Privacy Policy

At The Gentle Dentistry, accessible from https://thegentledentistry.com/, protecting the privacy of our visitors and patients is a top priority. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, how we protect it, and the rights you have under applicable privacy laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Last Updated: October 1, 2025

1. HIPAA & Online Data Disclaimer

If you are a patient of The Gentle Dentistry, any health information you provide in the course of treatment is Protected Health Information (PHI) governed by HIPAA. This Privacy Policy applies only to our website and online activities. Do not submit sensitive medical or dental information online unless a secure, HIPAA-compliant channel is provided. All in-office patient records are handled according to federal and state healthcare privacy regulations.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of information:

• IP addresses
• Browser type and version
• Internet Service Provider (ISP)
• Date and time stamps of site visits
• Referring and exit pages
• Number of clicks and general site activity

This information is not linked to personally identifiable health information and is used for analytics, website optimization, and improving services.

3. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience. These may store visitor preferences and track pages visited to help us improve our content and services.

We may also use third-party tools, including Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel, to better understand visitor behavior. These tools may collect information sent directly to your browser, including IP addresses. You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but some parts of the site may not function properly.

4. Third-Party Privacy Policies

Our Privacy Policy does not extend to third-party advertisers, service providers, or websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of third parties to understand their practices and opt-out instructions. The Gentle Dentistry only permits third-party tools to collect information for analytics and marketing purposes.

5. Children’s Privacy

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without parental consent. If you believe your child has submitted information, please contact us immediately so we can remove it. For patients under 18, dental and medical information collected during treatment is protected under HIPAA.

6. California Consumer Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right to Know: You may request details about the personal data we collect, use, or disclose.
• Right to Delete: You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain legal or medical record-keeping obligations.
• Right to Opt-Out: You may request that we do not sell or share your personal information. The Gentle Dentistry does not sell personal information.
• Right to Non-Discrimination: You will not receive different treatment for exercising your privacy rights.

To exercise your California privacy rights, contact us at the email or phone number below.

7. Data Retention

Information submitted through contact forms or appointment requests is retained only as long as necessary to provide services or comply with legal obligations. Non-identifiable site analytics data may be retained indefinitely for trend analysis.

8. Do Not Track

Our website does not respond to “Do Not Track” browser signals. Disabling cookies may limit certain functionality.

9. Security Measures

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal data from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in laws, regulations, or practice operations. The revised date will be posted at the top of this page. Your continued use of the Website constitutes acceptance of any changes.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us:

The Gentle Dentistry
4765 Carmel Mountain Rd #205
San Diego, CA 92130
Phone: (858) 350-7400
Email: thegentledentistry@gmail.com