Privacy Notice

To our patients and their parents:

On April 14, 2003 a new federal law went gone into effect, Health Information and Portability Accountability Act (HIPPA). In theory this impacts many areas of operation of medical and dental practices. It does not readily impact actual treatment for your children.
(Link to official Notice of Privacy Practices)

You will be asked to sign a form when you come into our office for your child's next appointment regarding the new privacy laws. This form, Notice of Privacy Practices, presents the information that federal law requires us to give our patients regarding our privacy practices.
(Link to Copy of Acknowledgement of Privacy Practices)

The HIPPA Act establishes a federal floor of safeguards to protect the confidentiality of medical and dental information. The privacy law, for the first time, creates national standards to protect individuals' medical and dental records and other personal health information.

It gives patients more control over their health information.
It sets boundaries on the use and release of health records.
It establishes appropriate safeguards the health care providers and others must achieve to protect the privacy of health information.
It enables patients to find out how their information may be used and what disclosures of their information have made.
It gives patients the right to examine and obtain a copy of their own health records and request corrections.
It attempts to protect disclosures of health information, including accidental incidental disclosures such as treatment or conditions overheard in an oral conversation. Pediatric and Orthodontic practices are open bay such that our clinic functions like a classroom to facilitate patient modeling of behavior. Because treatment is also rendered and discussed in this area, we must invite parents in to the treatment areas as needed. Parents of extremely young and handicapped children will be asked to remain in the clinic area to assist care. Otherwise, parents must remain in waiting room, to protect the privacy of others.
Please remember that this is a classroom situation subject to special laws concerning sterility (Center for Disease Control) and patient confidentiality (HIPPA). Thus siblings may visit briefly and then remain in the Playroom with the parent during the balance of the care time. Do not leave children unattended in the playroom. Our staff cannot supervise this area.

Dr. Patricia Ridgley and Staff