Privacy Policy - Global Smiles Dental

Privacy Policy Global Smiles Dental 8028 S. Emerson Ave., Suite A Indianapolis, IN 46237 Effective Date: 06/24/2014 Last Updated: 05/19/2026 Global Smiles Dental (“Global Smiles Dental,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you share with us through our website, online forms, phone calls, email communications, scheduling tools, advertising platforms, and in-office interactions. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect information when you visit our website or interact with us online. This policy is intended to cover website and general online privacy practices. It does not replace our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, which explains how protected health information may be used and disclosed in connection with your dental care. By using our website, submitting a form, calling our office, requesting an appointment, or otherwise communicating with us, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. 1. Information We Collect We may collect personal information directly from you, automatically through our website, or from third-party service providers that help us operate our business. Information You Provide to Us You may provide information when you: Request an appointment Submit a contact form Call or text our office Use an online scheduling tool Ask a question about dental services Request insurance or payment information Subscribe to updates or communications Interact with our advertisements or social media pages The information we collect may include: Name Phone number Email address Mailing address Date of birth, if submitted through a patient-related form Appointment preferences Insurance-related information General dental concerns or service interests Information included in messages, forms, emails, or voicemails Any other information you choose to provide Please do not submit sensitive medical, dental, insurance, or financial information through general website forms unless the form is clearly intended for that purpose and is provided through a secure system. Website and Device Information When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain information, including: IP address Browser type Device type Operating system Pages viewed Time spent on pages Referring website or search engine Approximate location based on IP address Website interactions, such as clicks, scrolling, and form activity Advertising campaign source, if you clicked an ad This information helps us understand how visitors use our website and improve the patient experience. Appointment and Scheduling Information If you schedule an appointment online, we or our scheduling provider may collect information needed to request, confirm, manage, or follow up regarding your appointment. This may include your name, contact details, requested appointment time, selected service, insurance information, and any notes you provide. Online scheduling may be handled by a third-party platform, and your use of that tool may also be subject to that platform’s own privacy policy and terms. Phone Call and Text Information If you call or text our office, we may collect your phone number, call details, voicemail content, text message content, and related communication records. We may use call tracking, call recording, or call analytics tools for quality assurance, training, scheduling, marketing attribution, and patient service purposes, where permitted by law. Payment and Financial Information If payment is made online or through a third-party payment platform, payment information may be collected and processed by a payment processor. Global Smiles Dental does not intend to store full credit card numbers through its general website. Information from Third Parties We may receive information from third-party vendors and platforms, such as: Online scheduling providers Website hosting providers Analytics platforms Advertising platforms Call tracking providers Review platforms Social media platforms Patient communication tools Payment processors Dental practice management systems The information received depends on your interaction with those platforms and their privacy settings. 2. How We Use Information We may use collected information to: Respond to appointment requests Schedule, confirm, or follow up on appointments Communicate with you by phone, text, email, or mail Provide information about dental services Verify insurance or payment-related details Improve our website and patient experience Measure advertising and marketing performance Understand which services patients are interested in Maintain website security Prevent fraud, spam, or misuse Comply with legal, regulatory, and professional obligations Support internal business operations Protect the rights, safety, and property of Global Smiles Dental, our patients, team members, and others If you are an existing patient, information related to your dental treatment, payment, and healthcare operations may also be used and disclosed as described in our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices. 3. Protected Health Information and HIPAA Global Smiles Dental may be a covered entity under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and related regulations, commonly known as HIPAA. When information identifies you and relates to your past, present, or future dental condition, treatment, payment, or healthcare services, it may be considered protected health information, or PHI. Our use and disclosure of PHI is governed by HIPAA and our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices. This Privacy Policy applies primarily to our website, online interactions, and general personal information practices. If there is a conflict between this Privacy Policy and our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices regarding PHI, the HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices will control. You may request a copy of our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices by contacting us. 4. Cookies, Tracking Technologies, and Analytics Our website may use cookies, pixels, tags, scripts, and similar technologies to operate the website, improve performance, analyze traffic, and measure advertising results. These technologies may help us: Remember website preferences Understand how visitors use the website Track which pages are most useful Measure form submissions, calls, or appointment requests Improve advertising campaigns Prevent spam or security threats We may use tools such as Google Analytics, Google Ads, Meta/Facebook advertising tools, call tracking tools, online scheduling platforms, and similar technologies. Some tracking technologies may collect information such as your IP address, device type, browser type, pages viewed, and interactions with the website. We do not intentionally use website tracking tools to disclose protected health information for advertising purposes. You can usually adjust your browser settings to block or delete cookies. Some website features may not function properly if cookies are disabled. 5. Online Advertising and Remarketing We may use online advertising platforms to promote Global Smiles Dental services. These platforms may use cookies, pixels, or similar technologies to help show relevant ads, measure ad performance, and understand how users interact with our website after clicking an advertisement. Advertising platforms may collect or receive information from our website and elsewhere on the internet. Their use of data is governed by their own privacy policies. We do not knowingly authorize advertising platforms to use protected health information for targeted advertising. 6. Text Messages, Calls, and Email Communications By providing your phone number or email address, you authorize Global Smiles Dental to contact you regarding appointment requests, scheduling, patient service, treatment-related communications, account matters, and other relevant communications. Communications may include: Appointment confirmations Appointment reminders Follow-up messages Responses to questions Patient service messages Limited promotional or informational messages, where permitted by law Message and data rates may apply for text messages. You may opt out of promotional text messages by replying “STOP” or following the instructions in the message. Even if you opt out of promotional messages, we may still contact you for appointment, treatment, billing, legal, or transactional purposes. Email and standard text messaging may not be fully secure. Avoid sending sensitive dental, medical, financial, or insurance information through unsecured email or text unless you understand and accept the risks. 7. How We Share Information We do not sell patient information. We may share information with trusted third parties only as needed to operate our practice, provide services, communicate with patients, comply with legal obligations, or support legitimate business purposes. We may share information with: Dental practice management systems Online scheduling providers Website hosting providers Email and text communication platforms Call tracking and call management providers Payment processors Insurance-related service providers Analytics and advertising platforms IT and cybersecurity providers Professional advisors, such as attorneys, accountants, and consultants Government agencies, regulators, or law enforcement when required by law When required by HIPAA, we use appropriate agreements with service providers that handle protected health information on our behalf. 8. No Sale of Personal Information Global Smiles Dental does not sell personal information or protected health information in the ordinary sense of exchanging it for money. Certain privacy laws may define “sale” or “sharing” more broadly to include some advertising or analytics activities. Where applicable, you may have the right to opt out of certain uses of personal information for targeted advertising or similar purposes. To make a privacy-related request, contact us using the information listed below. 9. Indiana Privacy Rights Indiana law may provide certain residents with rights regarding personal data, subject to legal exceptions and applicability requirements. Depending on your relationship with Global Smiles Dental and the type of information involved, you may have the right to request that we: Confirm whether we process your personal data Provide access to certain personal data Correct inaccuracies in certain personal data Delete certain personal data Provide a copy of certain personal data in a portable format Opt out of certain targeted advertising, sale of personal data, or profiling, where applicable These rights may not apply to protected health information governed by HIPAA, information maintained for treatment or healthcare operations, or information exempt under applicable law. To submit a request, contact us using the information in the “Contact Us” section below. We may need to verify your identity before responding. 10. Your HIPAA Rights For protected health information, HIPAA may provide you with rights including the right to: Request access to your dental records Request corrections to your records Request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures Request confidential communications Request an accounting of certain disclosures Receive a copy of our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated These rights are described in more detail in our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices. To exercise HIPAA rights, contact our office directly. 11. Data Security We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, no website, email system, text message system, or internet transmission is completely secure. We cannot guarantee that information transmitted through our website or electronic communications will be completely secure. If you believe your information may have been compromised, contact us immediately. 12. Data Retention We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, comply with legal and regulatory obligations, resolve disputes, maintain business records, and enforce agreements. Dental and patient records may be retained according to applicable healthcare, dental, insurance, professional, and legal recordkeeping requirements. 13. Children’s Privacy Our website is intended for general audiences and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through our website without appropriate parental or guardian involvement. If you believe a child has submitted personal information through our website without proper authorization, please contact us. Parents or legal guardians may contact us regarding their child’s information, subject to applicable laws and identity verification. 14. Third-Party Websites and Services Our website may link to third-party websites, platforms, or services, including online scheduling tools, payment processors, review platforms, social media pages, maps, or insurance-related resources. We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, security, or policies of third-party websites or services. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing information. 15. Social Media If you interact with Global Smiles Dental on social media, your interactions may be visible to others depending on your privacy settings and the platform’s policies. Do not post sensitive dental, medical, insurance, financial, or personal information on public social media pages. Social media platforms are governed by their own privacy policies and terms of use. 16. Reviews and Testimonials If you leave a review or testimonial on a public platform, the information you submit may be publicly visible. We may display or reference reviews in marketing materials, where permitted by law and platform rules. We will not disclose protected health information in responding to reviews unless permitted by law and authorized where required. 17. Do Not Track Signals Some browsers offer “Do Not Track” signals. Because there is not a uniform industry standard for responding to these signals, our website may not respond to them in a standardized way. You may still control cookies and tracking through your browser settings, device settings, and available platform privacy controls. 18. International Visitors Global Smiles Dental is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and our website is intended for users in the United States. If you access our website from outside the United States, your information may be processed in the United States, where privacy laws may differ from those in your location. 19. Changes to This Privacy Policy We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will revise the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page. Your continued use of our website after changes are posted means you accept the updated Privacy Policy. 20. Contact Us If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, our privacy practices, or your privacy rights, contact us at: Global Smiles Dental 8028 S. Emerson Ave., Suite A Indianapolis, IN 46237 Phone: (317) 648-5527 Email: globalfront@7daysfamilydental.com Website: https://globalsmilesental.net  For HIPAA-related requests, dental records requests, or questions about our Notice of Privacy Practices, please contact our office directly.