Aspen Dental Lawsuit: The Pixel Settlement, the California Deal, and What Is Left
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Three different things get called the Aspen Dental lawsuit. A privacy class action over tracking pixels on aspendental.com settled for more than $18 million; claims closed on September 15, 2025, and the settlement tracker ClaimDepot reports that payments began on February 27, 2026. California's Attorney General announced a separate settlement on May 7, 2026, with $300,000 in restitution for certain California patients — paid directly, with no claim form. Complaints about dental treatment are individual claims, not part of either case. As of September 30, 2026, neither settlement takes new claims.
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Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
What the Cases Are About
The privacy class action alleged that Aspen Dental's website sent information about people booking appointments to third parties, including Meta (Facebook) and Google, through tracking pixels and similar tools. The plaintiffs pleaded the federal Electronic Communications Privacy Act, the California Invasion of Privacy Act, California's Confidentiality of Medical Information Act, the Florida and Pennsylvania wiretap laws, and negligence. Aspen Dental denies any wrongdoing and settled without an admission of liability.
The California case is a different kind of complaint. Aspen Dental Management describes itself as a dental support organization that provides business services to offices operating under the “Aspen Dental” name. The Attorney General alleged it went beyond that role and directed the practice of dentistry, which California bans, and ran misleading ads. Examples from the AG's announcement: ads saying offices worked with “all insurance” when they did not accept state or federally funded insurance programs, and an incentive paying hygienists $50 or $100 per clear-aligner sale. These are the Attorney General's allegations.
Case Details
Privacy class action: Donnelly, et al. v. Aspen Dental Management, Inc., Case No. 2025LA000036, Circuit Court of Sangamon County, Illinois, before Judge Schmidt. It began as federal suits filed February 20, 2024 in the Northern District of Illinois (A.D., et al. v. Aspen Dental Management, Inc., No. 1:24-cv-01404). After a mediation on January 9, 2025, that case was voluntarily dismissed on February 4, 2025 and refiled in Sangamon County on February 20, 2025. The settlement administrator is Simpluris.
California enforcement case: People of the State of California v. Aspen Dental Management, Inc., Case No. 26STCV14023, Los Angeles County Superior Court. The court received the stipulation for a final judgment on May 4, 2026. Read the Attorney General's announcement.
Status: Pixel Claims Closed, No Claim Form in California
California AG settlement: no claim form. When it was announced on May 7, 2026, the settlement still needed court approval. Under the proposed judgment, Aspen Dental itself must contact and pay eligible patients within 90 days after the judgment is entered. We could not confirm the entry date as of September 30, 2026.
When we checked on September 30, 2026, the settlement website aspendentalpixelsettlement.com no longer loaded. The official notice also lists a phone line, (844) 496-0570, and a mailing address.
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There's no claim deadline yet. We'll email you if a settlement opens a claim period.
Who Could Be Paid
Privacy settlement: anyone who made an appointment on www.aspendental.com (or a subdomain) between February 20, 2022 and January 1, 2025 — about 2.25 million people by the parties' estimate. Group 1 booked from February 20, 2022 through June 1, 2023 (about 621,000 people); Group 2 booked from June 2, 2023 through January 1, 2025 (about 1.6 million). The class definition covers only appointments made on the website. Only people who filed a valid claim by September 15, 2025 are paid.
California restitution: patients of Aspen Dental-affiliated practices in California who, before the judgment, either (1) paid the full fee for a “Problem Focused Exam” although they qualified for the advertised “Free Exam and X-ray for new patients without insurance” and got no refund or credit, or (2) bought an electric toothbrush as part of a bundle — refunded up to the toothbrush's price, not the whole bundle. Patients in other states are not covered.
What the Money Actually Looks Like
California's restitution is $300,000 for all eligible patients combined. Money that cannot be paid out goes to the Attorney General's office or to the state's unclaimed-property program, never back to Aspen Dental. The $2 million in penalties is paid to the Attorney General's office, not to patients. For how other health-privacy and breach settlements pay, see our data breach settlement calculator.
Aspen Dental Lawsuit Timeline
- 1
June 18, 2015 — New York Attorney General Settlement
After more than 300 complaints since 2005, New York settles over corporate control of dental care and fee-splitting: a $450,000 civil penalty and an independent monitor for three years.
- 2
January 5, 2023 — Massachusetts Settlement
Massachusetts announces a $3.5 million settlement over alleged bait-and-switch advertising. At least $750,000 goes to patients who paid for new-patient exams, X-rays and oral cancer screenings, per the Academy of General Dentistry.
- 3
February 20, 2024 — Privacy Suits Filed
Class actions over tracking pixels are filed in federal court in Illinois. The case is voluntarily dismissed there on February 4, 2025 and refiled in Sangamon County on February 20, 2025.
- 4
September 15, 2025 — Claim Deadline
Last day to file a claim, opt out or object. The final approval hearing is set for October 20, 2025; ClaimDepot reports approval was granted that day.
- 5
February 27, 2026 — Payments Begin
The administrator begins paying approved claimants, per ClaimDepot. Checks are void 90 days after issuance.
- 6
May 7, 2026 — California Attorney General Settlement
Attorney General Bonta announces $2 million in penalties, $300,000 in restitution for certain California patients and first-in-state limits on Aspen Dental's control of practices — subject to court approval.
Three Things to Watch For
A closed settlement, a direct-pay restitution program and a household brand name are an easy mix for imposters:
“Late claim” or “reopen your claim” offers
The privacy-settlement deadline was September 15, 2025. Nobody can add you now. Administration was paid out of the settlement fund, so a message asking for a fee, card number or bank login to “release” an Aspen Dental settlement payment is not from the administrator.
Calls about “California restitution”
Under the proposed judgment, Aspen Dental contacts and pays eligible California patients directly — there is no claim form and nothing to pay. A caller asking for a processing fee, gift cards or your online-banking login is not part of it. If in doubt, call the office that treated you using the number on your own receipts.
“Join the Aspen Dental class action” ads
The privacy class is closed, and a complaint about dental work is an individual claim a lawyer takes on one patient at a time — not a class you sign up for. Know who receives your dental records and read any retainer before you sign it.
Aspen Dental Lawsuit — Questions People Actually Ask
Is there an Aspen Dental class action I can still join?
Not for the privacy case. The Aspen Dental class action over website tracking settled, and the claim deadline was September 15, 2025. Class members who did not opt out released their tracking-pixel claims, so they cannot sue separately over the same conduct.
How much is the Aspen Dental settlement payment?
Group 2 (online bookings June 2, 2023 to January 1, 2025): $15.00 per valid claim, unless claims exceeded the cap. Group 1 (February 20, 2022 to June 1, 2023): a pro rata share of what is left of a $2,796,169.50 fund after fees, costs and administration. We found no published Group 1 figure we could verify.
I filed a claim. When do I get paid?
Payments began on February 27, 2026, according to ClaimDepot. If you filed and were not paid, contact the administrator, Simpluris, at (844) 496-0570 or info@aspendentalpixelsettlement.com, or write to Donnelly, et al. v. Aspen Dental Management, Inc., c/o Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 25226, Santa Ana, CA 92799. Checks are void 90 days after issuance, and the agreement allows reissue requests only until 120 days after the settlement's Effective Date, so a reissue may no longer be possible.
What is the California Aspen Dental settlement?
A separate case brought by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, announced May 7, 2026: $2 million in penalties, $300,000 in restitution for certain patients, and limits on Aspen Dental's role — for example, it may not replace practice owners with dentists of its choosing, may not pay practice staff sales incentives, and must name the practice owner in ads. It was subject to court approval when announced.
Do I need to do anything to get the California restitution?
There is no claim form. The proposed judgment requires Aspen Dental to try to reach eligible patients, using their last-known contact details, within 90 days after the judgment is entered, and to pay them directly. If an identified patient cannot be paid, the money goes to the California State Controller's unclaimed-property program, where the patient can claim it. If you think you were misled by an ad, the AG asks you to report it at oag.ca.gov/report.
Were there earlier Aspen Dental lawsuits by states?
Yes. New York settled on June 18, 2015 ($450,000 penalty and a three-year monitor) over corporate control and fee-splitting. Massachusetts announced a $3.5 million Aspen Dental settlement on January 5, 2023 over alleged bait-and-switch advertising; the Academy of General Dentistry also reports earlier settlements in Massachusetts (2014), Indiana (2015) and Pennsylvania (2010). Questions about those go to that state's attorney general.
I had a bad experience with treatment. Is that part of an Aspen Dental lawsuit?
No. Neither settlement covers the quality of dental work. A claim over an injury from treatment is an individual case, usually handled by a malpractice lawyer, and your state's deadline to sue (the statute of limitations) can be short. Offices operating under the Aspen Dental name are supported by Aspen Dental Management, which can matter for whom a claim is brought against.
Is a letter or email about the Aspen Dental settlement real?
Real privacy-settlement notices name the case Donnelly, et al. v. Aspen Dental Management, Inc., Case No. 2025LA000036, and the administrator's P.O. Box 25226 in Santa Ana, California. Under the agreement, checks must carry the words “This check must be cashed within 90 days, after which time it is void.” Nothing legitimate asks you to pay to receive money.
Separate from this case: were you injured in the last 2 years?
Class-action payouts are fixed amounts through an administrator. A personal injury claim is a different case — and often worth far more. Free estimate, no obligation.
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