Notice of Privacy Practices, HIPAA
Updated: March 12, 2026
This Notice of Privacy Practices 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.
Our Legal Duty
Austin Lifetime Dental is required by law to maintain the privacy of protected health information, also called PHI. PHI includes information that identifies you and relates to your past, present, or future oral health, dental treatment, or payment for dental care.
We are required to provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices, follow the terms of this Notice, and notify affected individuals if there is a breach of unsecured protected health information.
How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information
Treatment
We may use and disclose your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your dental care. For example, we may share information with dentists, specialists, dental laboratories, pharmacies, or other health care providers involved in your care.
Payment
We may use and disclose your health information to bill and collect payment for the services we provide. This may include sharing information with dental or medical insurance plans, payment processors, or collection agencies as permitted by law.
Health Care Operations
We may use and disclose your health information for our normal business operations. These activities may include quality review, staff training, licensing, credentialing, audits, business planning, and customer service.
Appointment Reminders and Communications
We may use and disclose your information to contact you about appointments, follow-up care, treatment options, billing matters, or other health-related services. These communications may occur by phone, voicemail, text message, email, mail, or through online scheduling tools.
Treatment Alternatives and Health-Related Benefits
We may contact you about treatment options, services, or health-related benefits that may be of interest to you.
Business Associates
We may share your health information with third-party service providers, known as business associates, who perform services for us. These may include billing companies, technology vendors, scheduling platforms, consultants, laboratories, and other service providers. We require business associates to protect your information as required by HIPAA.
Uses and Disclosures Required or Permitted by Law
We may use or disclose your health information without your written authorization when required or permitted by law, including for the following purposes:
Public Health Activities
We may disclose information for public health purposes, such as reporting disease, injury, vital events, or product safety concerns.
Health Oversight Activities
We may disclose information to government agencies responsible for audits, investigations, inspections, licensing, and other health oversight activities.
Legal Proceedings
We may disclose information in response to a court order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful legal process.
Law Enforcement
We may disclose information to law enforcement officials when required or permitted by law.
Abuse, Neglect, or Domestic Violence
We may disclose information to the appropriate authorities if we reasonably believe a patient may be a victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, as permitted or required by law.
Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors
We may disclose information to coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors as needed for them to perform their duties.
Organ and Tissue Donation
We may disclose information to organizations involved in organ, eye, or tissue donation as permitted by law.
Research
We may use or disclose information for research purposes when approved through a process required by law.
Serious Threats to Health or Safety
We may disclose information when necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public.
Specialized Government Functions
We may disclose information for certain government functions, including military, national security, protective services, or correctional institution purposes, when permitted by law.
Workers’ Compensation
We may disclose information as authorized by laws relating to workers’ compensation or similar programs.
Uses and Disclosures That Require Your Authorization
We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your health information for purposes not described in this Notice or otherwise permitted by law.
Your written authorization is generally required for:
Marketing communications, except where permitted by law.
The sale of protected health information.
Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, if applicable.
Other uses or disclosures not otherwise permitted by HIPAA.
You may revoke your authorization in writing at any time. If you revoke your authorization, we will stop using or disclosing your information for that purpose, except to the extent we have already relied on your authorization.
Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information
Right to Inspect and Copy
You have the right to inspect and receive a copy of certain health information we maintain about you. Requests must be made in writing. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee as permitted by law.
Right to Request an Amendment
You have the right to request that we amend your health information if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete. Requests must be made in writing and include a reason for the request. We may deny the request in certain circumstances.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures
You have the right to request a list of certain disclosures we have made of your health information. This list will not include disclosures made for treatment, payment, health care operations, or certain other disclosures excluded by law.
Right to Request Restrictions
You have the right to request restrictions on how we use or disclose your health information for treatment, payment, or health care operations. We are not required to agree to all requested restrictions, except where required by law.
If you pay out of pocket in full for a health care item or service, you may request that we not disclose information about that item or service to your health plan for payment or health care operations purposes, unless disclosure is required by law.
Right to Request Confidential Communications
You have the right to request that we communicate with you in a specific way or at a specific location. For example, you may ask us to contact you at a particular phone number or mailing address. We will accommodate reasonable requests.
Right to Receive a Paper Copy
You have the right to receive a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically.
Right to Be Notified of a Breach
You have the right to be notified if we discover a breach of unsecured protected health information involving your information, as required by law.
How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise your rights, please contact Austin Lifetime Dental using the contact information listed at the bottom of this Notice. Requests may need to be submitted in writing so we can properly process them.
Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with Austin Lifetime Dental or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.
You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.
To file a complaint with Austin Lifetime Dental, please contact us using the contact information listed below.
Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to change this Notice at any time. Any revised Notice will apply to the health information we already have about you, as well as any information we receive in the future. The current Notice will be posted on our website and will include the effective date.
Questions and Contact Information
If you have questions about this Notice of Privacy Practices, would like to exercise your privacy rights, or need to file a privacy complaint with Austin Lifetime Dental, please contact us:
Austin Lifetime Dental
2206 West Parmer Lane
Austin, TX 78727
Phone: (512) 835-1924
Email: info@lifetimedental.com
Website: https://www.lifetimedental.com/
