FL S0584

Personal identifying information from dental workforce surveys submitted by dentists or dental hygienists to the Department of Health is confidential and exempt from public records disclosure.

Information may be disclosed with express written consent of the individual, by court order upon showing of good cause, or to approved research entities under a data-use agreement.

Research entities seeking survey data must have Department of Health approval of their protocol, maintain records according to the protocol, and restrict information use to the approved research purposes only.

The exemption is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act and will automatically repeal on October 2, 2017, unless the Legislature reenacts it.

The Legislature finds confidentiality is necessary to encourage candid responses that provide accurate workforce information to support dental professional availability in the state.