Privacy Policy

Last updated: January 1, 2024

This Privacy Policy describes how BEST for Dentistry ("Company," "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and protects information about you when you use our website (bestfordentistry.com), our member portal, and our related services (collectively, the "Services"). This page is publicly accessible without requiring a login and is provided as part of our Google OAuth verification.

1. Information We Collect

Information You Provide Directly

We collect information that you voluntarily provide when you:

  • Submit a membership application or contact form
  • Create an account on our member portal
  • Place orders through our purchasing platform
  • Communicate with our staff by phone, email, or chat
  • Participate in surveys, webinars, or educational programs

This information may include your name, email address, phone number, practice name, business address, billing information, tax identification numbers, and any other information you choose to provide.

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website or use our Services, we automatically collect certain technical information, including:

  • IP address and approximate geographic location
  • Browser type, version, and operating system
  • Pages visited, time on site, and referring URLs
  • Device identifiers and session tokens

Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from our vendor partners (for order and account verification), payment processors, and analytics providers.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

  • Provide, administer, and improve our Services
  • Process membership applications and manage accounts
  • Facilitate purchasing orders and vendor transactions
  • Communicate with you about your account, orders, and membership
  • Send administrative notices and service updates
  • Send marketing and promotional communications (with your consent, where required)
  • Conduct PPO fee schedule analyses and business consulting services
  • Comply with legal and regulatory obligations
  • Detect, prevent, and address fraud, security, and technical issues
  • Improve our website and analyze usage trends

We do not sell your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

3. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our website. These include:

Essential Cookies

Required for the website to function. These cannot be disabled without affecting core functionality, such as maintaining your login session on the member portal.

Analytics Cookies

We use Google Analytics and similar tools to understand how visitors use our website. This data is aggregated and anonymized. You can opt out of Google Analytics by visiting tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

Preference Cookies

These cookies remember your settings and preferences (such as language or display preferences) to improve your experience on return visits.

Managing Cookies

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain parts of our Services. See your browser's documentation for instructions on managing cookies.

4. Data Security

We implement industry-standard technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect your information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. These measures include:

  • TLS/SSL encryption for all data transmitted between your browser and our servers
  • Encryption of sensitive data at rest, including payment information and credentials
  • Role-based access controls limiting employee access to personal data on a need-to-know basis
  • Regular security assessments and vulnerability testing
  • Secure, audited third-party payment processors (we do not store full payment card numbers)

No system is completely secure. While we take reasonable precautions, we cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information. If you believe your account has been compromised, contact us immediately at security@bestfordentistry.com.

5. Third-Party Services

We work with trusted third-party service providers to operate our business. These parties access your information only as necessary to perform their functions and are bound by confidentiality obligations. Categories of third-party providers include:

  • Payment Processors: For handling transactions securely (e.g., Stripe, ACH networks)
  • Cloud Infrastructure: For hosting our member portal and data storage (e.g., Amazon Web Services)
  • Email Services: For transactional and marketing communications
  • Analytics: For understanding website usage (e.g., Google Analytics)
  • CRM Systems: For managing member relationships and account data
  • Vendor Partners: For fulfilling supply orders placed through our platform

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to unaffiliated third parties for their own marketing purposes.

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies.

6. Gmail API Usage Disclosure

Required disclosure for Google OAuth verification

BEST for Dentistry's member platform integrates with the Google Gmail API to streamline order tracking and operational efficiency for member practices. This section provides complete transparency about how and why we use this integration.

What We Access

When a member practice grants Gmail access permission, our application requests read-only access to Gmail. We use this access solely to automate order tracking and processing. Specifically, the application reads only order-related emails, including:

  • Order confirmation emails from dental vendors and suppliers
  • Shipping notifications and tracking updates
  • Delivery confirmation messages
  • Invoice and billing emails from approved vendors

Why We Access Gmail

The Gmail integration serves the following operational purposes:

  • Automatically identify and log new orders placed with vendor partners
  • Track shipment status and update order records in real time
  • Monitor delivery confirmations and flag discrepancies
  • Reduce manual data entry for office managers
  • Improve overall operational efficiency and accuracy of order management

What We Do NOT Do

We want to be unambiguously clear about the limits of our Gmail access. Our application:

  • Does NOT read emails unrelated to dental supply orders
  • Does NOT sell, rent, or transfer Gmail data to any third party
  • Does NOT share Gmail content or metadata with advertisers
  • Does NOT use Gmail data for advertising targeting or profiling
  • Does NOT use Gmail data to train artificial intelligence or machine learning models
  • Does NOT store email body content beyond what is necessary to process a specific order record
  • Does NOT access drafts, sent mail, or any non-inbox folders except where order-related emails are found

Data Handling and Retention

Email metadata and extracted order data (order number, vendor name, amount, shipping status) are stored in our secure member portal database. Raw email content is processed in memory and is not persistently stored. Retained order data is subject to our standard data security practices described in Section 4 and is deleted upon account termination or upon member request.

Compliance with Google's Limited Use Policy

Our use of Gmail API data complies with Google's API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements. We use Gmail data only for the purpose for which the user granted access, and we do not transfer this data to others except as necessary to provide the service.

Revoking Access

Gmail access is always optional. You may revoke Gmail permissions granted to BEST for Dentistry at any time by visiting your Google Account Permissions page and removing the BEST for Dentistry application. Revoking access will disable automated order tracking; you can continue to use the member portal manually. To request deletion of any previously processed Gmail data, contact us at privacy@bestfordentistry.com.

7. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Access and Portability

You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you and, where technically feasible, receive it in a structured, machine-readable format.

Correction

You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete personal information.

Deletion

You may request deletion of your personal information. We will honor deletion requests subject to legal retention obligations (e.g., financial records required by tax law).

Opt-Out of Marketing

You may opt out of marketing communications at any time by clicking "Unsubscribe" in any marketing email, or by emailing us at privacy@bestfordentistry.com. Note that opting out of marketing does not affect transactional communications related to your membership or orders.

California Residents

California residents may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know about personal information collected, the right to delete, the right to opt out of sale (we do not sell personal information), and the right to non-discrimination. To exercise these rights, contact us at the address below.

How to Submit a Request

To exercise any of the above rights, email us at privacy@bestfordentistry.com with the subject line "Privacy Request." We will respond within 30 days.

8. Children's Privacy

Our Services are intended solely for business use by dental professionals and are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will notify you by posting the revised policy on this page with an updated "Last updated" date and, where appropriate, by sending you an email notification.

Your continued use of our Services after the effective date of the revised policy constitutes your acceptance of the changes. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

BEST for Dentistry
Privacy & Compliance
323 NE Birch Street, Suite 200
Camas, WA 98607

This Privacy Policy is effective as of January 1, 2024. It applies to all users of the BEST for Dentistry website and member portal.