Privacy Policy & Notice of Privacy Practices

Effective date: March 11, 2026

This page explains how Seaport Smiles handles information collected through our website and how we protect protected health information under HIPAA.

The website privacy information below applies to visitors, prospective patients, and online inquiries. The Notice of Privacy Practices applies to protected health information created or maintained by our practice in connection with your care.

Website Privacy Policy

Information We Collect

When you interact with Seaport Smiles, we may collect:

Patient and contact information

  • Name, email address, mailing address, and phone number
  • Appointment requests, scheduling details, and communications with our office
  • Medical, dental, and treatment history that you provide to us
  • Insurance, billing, and payment information

Website usage information

  • IP address and general location information
  • Browser, device, and operating system details
  • Pages visited, site interactions, and referral sources
  • Form submissions and messages sent through our website

How We Use Information

  • Provide orthodontic care, patient support, and follow-up communications
  • Schedule appointments and manage treatment-related requests
  • Process billing, insurance, and payment-related activities
  • Maintain, secure, and improve our website and digital services
  • Measure website performance and understand how visitors find our practice

Website Analytics and Tracking

We use Google Analytics, Google Ads conversion tracking, and Vercel Analytics to understand website performance, improve user experience, and measure the effectiveness of our advertising. These tools may collect page visits, referral sources, device information, and general interaction data.

Manage Your Analytics Preferences

Disabling analytics will not affect your ability to use our website or contact our office.

How We Share and Protect Information

  • Healthcare professionals involved in your care, as permitted by HIPAA
  • Service providers who help us operate our practice and website
  • Insurance carriers, payment processors, and vendors supporting treatment or billing
  • Government authorities or other parties when disclosure is required by law

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect your information. We do not sell personal information, and we do not use or disclose protected health information for marketing or sale without written authorization when HIPAA requires it.

Your Website Privacy Choices

  • Ask to access or correct personal information you have provided to us
  • Opt out of marketing communications at any time
  • Adjust browser settings or our analytics controls to limit tracking
  • Contact us with any privacy question or request using the information at the end of this page

Notice of Privacy Practices

Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.

Your Rights

Ask for copies, corrections, confidential communications, disclosure accountings, and a paper copy of this notice.

Your Choices

Tell us how to share information with family, friends, or others involved in your care, and when written authorization is required.

Our Uses and Disclosures

Learn how we use and share health information for treatment, payment, operations, legal obligations, and public interest purposes.

Your Rights

When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.

Get a copy of your medical record

You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we maintain about you. We will provide a copy or summary, usually within 30 days of your request. A reasonable, cost-based fee may apply.

Ask us to correct your medical record

You can ask us to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or incomplete. We may say no to your request, but if we do, we will tell you why in writing within 60 days.

Request confidential communications

You can ask us to contact you in a specific way, such as at home, at work, or by mail at a different address. We will say yes to all reasonable requests.

Ask us to limit what we use or share

You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations. We are not required to agree, but we will say yes when the law requires it, including when you pay for a service out-of-pocket in full and ask us not to share that information with your health insurer for payment or operations purposes.

Get a list of disclosures

You can ask for a list of the times we have shared your health information for six years before the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why. This list will not include disclosures for treatment, payment, health care operations, or certain other permitted disclosures. One accounting per year is free; additional requests within 12 months may incur a reasonable, cost-based fee.

Get a copy of this notice

You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically. We will provide one promptly.

Choose someone to act for you

If someone has legal authority to act for you, such as a personal representative, legal guardian, or holder of medical power of attorney, that person may exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.

File a complaint

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may contact our Privacy Officer or file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Your Choices

For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations below, talk to us and we will follow your instructions.

You have the right and choice to tell us to:

  • Share information with family members, close friends, or others involved in your care or payment for your care
  • Share information in a disaster relief situation
  • Include limited information in a facility directory if that becomes applicable to your care

If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may go ahead and share information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

We never share your information for the following purposes unless you give us written permission:

  • Marketing purposes
  • Sale of your information
  • Most sharing of psychotherapy notes

If we contact you for fundraising efforts, you can tell us not to contact you again.

Our Uses and Disclosures

How do we typically use or share your health information?

We typically use or share your health information in the following ways:

Treat you

We can use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you.

Example: A doctor treating you asks another doctor about your overall health condition.

Run our organization

We can use and share your health information to run our practice, improve your care, and contact you when necessary.

Example: We use health information about you to manage your treatment and services.

Bill for your services

We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities.

Example: We give information about you to your health insurance plan so it will pay for your services.

How else can we use or share your health information?

We are allowed or required to share your information in other ways that usually contribute to the public good, such as public health and research, or to comply with legal requirements.

Help with public health and safety issues
  • Prevent disease
  • Help with product recalls
  • Report adverse reactions to medications
  • Report suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
  • Prevent or reduce a serious threat to anyone's health or safety
Do research

We can use or share your information for health research, subject to applicable legal requirements.

Comply with the law

We will share information about you if state or federal law requires it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to confirm that we are complying with federal privacy law.

Respond to organ and tissue donation requests

We can share health information about you with organ procurement organizations when permitted by law.

Work with a medical examiner or funeral director

We can share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies.

Address workers' compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests
  • For workers' compensation claims
  • For law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official
  • With health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law
  • For special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services
Respond to lawsuits and legal actions

We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena when permitted by law.

Our Responsibilities

  • We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
  • We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
  • We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.
  • We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time by notifying us in writing.

Changes to This Notice

We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request in our office and on this website.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or Notice of Privacy Practices, want to exercise your privacy rights, or need a paper copy of this notice, please contact:

Seaport Smiles

Privacy Officer

268 Summer Street, 2nd Floor

Boston, MA 02210

Phone: (617) 752-2220

Email: hello@seaportsmiles.com

You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights.

https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html | 1-877-696-6775