Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

Personal Information

We may collect the following types of personal information:

• Identification Data: Full name, date of birth, social security number (for insurance purposes), and government-issued ID
• Contact Information: Email address, phone number, mailing address, and emergency contact details
• Financial Information: Credit card numbers, bank account information, insurance policy numbers, and billing records
• Health Information: Medical history, dental records, X-rays, treatment plans, prescriptions, and any other health-related information necessary for dental treatment

Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:

• IP address and device information
• Browser type and version
• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Referring website addresses
• Geographic location (country/region)
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies

2. Why We Collect Your Information

We collect and use your information for the following purposes:

• Providing Dental Services: To deliver comprehensive dental care, including examinations, treatments, procedures, and follow-up care
• Patient Communication: To contact you regarding appointments, treatment updates, test results, and practice announcements
• Payment Processing: To process payments, verify insurance coverage, submit claims, and manage billing
• Healthcare Operations: To maintain accurate medical records, coordinate care with other providers, and improve our services
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes
• Website Improvement: To analyze website usage, improve user experience, and enhance our online services
• Marketing: With your consent, to send promotional materials and newsletters about our services

3. Who Has Access to Your Data

We restrict access to your personal information to authorized personnel only. Your data may be accessed by:

• Clinical Staff: Dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants involved in your care
• Administrative Staff: Receptionists, billing specialists, and office managers for scheduling and payment purposes
• IT Personnel: Technical staff responsible for maintaining secure systems and resolving technical issues
• Affiliated Dental Professionals: Specialists to whom we may refer you for specialized treatment

All personnel with access to patient data receive training on privacy practices and sign confidentiality agreements. Access is granted on a need-to-know basis appropriate to their job functions.

4. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services that may collect or process your information:

Form Submission Service

We use Formsubmit.co to process contact and appointment forms on our website. When you submit a form, your information is transmitted through Formsubmit's secure servers to our email. Formsubmit's privacy practices are available at formsubmit.co/privacy.

Google Maps

We embed Google Maps to display our location. Google may collect information about your visit through cookies. For more information, see Google's Privacy Policy.

Analytics Services

We may use analytics services (such as Google Analytics) to understand how visitors interact with our website. These services collect anonymous usage data to help us improve our website. You can opt out of Google Analytics using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

Payment Processors

Payment transactions are processed through secure third-party payment processors. These processors handle your financial information according to their own privacy policies and security standards, including PCI DSS compliance.

Insurance Companies

We share necessary information with your dental insurance provider to process claims and verify coverage. This information is shared only as required for billing and insurance purposes.

5. How to Request Data Deletion

You have the right to request deletion of your personal information. To submit a data deletion request, you may:

• Use our Contact Form: Visit our Contact page and submit a request with "Data Deletion Request" in the subject line
• Email Us Directly: Send a request to contact@dentalaccessouthcarolina.com with "Data Deletion Request" in the subject line
• Call Us: Contact our office at +1 775-354-6569 during business hours

Please Note: We may be legally required to retain certain records (such as dental health records) for a minimum period as mandated by state and federal law. In such cases, we will inform you of the specific retention requirements and delete the records once the legal retention period has expired.

We will respond to your deletion request within 30 days and confirm the action taken or explain any limitations.

6. Data Retention Policy

We retain your information only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy:

Medical and Dental Records

Dental and medical records are retained for a minimum of 10 years after your last visit, or longer if required by South Carolina state law, federal regulations, or ongoing legal matters. For minor patients, records are retained until the patient reaches age 21 or for 10 years after the last visit, whichever is longer.

Financial Records

Billing and payment records are retained for 7 years to comply with tax and accounting requirements.

Website Data

Analytics data and cookies are retained for up to 26 months for reporting purposes.

Marketing Data

Information collected for marketing purposes is retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion.

Upon expiration of the retention period, your information will be securely destroyed or anonymized.

7. Security Measures

We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your personal and health information:

• Encryption: All data transmitted through our website uses SSL/TLS encryption. Stored data is encrypted at rest using industry-standard encryption protocols.
• Access Controls: Role-based access controls ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive information. All access is logged and auditable.
• Secure Storage: Electronic health records are stored in HIPAA-compliant systems with regular backups and disaster recovery procedures.
• Physical Security: Our facilities have restricted access, surveillance systems, and secure document storage for physical records.
• Regular Training: All staff members receive regular training on data protection, privacy practices, and security protocols.
• Security Audits: We conduct regular security assessments and vulnerability scans to identify and address potential risks.
• Incident Response: We maintain procedures for detecting, responding to, and reporting data breaches in accordance with applicable laws.

While we implement robust security measures, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your information.

8. Contact Us for Privacy Concerns

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

We will respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 30 days.

9. California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) Compliance

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to Know: You have the right to request information about the personal data we collect, use, and disclose about you.
• Right to Delete: You have the right to request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions.
• Right to Opt-Out: You have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information. We do not sell personal information.
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights.

To exercise your CCPA rights, please contact us using the methods outlined in Section 5 above. We will verify your identity before processing your request.

Note: Health information collected for treatment purposes is generally exempt from CCPA requirements as it is regulated under HIPAA.

10. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Compliance

If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA) or the United Kingdom, you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• Right of Access: You can request a copy of your personal data.
• Right to Rectification: You can request correction of inaccurate data.
• Right to Erasure: You can request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten").
• Right to Restrict Processing: You can request that we limit how we use your data.
• Right to Data Portability: You can request your data in a machine-readable format.
• Right to Object: You can object to certain processing of your data.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

Legal Basis for Processing: We process your data based on:

• Performance of a contract (providing dental services)
• Legal obligations (maintaining medical records, regulatory compliance)
• Vital interests (providing necessary healthcare)
• Consent (marketing communications, website analytics)

To exercise your GDPR rights, contact us using the methods in Section 5. We will respond within one month of your request.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in your jurisdiction.

11. HIPAA Notice

As a healthcare provider, Dental Access Carolina, LLC is committed to protecting your Protected Health Information (PHI) in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Our complete Notice of Privacy Practices is available at our office and upon request.

This Privacy Policy supplements, but does not replace, our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices. For questions specifically about your health information rights under HIPAA, please contact our Privacy Officer.

12. Policy Updates

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy indicates when the most recent changes were made.

We encourage you to review this policy regularly. Continued use of our website or services after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Children's Privacy

Our website is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without parental consent. If we become aware that we have collected such information, we will take steps to delete it.

For dental treatment of minors, we collect necessary health information with the consent of a parent or legal guardian, as required for providing healthcare services.