We collect information from you when you visit our website, schedule an appointment, or communicate with our Clearwater office. This may include your name, email address, phone number, mailing address, date of birth, insurance information, and details about your orthodontic needs or concerns. We also automatically collect certain technical information when you visit our website, including your IP address, browser type, device information, pages viewed, and time spent on our site.
When you become a patient at ABM Orthodontics, we collect additional protected health information as required to provide orthodontic treatment. This includes your medical and dental history, treatment records, radiographs, photographs, and billing information.
We use the information we collect to schedule and confirm appointments, provide orthodontic treatment and follow-up care, process insurance claims and payment, and communicate with you about your treatment plan. We also use your information to improve our website functionality, send appointment reminders and practice updates, respond to your questions and requests, and maintain our business records.
Your protected health information is used and disclosed in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and other applicable privacy laws. We will provide you with a separate Notice of Privacy Practices that describes in detail how we use and protect your health information.
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. We may share your information with trusted service providers who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or providing services to you. These parties are contractually obligated to keep your information confidential and use it only for the purposes we specify.
We may also share your information with insurance companies for billing and claims processing, laboratories and specialists involved in your orthodontic treatment, and legal or regulatory authorities when required by law. In the event of a practice sale or merger, your information may be transferred to the new owner, though your privacy rights will remain protected.
Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and analyze website traffic. Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our site. We use both session cookies, which expire when you close your browser, and persistent cookies, which remain on your device until they expire or you delete them.
You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences, though disabling cookies may limit certain website functionality. We may also use analytics services such as Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with our website. These services may collect information about your website usage across multiple sites over time.
We implement reasonable physical, electronic, and administrative safeguards to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. Our security measures include secure servers, encryption of sensitive data transmission, restricted access to personal information, and regular security assessments. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
If you provide your email address or phone number, we may use it to send appointment reminders, treatment updates, and practice information. You can opt out of non-essential communications at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions in our emails or contacting our office directly. Please note that even if you opt out of marketing communications, we may still send you important information related to your treatment and appointments.
Our website may contain links to external websites operated by third parties, including insurance providers, financing companies such as Cherry, Care Credit, and Altheon, and other healthcare resources. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.
Our orthodontic services are provided to patients of all ages, including children and adolescents. When treating minor patients, we collect information from parents or legal guardians as necessary to provide care. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through our website without parental consent.
You have the right to access, review, and request corrections to your personal information maintained by our practice. You may also request restrictions on how we use or disclose your information, though we may not always be able to accommodate such requests. If you have concerns about how we handle your information, you may file a complaint with our practice or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Under HIPAA, you have additional rights regarding your protected health information, including the right to receive a copy of your health records, request amendments to your records, and receive an accounting of certain disclosures. These rights are detailed in our Notice of Privacy Practices, which will be provided to you when you become a patient.
We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable laws. When we make significant changes, we will post the updated policy on our website and update the effective date. Your continued use of our website or services after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
If you have questions about this privacy policy or concerns about how we handle your personal information, please contact our Clearwater office. We are committed to protecting your privacy and addressing any concerns you may have about your information. Contact us to speak with a member of our team about your privacy rights and our data practices.
