Absolute Dental data-breach settlement payments are being sent on October 28, 2026, according to the settlement administrator's current status notice. Electronic payments and paper checks may take a few days to arrive.
Claims processing is complete, and the administrator says it is accepting no late claims. The June 18 filing deadline has passed. Today's dispatch does not give someone who missed that deadline another chance to apply.
Who the settlement covers
The final approval order defines the class as living people residing in the United States whose personal information was potentially affected by the incident, including people sent a notice. Being within that group and having an approved payment claim are separate requirements.
The incident involved unauthorized access to Absolute Dental's systems between February 19 and March 5, 2025. Patients' and employees' information was potentially affected. Absolute Dental denies wrongdoing; the agreement resolves the claims against it without deciding that it was liable.
Tracy Bagdonas's April report for ClassAction.org described a $3.3 million fund and approximately 1.22 million people covered, citing court documents. That class size does not establish how many valid claims were approved.
The July 30 partial final judgment applies to Absolute Dental. The settlement does not resolve claims against Judge Consulting, Inc.
Why the $5,000 figure is a limit
The documented-loss benefit reimburses approved, supported losses up to $5,000. The FAQ says the payment cannot exceed the loss proven. A notice about the settlement therefore does not establish entitlement to a $5,000 check. If approved documented losses exceed the net fund, the agreement reduces those reimbursements proportionally and leaves no money for cash shares.
Qualifying expenses included bank fees, postage, certain phone or data charges and credit-monitoring costs that were more likely than not caused by the incident. Claims required supporting records, such as receipts, statements or invoices. Personal declarations could help explain other documentation but did not replace it.
ClassAction.org's reporting distinguishes that reimbursement from the separate cash payment. Claimants could seek a cash share in addition to, or instead of, a documented-loss payment. The amount depends on valid claims and the money available, so the fund's headline value cannot be divided by every person notified to predict an individual award.
How California cash shares differ
Section 3.9 of the executed agreement pays administration, legal awards, escrow expenses and taxes before calculating the net fund. Approved documented losses come next, leaving the pool for cash shares.
The order awards $1.1 million for class counsel's fees and costs and $12,500 in total service awards to the five class representatives. Those sums come from the fund, as do authorized administration costs. The $3.3 million headline therefore overstates the pool available for claimants.
Approved California cash claims receive two shares; other approved cash claims receive one. The FAQ ties California eligibility to residence there at the time of the incident. That weighting applies to cash shares, not a doubling of the $5,000 documented-loss limit.
No final dollar value for a cash share appears in the administrator's current payment notice.
Checks and unsuccessful delivery
The agreement permits digital payments and otherwise provides for a mailed check. Paper checks must be deposited or cashed within 90 days following distribution. Check the date and instructions on the actual payment rather than treating October 28 as every recipient's check date.
For undeliverable payments, section 3.12 provides one additional digital-payment effort. For returned checks, the administrator must make reasonable efforts to find a valid address and resend within 30 days after the check is returned. This is not a promise that every missing payment will arrive within 30 days of today's dispatch.
A later payment is possible, but not guaranteed. The order permits another distribution if money remains more than 120 days after all settlement payments have been distributed. It goes evenly to approved cash claimants who cashed or deposited their initial payment, provided the average additional amount is at least $3. Any final remainder too small for another distribution goes to the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
The settlement website still contains older introductory wording describing court approval as pending. Its current-status notice and updated payment answers list final approval and the October 28 dispatch. Follow those updates when checking delivery information.
The administrator offers free help at 877-239-0776 for questions about approved claims or delivery. Written inquiries go to Absolute Dental Data Incident, Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 2973, Portland, OR 97208-2973.
