Code and Identification Number, data storage, data access, Pertinent Health Information, credit card orders, privacy policy, HIPAA, and emergency situations. See Personal Security for detailed information or contact DPid directly at 804-591-1783.