Privacy Policy

Effective Date: October 2024

At Atlantic Dental Hygiene, we are committed to protecting the privacy of your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and protect both health and personal information, whether you are a patient receiving dental hygiene services or a user visiting our website. We value your trust and prioritize your privacy.

1. Collection of Personal Information

For Healthcare Services (Patients): To provide dental hygiene services, we may collect the following personal information:
- Name, address, phone number, and email
- Date of birth, gender, and emergency contact
- Health and dental history
- Medical and dental insurance details
- Billing and payment information
- Treatment records (e.g., cleanings, x-rays)
For Website Use (Users): When you visit or interact with our website, we collect the following types of personal information:
- Browsing Information: Device and browser details (IP address, time zone, cookies, and browsing behavior)
- Purchase Information: Name, billing and shipping address, payment information, and contact information

2. Use of Personal Information

For Healthcare Services: Your information is used for the following purposes:
- Providing dental hygiene services (screenings, cleanings, preventive care)
- Communicating about appointments, treatment plans, and follow-up care
- Filing insurance claims and processing payments
- Complying with legal requirements and regulations
For Website Use: We use the information to:
- Process orders, payments, and shipping for products purchased
- Communicate with you regarding orders or service updates
- Screen orders for fraud and improve site functionality
- Send targeted advertisements or promotions based on your browsing or purchasing behavior
- Analyze browsing behavior to optimize our website and marketing efforts

3. Sharing of Personal Information

For Healthcare Services: We may share your personal information in the following situations:
- With other healthcare providers for coordinating care or referrals
- With insurance companies for billing and claims processing
- For legal purposes or as required by law (e.g., health emergencies)
- With your consent, as required for specific use or disclosure
For Website Use: We may share your personal information in the following situations:
- With third-party service providers, such as payment processors or marketing platforms (e.g., Google Analytics)
- To comply with legal requirements or respond to lawful requests (e.g., subpoenas)
- To provide targeted advertisements based on your online activity

4. Patient and User Rights

For Healthcare Services: You have the following rights regarding your personal health information:
- Right to Access: Request a copy of your personal health information
- Right to Correct: Request corrections to your health records
- Right to Confidentiality: Your information will not be shared without consent except as required by law
- Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for sharing your information at any time
For Website Use: You have the right to:
- Access, correct, or delete your personal information
- Object to the processing of your data for marketing or other purposes
- Request that we delete your personal information, except where it is necessary for business purposes or legal requirements

5. Cookies, Tracking Technologies, and Behavioral Advertising

For Website Use: Our website uses cookies and other tracking technologies (such as log files, web beacons, and pixels) to collect browsing information. This data helps us analyze site performance and provide you with personalized ads and marketing content.
Opting Out: You can opt out of targeted advertising by using the links provided by platforms like Facebook, Google, and Bing, or by visiting the Digital Advertising Alliance's opt-out portal.

6. Security of Personal Information

We take appropriate measures to safeguard your personal information, including:
- Secure storage of paper and electronic records
- Encryption and password protection for digital files and communications
- Staff training on maintaining confidentiality and privacy

7. Retention and Disposal of Personal Information

For Healthcare Services: Your personal health information will be retained as long as necessary to provide services and comply with legal requirements. After this period, we securely dispose of or anonymize records.
For Website Use: We retain your purchase information for record-keeping unless you request its deletion. Browsing data is retained for analytics purposes but may be anonymized or deleted upon your request.

8. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Any changes will be communicated to you in writing or through appropriate methods. The updated policy will apply to any information collected after the revision date.

9. Minors

Our services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors.

10. Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise any of your rights, please contact us at:

Melissa Peltola IPDH
Atlantic Dental Hygiene
207-691-3445
missy@atlanticdentalhygiene.com
588 Main Street, Rockland, Maine 04841