HIPAA NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
Effective Date: July 10, 2026
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL AND DENTAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
Softly Dental is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your protected health information (“PHI”). This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose your PHI, explains your rights regarding that information, and describes our responsibilities under applicable privacy laws.
Protected health information includes information that identifies you and relates to your health condition, dental or healthcare services provided to you, or payment for those services.
Your Rights
You have certain rights regarding your protected health information.
Get a Copy of Your Health Record
You may ask to see or obtain an electronic or paper copy of your health record and other health information we maintain about you. We will provide access or a copy as required by applicable law and may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee when permitted by law.
Ask Us to Correct Your Health Record
You may ask us to correct health information about you that you believe is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny your request in certain circumstances permitted by law. If we deny your request, we will explain the reason as required by applicable law.
Request Confidential Communications
You may ask us to contact you about health matters in a specific way or at a specific location. For example, you may ask us to contact you at a particular telephone number or send communications to a different address. We will accommodate reasonable requests as required by applicable law.
Ask Us to Limit What We Use or Share
You may ask us not to use or disclose certain health information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. We are not required to agree to every requested restriction.
If you pay for a healthcare item or service out of pocket in full, you may ask us not to disclose information about that item or service to your health plan for purposes of payment or healthcare operations. We will honor that request unless disclosure is required by law.
Get a List of Certain Disclosures
You may request an accounting of certain disclosures of your health information. The accounting will be provided in accordance with applicable HIPAA requirements.
Get a Copy of This Notice
You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically.
Choose Someone to Act for You
If you have given someone legal authority to act on your behalf, such as through a healthcare power of attorney or legal guardianship, that person may exercise your privacy rights as permitted by law.
File a Complaint
You may file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. You may file a complaint directly with Softly Dental or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.
Softly Dental will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Your Choices
In certain circumstances, you may tell us your preferences regarding how your health information is shared.
This may include sharing information with family members, close friends, caregivers, or other individuals involved in your care or payment for your care.
If you are unable to tell us your preference, such as during an emergency, we may disclose information when permitted by law and when doing so is considered to be in your best interest.
For uses and disclosures that require your written authorization, we will obtain your authorization before using or disclosing your information. You may revoke an authorization in writing as permitted by law.
How We May Use and Disclose Your Information
Treatment
We may use and disclose your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your dental or healthcare treatment.
For example, we may share relevant information with another dentist, dental specialist, physician, pharmacy, dental laboratory, or other healthcare provider involved in your care.
Payment
We may use and disclose your health information to bill and obtain payment for services provided to you.
For example, we may provide information to your dental or health insurance plan to determine benefits, obtain authorization when applicable, submit claims, or obtain payment.
Healthcare Operations
We may use and disclose your health information for activities necessary to operate our dental practice.
These activities may include quality assessment and improvement, staff training, credentialing, auditing, legal services, compliance activities, business planning, and other administrative functions.
Business Associates
We may share protected health information with third-party service providers that perform services on our behalf and require access to PHI to perform those services.
When required by HIPAA, these organizations are considered business associates and are required to appropriately safeguard protected health information.
Appointment Reminders and Health-Related Communications
We may use your information to contact you regarding appointments, treatment, follow-up care, treatment alternatives, or health-related services as permitted by law.
Individuals Involved in Your Care
Unless you object, or as otherwise permitted by law, we may share relevant health information with a family member, close friend, caregiver, or another person involved in your care or payment for your care.
Required by Law
We may use or disclose your health information when required by federal, state, or local law.
Public Health and Safety
We may disclose health information for public health and safety activities when permitted or required by law.
Health Oversight Activities
We may disclose health information to authorized health oversight agencies for activities such as audits, investigations, inspections, licensing, and disciplinary proceedings when permitted by law.
Abuse, Neglect, or Domestic Violence
We may disclose health information to appropriate authorities regarding suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence when permitted or required by law.
Judicial, Administrative, and Law Enforcement Purposes
We may disclose health information in response to certain court orders, administrative proceedings, subpoenas, or lawful law enforcement requests, subject to applicable legal requirements.
Workers’ Compensation
We may disclose health information as authorized by and to the extent necessary to comply with workers’ compensation laws or similar programs.
Other Uses and Disclosures
For uses and disclosures not otherwise permitted or required by law, we will obtain your written authorization when required.
You may revoke your authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent that we have already acted in reliance on that authorization.
Our Responsibilities
Softly Dental is required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
We are required to provide you with this Notice describing our legal duties and privacy practices.
We are required to follow the duties and privacy practices described in the Notice currently in effect.
We will notify affected individuals as required by law if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of unsecured protected health information.
We will not use or disclose your health information other than as described in this Notice unless you authorize us to do so or another use or disclosure is permitted or required by law.
Changes to This Notice
Softly Dental reserves the right to change the terms of this Notice and our privacy practices as permitted by law.
Changes may apply to protected health information that we already maintain as well as information we receive in the future.
If we make a material change to this Notice, the revised Notice will be made available at our office, upon request, and on our website.
The Effective Date displayed at the beginning of this Notice identifies when the current version became effective.
Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint directly with Softly Dental.
To file a complaint with our practice, contact:
Softly Dental
8560 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33144
Phone: (305) 262-0509
Email: softlydental@gmail.com
You may also file a complaint with the:
U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesOffice for Civil Rights
Complaints may be submitted through the HHS Office for Civil Rights Complaint Portal or through other methods currently provided by the Office for Civil Rights.
Softly Dental will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint with our practice or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Questions About This Notice
If you have questions about this Notice, would like a paper copy, wish to exercise one of your privacy rights, or need additional information about our privacy practices, please contact:
Softly Dental
8560 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33144
Phone: (305) 262-0509
Email: softlydental@gmail.com