Millions of Americans now wear devices that monitor their health and activities around the clock. As wearable health technology becomes more widespread, cybersecurity experts are asking, "Who is protecting all that biometric and activity data?"
Tasha Dickinson, MBA.
Wearable devices generate a continuous stream of personal health information, including daily habits and practices. The military has banned certain devices as they made it too easy to track personnel moving around on bases. These restrictions include the "use of personal PEDs like cellphones, laptops, iPads, smartwatches, and fitness trackers that have storage or Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities inside any space where classified information is discussed or disseminated," according to a U.S. Defense Logistics Agency news article.
Data typically moves from the device to a smartphone and then to cloud servers, where the information is stored and analyzed, but is not necessarily protected.
As dental professionals who must safeguard sensitive patient information, we need to think about data protection, both for ourselves and our patients. The cybersecurity implications of wearable technology deserve our attention.
The wearable health device market is booming
Wearable health technology has become one of the fastest-growing segments of the consumer technology market.
Industry analysts estimate the global wearable device market reached approximately $179.8 billion in 2024. Some projections suggest the market could approach $995 billion by 2034. Other forecasts place the market at $84.5 billion in 2025 and expanding to roughly $176.8 billion by 2030.
Fitness trackers remain widely used, while newer categories, such as smart rings, represent one of the fastest-growing segments. Major companies competing in the wearable health technology space include Apple, Samsung, Garmin, Huawei, Google through Fitbit, Whoop, Withings, and Oura Health.
In the U.S., more than 100 million adults are forecasted to use wearable devices by 2025. Devices that once functioned primarily as step counters now operate as sophisticated personal health monitoring and tracking systems.
Biometric data creates new cybersecurity risks
The rapid growth of wearable health technology has attracted increasing attention from cybersecurity researchers.
Wearable devices collect large amounts of personal biometric information. Depending on the device, this information may include heart rate patterns, sleep cycles, body temperature trends, activity levels, audio recordings, and behavioral patterns. If this data were compromised, it could reveal details about an individual's health status, daily routine, or specifics about patient encounters.
Research examining wearable privacy policies has found significant variation in how companies collect, store, and share user information. In some cases, wearable data may be shared with outside analytics providers or integrated with other digital platforms.
Wearables operate within complex technology ecosystems. Data commonly move from the wearable device to a smartphone through wireless connections and then to cloud servers, where analytics software processes the information. Each stage of this process introduces potential cybersecurity exposure or breach points.
Unlike traditional medical records, many wearable data streams are classified as consumer health data and may not fall under the same regulatory protections that govern clinical health information.
How dental professionals can protect their wearable data
Although wearable devices present certain risks, users can take practical, relatively simple steps to reduce exposure.
- If you are not using the data generated, then disable features or remove the devices when you are at work or in other sensitive settings.
- Strong account security remains the most important safeguard. Experts recommend using unique passwords and enabling multifactor authentication whenever possible.
- Review which outside applications have permission to access wearable data. Limiting unnecessary integrations reduces potential exposure.
- Because wearable devices typically synchronize with smartphones, securing the phone itself is essential. Regular software updates, device encryption, and screen lock protections help safeguard transmitted data.
- Periodically review the information stored by wearable platforms and remove data that is no longer necessary.
Wearable health technology will continue expanding in both consumer and professional settings. Patients increasingly arrive at healthcare appointments with years of personal health information already collected on their wrists or even on their fingers.
For dental professionals, awareness of wearable cybersecurity issues has practical value. Clinicians already operate in an environment governed by strict patient privacy standards and regulatory frameworks such as HIPAA.
Understanding how wearable health data are collected, transmitted, and stored helps clinicians recognize potential privacy risks and engage in more informed conversations with patients about digital health technologies.
Editor's note: References are available upon request.
Tasha Dickinson, MBA, dentistry’s cybersecurity guide, is the founder and chief technologist of Siligent Technologies, a trusted provider of cybersecurity and IT solutions for dental businesses. She is dedicated to helping dentists protect their data, avoid cyberattacks, and build resilient business operations. Contact Tasha at [email protected] or connect on LinkedIn.
The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.
