Privacy Policy & HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

1. Our Commitment to Your Privacy

SoftDental | Minh Nguyen, D.D.S., P.A. is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your health information. Federal law, including HIPAA, requires us to maintain the privacy of protected health information and provide this Notice of Privacy Practices.

This notice applies to information created or maintained by our practice, including dental records, X-rays, photographs, treatment plans, billing records, insurance information, appointment history, and communications related to your care.

We are required to follow the terms of the notice currently in effect.

2. What Is Protected Health Information?

Protected Health Information, or PHI, is information that identifies you and relates to your health, dental care, treatment, or payment for care. Examples include:

• Name, address, phone number, email address, and date of birth
• Dental and medical history, diagnoses, chart notes, X-rays, scans, and photographs
• Treatment plans, prescriptions, referrals, laboratory information, and post-operative instructions
• Insurance eligibility, benefits, claim forms, EOBs, billing records, and payment history
• Appointment dates, reminders, and communications with our office

3. How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information

We may use and share your health information without additional written authorization for treatment, payment, and health care operations.

4. Other Permitted or Required Uses and Disclosures

We may use or disclose your information when permitted or required by law, including:

• Public health reporting, disease reporting, product safety, or abuse/neglect reporting when required by law
• Health oversight activities, audits, investigations, licensing, or government reviews
• Court orders, subpoenas, discovery requests, or other lawful legal processes
• Law enforcement purposes permitted by law
• To prevent or reduce a serious and imminent threat to health or safety
• Workers' compensation and similar programs when legally authorized
• Military, veterans, national security, or protective services functions when applicable
• Appointment reminders, treatment alternatives, and health-related services that may benefit you

When the HIPAA “minimum necessary” rule applies, we make reasonable efforts to use or disclose only the information needed for the intended purpose.

5. Substance Use Disorder Records and Heightened Protections

If our practice receives or creates information related to substance use disorder treatment that is protected by federal confidentiality rules, we will handle that information according to applicable heightened protections. These rules may limit when such information can be used, redisclosed, or used in legal proceedings.

This dental practice is not a substance use disorder treatment program, but we may receive relevant medical history from a patient, physician, hospital, or other provider. When special protections apply, we will follow applicable law.

6. Uses and Disclosures That Require Written Authorization

Uses and disclosures not described in this notice generally require your written authorization. You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already acted based on it.

Written authorization is generally required for:

• Most uses or disclosures for marketing that are not otherwise permitted by HIPAA
• Sale of protected health information
• Disclosures to employers, life insurers, or other third parties when not otherwise permitted by law
• Psychotherapy notes, if applicable
• Any other use or disclosure that HIPAA or other law requires to be authorized in writing

7. Your Privacy Rights

You have the following rights regarding your protected health information. Some requests must be made in writing. We may ask for identification before fulfilling a request.

8. Website, Forms, Analytics, Cookies, and Digital Communications

When you use SoftDental.net, request an appointment, complete online forms, call, text, email, or use patient communication tools, we may collect information needed to respond to your request and provide care.

Information submitted through the website

• Name, phone number, email address, preferred appointment time, and reason for visit
• Insurance or new-patient information you voluntarily submit
• Any dental or health information you choose to include in a message or form

How we use website information

• To respond to your inquiry, schedule appointments, prepare for your visit, and coordinate care
• To communicate by phone, text, email, secure form, or patient communication platform
• To improve website usability, detect errors, protect security, and understand general traffic patterns

Digital communication limits

Standard email and text messages may not be fully secure. Please do not send detailed medical, dental, financial, or insurance information by regular email or text unless you understand and accept that risk. For sensitive information, use the secure forms or patient communication process provided by our office.

Cookies and analytics

Our website may use cookies, analytics tools, server logs, or similar technologies to understand page visits, browser type, device information, referral source, and general usage patterns. These tools help maintain and improve the website. They are not intended to sell patient health information.

Third-party service providers

We may use trusted service providers for website hosting, patient forms, appointment requests, phone/text communications, email delivery, security, analytics, backups, and dental practice software. When a service provider handles protected health information for the practice, we require appropriate privacy and security protections as applicable.

9. Breach Notification

If there is a breach of unsecured protected health information, we will notify affected patients as required by law. Notices may include a description of what happened, the type of information involved, steps patients may take to protect themselves, what we are doing to investigate and reduce harm, and how to contact us.

10. Our Legal Duties and Changes to This Notice

We are required by law to maintain the privacy of protected health information, provide this notice, and follow the terms of the notice currently in effect.

We may change our privacy practices and the terms of this notice. If we make a material change, the revised notice will be posted on our website and made available at our office. The revised notice may apply to information we already maintain as well as information we receive in the future.

11. Questions, Complaints, and Contact Information

If you have questions about this notice or believe your privacy rights have been violated, contact:

We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

12. Patient Acknowledgment of Receipt

By signing below, I acknowledge that I have received or been offered a copy of the SoftDental Notice of Privacy Practices. I understand that this notice explains how my health information may be used and disclosed and describes my privacy rights.

If a patient declines to sign, staff may document that the notice was provided or offered and that the patient declined to sign. Care may still be provided.