HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

The following describes the ways we may use and disclose health information that identifies you ("Health Information"). Not every use or disclosure in a category will be listed. However, all of the ways we are permitted to use and disclose information will fall within one of the categories.

We may use or disclose your Health Information to a physician or other healthcare provider providing treatment to you. For example, we may share information with a specialist or oral surgeon to whom we refer you.

We may use and disclose your Health Information to obtain payment for services we provide to you. For example, we may send claims to your dental insurance company and include information about the services provided.

We may use and disclose your Health Information in connection with our healthcare operations. Healthcare operations include quality assessment and improvement activities, reviewing the competence or qualifications of healthcare professionals, evaluating practitioner and provider performance, conducting training programs, accreditation, certification, licensing or credentialing activities.

In addition to our use of your Health Information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, you may give us written authorization to use your Health Information or to disclose it to anyone for any purpose. If you give us an authorization, you may revoke it in writing at any time. Your revocation will not affect any use or disclosures permitted by your authorization while it was in effect.

We must disclose your Health Information to you, as described in the Patient Rights section of this Notice. We may disclose your Health Information to a family member, friend, or other person to the extent necessary to help with your healthcare or with payment for your healthcare, but only if you agree that we may do so.

We may use or disclose health information to notify, or assist in the notification of (including identifying or locating) a family member, your personal representative or another person responsible for your care, of your location, your general condition, or death. If you are present, then prior to use or disclosure of your health information, we will provide you with an opportunity to object to such uses or disclosures.

We will not use your health information for marketing communications without your written authorization.

We may use or disclose your health information when we are required to do so by law.

We may disclose your health information to appropriate authorities if we reasonably believe that you are a possible victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence or the possible victim of other crimes. We may disclose your health information to the extent necessary to avert a serious threat to your health or safety or the health or safety of others.

We may disclose to military authorities the health information of Armed Forces personnel under certain circumstances. We may disclose to authorized federal officials health information required for lawful intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities. We may disclose to correctional institution or law enforcement official having lawful custody of protected health information of inmate or patient under certain circumstances.

We may use or disclose your Health Information to provide you with appointment reminders (such as voicemail messages, postcards, or letters).