Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy describes how Smile Makers of Georgia collects, uses, and discloses your personal information, and your rights regarding that information. We are committed to ensuring the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI) in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other applicable laws.

Last Updated: May 1, 2025

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact our Privacy Officer at:

Smile Makers of Georgia

Phone:

Email:

Information We Collect

We collect personal and health information about you to provide dental care services, process payment, and operate our practice. This information may include:

Personal Identifiers: Name, address, phone number, email address, date of birth, Social Security number, driver's license, and government ID numbers.
Health Information: Medical and dental history, treatment records, diagnostic images (X-rays), laboratory results, medications, allergies, and other information related to your health and dental care.
Insurance Information: Insurance carrier, policy information, group numbers, and subscriber information.
Financial Information: Payment methods, credit card information, and banking details.
Website and Digital Data: Information collected through our website, such as cookies, IP addresses, browser details, and interaction with our online services.

How We Collect Your Information

We collect your information through various channels, including:

Patient registration forms and health questionnaires
Communications with our office via phone, email, or in person
Dental examinations, treatments, and procedures
Insurance claims and payment processing
Our website, online forms, and digital communications
Referrals from other healthcare providers

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal and health information for the following purposes:

Treatment: To provide, coordinate, and manage your dental care and related services.
Payment: To bill and collect payment for services provided, including submitting claims to insurance companies.
Healthcare Operations: To operate our practice, improve the quality of care, train staff, and conduct business planning and management.
Appointment Reminders: To contact you regarding appointments, treatment follow-ups, and preventive care reminders.
Health-Related Benefits and Services: To inform you about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes.

Disclosure of Your Information

We may disclose your personal information to the following categories of recipients:

Healthcare Providers: Other dentists, specialists, physicians, or healthcare providers involved in your care.
Insurance Companies: Your dental and medical insurance carriers for payment and claims processing.
Business Associates: Third-party service providers who help us operate our practice, such as billing services, electronic health record vendors, and software providers. These business associates are contractually obligated to protect your information.
Legal and Regulatory Authorities: As required by law, for public health activities, health oversight activities, judicial proceedings, law enforcement purposes, or to prevent a serious threat to health or safety.

How We Protect Your Information

We maintain appropriate physical, technical, and administrative safeguards to protect the privacy and security of your personal information, including:

Secure, encrypted electronic health record systems
Access controls limiting who can view your information
Staff training on privacy and security practices
Physical security measures for our facilities and paper records
Regular risk assessments and security evaluations
Business Associate Agreements with third-party service providers

Your Rights Regarding Your Information

Under HIPAA and applicable state laws, you have certain rights regarding your personal and health information, including:

Right to Access

You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your health information maintained in your dental record.

Right to Amend

You have the right to request an amendment to your health information if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete.

Right to an Accounting of Disclosures

You have the right to request an accounting of certain disclosures of your health information made by us.

Right to Request Restrictions

You have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your health information, although we are not required to agree to all restriction requests.

Right to Request Confidential Communications

You have the right to request that we communicate with you about health matters in a certain way or at a certain location.

Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice

You have the right to receive a paper copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically.

To exercise any of these rights, please submit a written request to our Privacy Officer using the contact information provided at the beginning of this Privacy Policy.

Website Privacy

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience. We collect certain information automatically when you visit our website, including your IP address, browser type, referring/exit pages, and operating system. This information is used to analyze trends, administer the site, track user movements, and gather demographic information for aggregate use.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to change this Privacy Policy at any time. Any changes will be effective immediately upon posting of the revised Privacy Policy. We will notify you of material changes by posting a notice on our website or providing notice during your next visit to our office. We encourage you to periodically review this Privacy Policy to stay informed about how we protect your information.

Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our office or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. To file a complaint with our office, contact our Privacy Officer using the information provided at the beginning of this Privacy Policy. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

This Privacy Policy is intended to comply with the privacy provisions of HIPAA, the HITECH Act, and other applicable federal and state privacy laws. In the event of any inconsistency between this Privacy Policy and applicable law, the applicable law will control.