Privacy Policy

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Hometown Dental
Effective Date: [August 15, 2025]

Hometown Dental (“we,” “us,” “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of our patients’ information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our office in Gilbert, Arizona, use our website, or otherwise receive our dental services.

Some of the information we collect is considered Protected Health Information (PHI) under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) and applicable Arizona laws.¹ ²

By receiving services from us or using our website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. This Privacy Policy is in addition to (and does not replace) our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, which describes in more detail how we may use and disclose PHI for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations.

We may collect the following categories of information:

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Mailing address
• Email address
• Phone number(s)
• Emergency contact information
• Government‑issued ID details where required (e.g., for insurance or identity verification)

• Dental and medical history
• Current medical conditions, allergies, and medications
• Diagnostic records (X‑rays, photographs, scans, impressions)
• Treatment notes and treatment plans
• Referral letters and reports from other providers
• Prescription information

• Dental/medical insurance provider, policy and member numbers
• Claims history and coverage details
• Billing and payment records
• Limited payment card information (processed via secure payment processors; we do not store full card numbers)

• IP address and general location (city/region)
• Browser type and device information
• Pages visited, time and date of visits, and clickstream data
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (as permitted by law)

We use the information we collect for purposes permitted by HIPAA and applicable Arizona law, including:

• Evaluating your dental and overall health
• Diagnosing conditions and planning treatment
• Providing dental care and follow‑up
• Coordinating care with other dentists, specialists, physicians, labs, or pharmacies (with authorization when required)

• Verifying insurance eligibility and benefits
• Preparing and submitting insurance claims and pre‑authorizations
• Obtaining payment from you, your insurance company, or other responsible parties
• Sending billing statements and handling account inquiries

• Maintaining and managing patient records
• Quality assessment and improvement activities
• Staff training and internal auditing
• Accreditation, licensing, and regulatory compliance
• Business management and general administrative activities

• Scheduling, confirming, and reminding you of appointments (by phone, text, email, or other methods you authorize)
• Providing post‑treatment instructions and follow‑up information
• Responding to your questions, requests, or feedback

With your consent where required, we may also send you limited marketing or educational communications about services offered by Hometown Dental. You may opt out of such communications at any time.

• Operating and securing our website
• Monitoring, analyzing, and improving website performance and user experience
• Complying with legal obligations related to online services

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information only as permitted or required by HIPAA and applicable law, including:

• Other dentists, specialists, physicians, and dental laboratories involved in your treatment
• Referring providers, when necessary for your care and as allowed by law

• Insurance providers, dental benefit plans, or third‑party administrators for claims, payment, and benefit coordination
• Government health programs, if applicable (e.g., Medicaid/Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS))

We may share PHI with service providers (“Business Associates” under HIPAA) who perform services on our behalf, such as:

• Practice management software and electronic health records vendors
• Secure cloud or data backup providers
• Billing, collections, and accounting services
• Appointment reminder and communication platforms
• IT support and cybersecurity services

These Business Associates are required by law and contract to safeguard your information and use it only for the services they provide to us.

We may disclose information when required or permitted by law, such as:

• To state or federal health agencies and professional boards (e.g., Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners)
• To comply with court orders, subpoenas, or other legal processes
• To law enforcement when required or permitted
• To prevent or lessen a serious threat to health or safety, consistent with applicable law

We retain your dental records and related information for the period required by law and professional regulations. In Arizona, dental records are generally required to be retained for a minimum period after the last date of service, subject to specific rules of the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners and applicable statutes.³

We may retain records longer than the minimum periods to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and maintain accurate business records. When information is no longer needed, we will securely destroy or de‑identify it in accordance with HIPAA and professional standards.

We use reasonable and appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction, including:

• Password‑protected systems and role‑based access controls
• Encrypted data transmission where appropriate
• Secure storage for paper and electronic records
• Regular data backups and system monitoring
• Employee training on privacy, security, and confidentiality obligations

Despite these safeguards, no system can be completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your information. If a breach of unsecured PHI occurs, we will provide any notifications required by HIPAA and applicable Arizona law.

Under HIPAA and applicable state laws, you may have the following rights regarding your PHI:

• Right to Access: You may request to inspect and obtain a copy of your dental records and other PHI we maintain, with certain exceptions as allowed by law.
• Right to Amend: You may request corrections or amendments to your PHI if you believe it is inaccurate or incomplete.
• Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You may request a list of certain disclosures of your PHI made by us, other than for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, and other exceptions permitted by law.
• Right to Request Restrictions: You may request restrictions on how we use or disclose your PHI for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. While we are not required to agree to all requests, we will consider them in accordance with HIPAA. If you self‑pay in full for a service and request that we not share information about that service with your health plan, we will honor that request if feasible and not otherwise required by law.
• Right to Request Confidential Communications: You may request that we communicate with you using alternative means or at alternative locations (for example, at a different mailing address or phone number).
• Right to Receive a Paper Copy: You may request a paper copy of our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information in Section 10. We may require your request in writing and may need to verify your identity. Reasonable, cost‑based fees may apply to copies of records as permitted by law.

We may use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Enable core site functionality (e.g., appointment forms, log‑in areas)
• Analyze site traffic and usage patterns
• Improve user experience and site performance

Most web browsers allow you to control or disable cookies through your settings. If you choose to disable cookies, some website features may not function properly.

We do not knowingly use online tracking technologies to collect individually identifiable health information for third‑party advertising purposes.

We provide dental services to children and minors with the consent of a parent or legal guardian, as required by law. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children without appropriate authorization. If you believe a child has provided information to us without proper consent, please contact us so we can take appropriate action.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, our privacy practices, or wish to exercise your rights regarding your information, please contact:

Hometown Dental
Address: 1434 W Elliot Rd, Ste 101, Gilbert, AZ 85233, USA
Phone: 480 378 3966
Email: contact@hometowndentalaz.com
Website: hometowndentalaz.com

You may also have the right to file a complaint with:

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) if you believe your HIPAA privacy rights have been violated.
• Applicable state authorities, such as the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners or the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, regarding certain privacy or professional concerns.

We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or technology. When we do, we will update the “Effective Date” at the top of this page. If we make material changes, we will provide notice as required by law (for example, posting the updated policy in our office and/or on our website).

Your continued use of our services after any changes take effect constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

• This Privacy Policy is intended as a general description of how Hometown Dental handles personal information.
• It is not a substitute for our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, which you will receive as a patient and which contains more detailed information about our use and disclosure of PHI under HIPAA.