Privacy Policy

Elk Grove Orthodontics
Effective Date: November 3, 2026

Elk Grove Orthodontics (“we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you visit https://elkgroveorthodontics.com, request an appointment, contact our office, or participate in our text messaging program.

1. Information We Collect

Information You Provide

We collect information you voluntarily provide when you complete website forms, request an appointment, contact our office, or communicate with our team. Depending on your interaction, this may include:

• Your name, email address, telephone number, and mailing address.

• A patient’s name and a parent’s or guardian’s contact information.

• Appointment preferences and whether you are a new or existing patient.

• Information you include in messages or inquiries.

• Communication preferences and records of consent to receive text messages or other communications.

If you complete patient registration, insurance, or financial forms through designated systems, we or our service providers may also collect information necessary to support your care, billing, and payment arrangements.

Please do not submit Social Security numbers, payment card details, detailed medical histories, or other sensitive information through general website contact forms.

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we and our website service providers may collect technical information, including:

• Internet Protocol (IP) address.

• Browser type, device type, and operating system.

• Pages visited, referring websites, and dates and times of visits.

• Website interactions and diagnostic information.

• Approximate location derived from your IP address.

This information may be collected through server logs, cookies, and similar technologies.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use information for purposes such as:

• Responding to questions and appointment requests.

• Scheduling, confirming, and managing appointments.

• Communicating with patients and parents or guardians.

• Supporting patient registration, billing, and insurance administration.

• Sending requested communications and obtaining or documenting communication preferences.

• Operating, maintaining, securing, and improving our website.

• Understanding website performance and usability.

• Preventing fraud, misuse, and unauthorized access.

• Meeting legal, regulatory, and recordkeeping obligations.

Where required, we obtain separate consent before sending marketing communications. Submitting a website inquiry does not, by itself, constitute consent to receive marketing text messages.

3. How We Disclose Information

We may disclose information to the following categories of recipients when appropriate:

Service providers: Companies that support website hosting, technical maintenance, scheduling, patient communications, secure forms, payment processing, and other practice operations. These providers may receive information needed to perform services for us, subject to applicable contractual and legal requirements.

Care and payment partners: Healthcare providers, insurance companies, and other parties involved in treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, as permitted by applicable law.

Legal and security recipients: Government authorities, legal advisers, or other parties when disclosure is required by law or reasonably necessary to protect rights, investigate fraud, address security issues, or respond to lawful requests.

Practice transition recipients: Parties involved in a merger, acquisition, or transfer of the practice, subject to applicable confidentiality obligations and laws governing patient records.

Recipients you authorize: Other parties when you direct us to disclose information or provide an appropriate authorization.

We do not sell patient contact lists or disclose personal information to third parties for their own direct marketing purposes.

4. Text Messaging and SMS Privacy

Types of Messages

If you opt in to receive text messages from Elk Grove Orthodontics, we may send messages related to appointment scheduling, confirmations, reminders, responses to inquiries, and other practice communications described when you enroll.

Marketing text messages, if offered, require separate consent where required by law.

Consent

Providing your telephone number alone does not constitute consent to receive marketing text messages. Where consent is required, we obtain it through an appropriate opt-in process.

Consent to receive marketing text messages is not a condition of purchasing services or receiving treatment.

Message Frequency and Charges

Message frequency varies depending on your appointments, requests, and communication preferences. Message and data rates may apply according to your wireless plan.

Opting Out and Getting Help

You may opt out of text messages at any time by replying STOP. You may receive a one-time message confirming your opt-out.

For assistance, reply HELP or call (916) 685-2164. You may also contact our office to withdraw consent or change your communication preferences.

Opting out of text messages does not prevent you from receiving care. We may contact you through another permitted communication method when necessary.

Mobile Information Protection

We do not sell, rent, or share mobile phone numbers, SMS opt-in information, or text messaging consent with third parties or affiliates for their marketing or promotional purposes.

We may disclose the minimum information necessary to service providers that help deliver or support our messaging program, subject to appropriate restrictions. We may also disclose information when required by law.

Text Message Privacy

Standard text messages may not be encrypted and may be accessible to anyone with access to your device or account. Please avoid sending sensitive medical or financial information by text. Contact our office for an appropriate way to share confidential information.

Text messaging is not intended for emergencies. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.

5. Cookies, Analytics, and Third-Party Content

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to support website functionality, remember preferences, measure performance, and improve the visitor experience.

Third-party features, such as embedded videos, maps, accessibility tools, or linked services, may collect technical information when you interact with them. Depending on the feature and your settings, those providers may collect information about your activity over time and across websites.

You can manage cookies through your browser settings and through any privacy controls made available on our website. Blocking certain cookies may affect website functionality.

We do not authorize website analytics providers to use information submitted through patient forms for their own advertising purposes.

6. California Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control

Our website does not currently change its practices in response to browser “Do Not Track” signals.

Global Privacy Control (“GPC”) is a separate browser-based privacy signal. Where applicable law requires us to recognize an opt-out preference signal, we honor valid GPC signals for the browser or device transmitting the signal.

7. California Privacy Rights

California residents may have rights concerning their personal information under applicable California law.

To the extent the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended, applies to our practice and the information involved, these rights may include:

• Knowing what personal information we collect, use, and disclose.

• Requesting access to personal information.

• Requesting correction of inaccurate personal information.

• Requesting deletion of personal information, subject to exceptions.

• Opting out of the sale or sharing of personal information, where applicable.

• Limiting certain uses or disclosures of sensitive personal information, where applicable.

• Exercising applicable privacy rights without unlawful discrimination.

Some information, including certain medical information, may be exempt from particular consumer privacy requirements and subject to separate healthcare privacy laws. A request to delete information does not override requirements to retain patient or other legally required records.

To submit a privacy request, call (916) 685-2164 or write to our office at the address below. We may need to verify your identity and, when applicable, an authorized agent’s authority before processing a request.

California residents may also contact us regarding disclosures of personal information for third parties’ direct marketing purposes. We do not disclose personal information for those purposes.

8. Patient Health Information

This website Privacy Policy is separate from our Notice of Privacy Practices, which addresses protected health information and patient rights under applicable healthcare privacy laws, including HIPAA where applicable.

Please contact our office to obtain our Notice of Privacy Practices or to ask about access to, amendments to, or other rights concerning your patient records.

Where information is subject to healthcare privacy laws, we handle it according to those laws and our applicable Notice of Privacy Practices. This website policy does not replace that notice or any required patient authorization.

9. Children’s Privacy

Our practice provides orthodontic care to children, teenagers, and adults. Our website is intended for a general audience and is not directed to children under age 13.

We do not knowingly collect personal information online directly from children under 13 without legally required parental consent or another lawful basis. Parents and legal guardians may provide information on behalf of a child to request appointments or arrange care.

If you believe a child has submitted information through our website without appropriate authorization, contact our office so we can review the matter.

10. Information Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, use, alteration, and disclosure.

No website, electronic transmission, or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure. Please contact our office for guidance before transmitting sensitive information electronically.

11. Information Retention

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including responding to inquiries, providing care, maintaining business records, documenting communication consent, resolving disputes, and meeting legal obligations.

Retention periods vary based on the type of information and applicable requirements. Patient records may be subject to retention requirements that differ from those governing general website inquiries.

12. Your Communication Choices

You may contact us to update your contact information or communication preferences.

• Text messages: Reply STOP or contact our office.

• Marketing emails: Use the unsubscribe link, if provided, or contact our office.

• Cookies: Adjust your browser settings or available website privacy controls.

We may continue to send necessary administrative or care-related communications through permitted channels.

13. Links to Other Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites or services. Those providers maintain their own privacy policies and practices.

Please review their policies before providing personal information. This Privacy Policy applies to Elk Grove Orthodontics’ practices and does not govern independently operated third-party websites.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. Updates will be posted on this page with a revised effective date.

When required by law, we will provide additional notice or obtain consent before applying a material change.

15. Contact Us

For questions about this Privacy Policy, to update your information, or to submit a privacy request, please contact:

Elk Grove Orthodontics
Attention: Privacy Officer
9727 Elk Grove-Florin Road, Suite 280
Elk Grove, CA 95624

Phone: (916) 685-2164
Website: https://elkgroveorthodontics.com