Riccobene Associates Family Dentistry Lawsuit and Settlement

The Riccobene Associates Family Dentistry lawsuit is a class action over a data breach that exposed patient information at the North Carolina–based dental chain. If you were a patient and received a breach notification letter, you’re likely a class member, and the proposed settlement pays between $50 and $2,500 or more depending on what you can document. Claims are expected to open in mid-2026.¹

What Information Was Exposed

Unauthorized access to Riccobene’s computer systems compromised both protected health information and personally identifiable information. The exposed data included names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, health insurance details, payment and billing records, dental treatment histories, diagnoses, X-ray data, clinical notes, home addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers. Affected patients across North Carolina and other states were notified by letter.¹

What the Lawsuit Alleges

The class action alleges that Riccobene failed to put adequate security safeguards in place, including encryption and access controls, to protect patient data. The suit claims violations of state privacy laws and a breach of the general duty of care the practice owed its patients.¹

How Much You Can Claim

The proposed settlement sorts payments into three tiers based on what you’re able to show.

Tier 1 pays $50 to $150 per claimant with no documentation required.
Tier 2 pays up to $500 for out-of-pocket losses, with receipts or records of breach-related expenses.
Tier 3 pays $2,500 or more for extraordinary harm, meaning documented identity theft supported by extensive records.

The settlement is also expected to include one to two years of credit monitoring for class members.¹

When Claims Open and How to File

As of 2026, the case is in an active settlement phase. The claim filing window is anticipated to open in mid-2026 after the court grants preliminary approval, with a filing deadline roughly 90 to 120 days after the official class notice is sent. Final approval is expected in late 2026, and payments would follow in early 2027.¹

Watch for a class notice in the mail or by email at the address Riccobene had on file. That notice will carry the exact deadline, the claim form, and instructions on which tier to select and what to attach.

A Separate Matter: The Sedation Death Case

Some searches for a Riccobene lawsuit turn up a different situation, and it’s worth separating the two. In September 2021, Timothy Nerius, Sr., a 63-year-old patient, died after a procedure at a Riccobene office in Garner, North Carolina. The North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners later found that the treating dentist, Dr. Christian Anderson, administered sedatives that “far exceeded the amounts appropriate and necessary” and that his actions “caused or contributed” to Nerius’s death.²³

The board revoked Anderson’s moderate conscious sedation permit and suspended his dental license for 10 years in 2023. It denied his reinstatement petition on February 27, 2025, finding he “has not demonstrated substantial reformation” after he blamed emergency responders and his dental assistants during his hearing. Anderson cannot petition again for at least one year from that ruling.⁴³

Riccobene confirmed Anderson is no longer employed there. Chief compliance officer Line Dempsey said that since 2021, the practice has required a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist to be present with the patient and dentist throughout any sedation procedure, a standard that goes beyond what North Carolina requires of dentists holding a moderate sedation permit.⁴

That matter proceeded as a state licensing action against the individual dentist. It is not the class action, and it is not part of the settlement described above.

1
Lawfold. Riccobene Associates Family Dentistry Lawsuit
2
WRAL. North Carolina Dental Anesthesia Deaths
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DrBicuspid. Dentist Loses License for 10 Years Due to Patient’s Death
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WRAL. Dental Board Denies License Reinstatement for Dr. Christian Anderson