PRIVACY POLICY

Pines True Smile
Pembroke Pines, Florida
Phone: (954) 703-2474

Last Updated: January 23, 2026

INTRODUCTION

Pines True Smile (“we,” “us,” “our,” or “the Practice”) is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring you have a positive experience on our website and in our dental practice. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other applicable privacy laws.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our services or website.

INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Health Information

We collect and maintain protected health information (PHI) about you, which includes:

• Medical and dental history
• Current medications and allergies
• Insurance information
• Treatment plans and clinical notes
• X-rays, photographs, and diagnostic images
• Billing and payment information
• Emergency contact information

1.2 Information You Provide Directly

When you visit our office or website, you may provide us with:

• Demographic information (name, date of birth, address, phone number, email)
• Insurance and billing details
• Emergency contact names and numbers
• Information provided through appointment scheduling forms
• Communications you send to us via email or phone
• Information collected during consultations and treatment

1.3 Information Collected Through Website

We may collect non-sensitive information through our website, including:

• Browser type and operating system
• Pages visited and time spent
• IP address and general location data
• Information from cookies and tracking technologies
• Information you voluntarily submit through contact forms or appointment requests

HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

2.1 Treatment Purposes

We use your health information to:

• Provide dental treatment and consultations
• Diagnose dental conditions and plan treatment
• Create and maintain your dental records
• Communicate with you about treatment options and progress
• Monitor your oral health and wellness

2.2 Payment and Healthcare Operations

We use your information to:

• Process payment for services rendered
• Verify insurance coverage and eligibility
• Submit insurance claims and manage reimbursements
• Manage billing and collections activities
• Obtain pre-authorization for treatment when required
• Arrange payment plans and financing options (CareCredit, Lending Club, etc.)

2.3 Administrative and Legal Purposes

We use your information to:

• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements
• Fulfill our HIPAA obligations
• Maintain accurate dental records
• Manage quality assurance and peer review activities
• Defend against legal claims
• Conduct business operations and management

2.4 Communication

We may use your contact information to:

• Send appointment reminders and follow-up communications
• Provide treatment updates and clinical information
• Respond to your inquiries and requests
• Send important updates about our practice policies
• Contact you regarding account or billing matters

2.5 Non-Treatment Uses

We use de-identified information (information that cannot be used to identify you) for:

• Quality improvement and patient safety activities
• Internal reporting and analytics
• Professional education and training
• Research purposes (only with appropriate safeguards)

3. DISCLOSURE OF YOUR INFORMATION

3.1 With Your Authorization

We will only disclose your health information to third parties with your express written authorization, except as permitted or required by HIPAA and other applicable laws.

3.2 Permitted Disclosures Without Authorization

We may disclose your protected health information without your authorization for the following purposes:

For Treatment: We may share your information with other healthcare providers involved in your care, including specialists, referring dentists, hospitals, or other medical professionals treating you.

For Payment: We may disclose information to:

• Your health insurance company or employer’s health plan
• Financial institutions and financing companies (CareCredit, Lending Club)
• Collection agencies and legal representatives for unpaid balances
• Credit reporting agencies as permitted by law

For Healthcare Operations: We may share information with:

• Our business associates who assist in delivering care and services
• Billing and claims processing vendors
• Practice management companies
• Quality assurance and utilization review organizations
• Legal and accounting professionals providing services to our practice

For Public Health Activities: We may disclose information as required by:

• State and federal health agencies
• Public health authorities investigating disease outbreaks
• Healthcare oversight agencies
• Law enforcement officials (when legally required)

For Legal and Law Enforcement Purposes: We may disclose information when:

• Required by subpoena, court order, or legal process
• Necessary to address abuse, neglect, or criminal conduct
• Required to cooperate with law enforcement investigations
• Authorized by applicable privacy laws

For Workers’ Compensation: We may disclose information to workers’ compensation insurers and administrators as required.

3.3 Business Associates

We may share your information with our business associates who assist us in providing services. These associates are contractually obligated to maintain the confidentiality and security of your information and may only use it to perform the services we’ve requested.

Our business associates may include:

• Dental laboratory services
• Practice management companies
• Billing and claims processing services
• Cybersecurity and IT support vendors
• Insurance verification services

3.4 Restrictions on Disclosure

We will never sell, rent, or lease your personal health information to third parties for marketing purposes without your explicit written consent. We will not disclose your information to non-healthcare entities without authorization, except as required by law.

4. YOUR HIPAA PRIVACY RIGHTS

You have specific rights regarding your protected health information under HIPAA:

4.1 Right to Access

You have the right to access, review, and request a copy of your dental records and protected health information. We will provide this information within 30 days of your written request, or within 60 days if the records are stored off-site. We may charge reasonable fees for copying and mailing your records.

4.2 Right to Amendment

If you believe information in your dental records is inaccurate or incomplete, you may request that we amend it. We will review your request and respond within 30 days. If we deny your request, we will provide you with an explanation and information about your right to appeal.

4.3 Right to Accounting of Disclosures

You have the right to request an accounting of disclosures—a list of who we have shared your health information with and for what purpose. We will provide this information within 30 days of your request. One accounting per 12-month period is provided free of charge; additional accountings may incur a reasonable fee.

4.4 Right to Confidential Communications

You may request that we communicate with you about your health information through alternative means or at a different address (for example, calling you at work instead of home). We will accommodate reasonable requests.

4.5 Right to Request Restrictions

You may request that we restrict how we use and disclose your health information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. However, we are not required to agree to all restrictions. If we do agree, we will honor the restriction unless you later revoke it or the information is needed for emergency treatment.

4.6 Right to Privacy Safeguards

You have the right to request additional privacy safeguards for your information. We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your data as described in Section 6 of this policy.

4.7 Right to a Copy of This Notice

You have the right to obtain a written copy of this Privacy Notice at any time. You may request a copy in person at our office or by contacting us at the information provided in Section 10.

4.8 Right to Appeal

If we deny any of your privacy rights requests, you have the right to appeal our decision.

5. DATA SECURITY AND PROTECTION

5.1 Administrative Safeguards

We implement administrative security measures, including:

• Policies and procedures for privacy and security compliance
• Employee training and education on HIPAA requirements
• Workforce security procedures and access controls
• Designated Privacy Officer and Security Officer
• Regular risk assessments and security audits
• Incident response and breach notification procedures

5.2 Physical Safeguards

We maintain physical security controls, including:

• Restricted access to areas containing patient records
• Locked storage for physical files and records
• Limited access to computer systems and terminals
• Security cameras and alarm systems where applicable
• Secure disposal of confidential documents and data

5.3 Technical Safeguards

We use technical security measures, including:

• Encryption of electronic health records and data in transit
• Secure password protection and authentication systems
• Firewalls and intrusion detection systems
• Regular security updates and patches for computer systems
• Automatic logoff procedures for workstations
• Secure backup systems and disaster recovery plans
• Audit controls and access logs

5.4 Electronic Health Records (EHR)

Our practice uses secure electronic health record systems that include:

• Role-based access controls limiting employee access to necessary information
• Encryption for data at rest and in transit
• Multi-factor authentication for system access
• Regular backups and disaster recovery protocols
• Audit trails tracking all access to patient records

5.5 Website Security

Our website uses industry-standard security protocols, including SSL encryption for any data transmission. However, no website transmission is 100% secure. We encourage you to use caution when transmitting sensitive information online.

6. DATA RETENTION

We maintain your dental records and protected health information according to:

• Federal and state legal requirements
• Our professional standards and best practices
• Clinical best practices for oral health continuity
• Statute of limitations for legal and contractual purposes

Generally, we retain active patient records for at least 6-7 years after your last treatment. For minors, we retain records until age of majority plus applicable retention periods. We destroy records according to HIPAA guidelines using shredding, secure deletion, or other destruction methods that prevent unauthorized access.

7. CHILDREN’S PRIVACY

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under age 13. If we learn that we have collected such information without parental consent, we will delete it immediately. For patients between 13 and 18, we may use parental email addresses for appointment reminders and treatment communications.

If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately using the information in Section 10.

8. THIRD-PARTY LINKS AND SERVICES

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including patient financing services (CareCredit, Lending Club) and insurance company portals. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

When you use third-party financing or insurance verification services through our website, those companies will collect and handle your information according to their own privacy policies.

9. POLICY CHANGES AND UPDATES

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated policy on our website and updating the “Last Updated” date.

Your continued use of our services following notification of changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

10. CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your HIPAA rights, or need to report a privacy concern, please contact us:

Pines True Smile
Pembroke Pines, Florida

Phone: (954) 703-2474
Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Mailing Address:
11246 Pines Blvd, Pembroke Pines, FL 33026

Email: info@pinestruesmile.com

10.1 Privacy Officer

Our designated Privacy Officer is responsible for developing and implementing our privacy policies and procedures. You may contact our Privacy Officer with any privacy concerns or questions.

10.2 Filing a Complaint

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with:

Our Practice: Submit your complaint in writing to our Privacy Officer at the contact information above. We will investigate your complaint and respond within 30 days.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS):
Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Phone: 1-800-368-1019
Email: ocrmail@hhs.gov
Website: https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/index.html

You may file a complaint with the HHS Office for Civil Rights if you believe we have violated your privacy rights under HIPAA. You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

12.1 Applicable Law

This Privacy Policy is governed by and construed in accordance with HIPAA, the Privacy Rule, the Security Rule, the Breach Notification Rule, and applicable state and federal privacy laws.

12.2 Entire Agreement

This Privacy Policy constitutes the entire agreement between you and Pines True Smile regarding privacy matters and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings.

12.3 Severability

If any provision of this policy is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to be valid and enforceable.

12.4 No Waiver

Our failure to enforce any provision of this policy does not constitute a waiver of that provision or any other provision.

© 2026 Pines True Smile. All Rights Reserved.

This Privacy Policy is effective as of January 23, 2026, and supersedes all previous privacy notices.