Privacy policy

Our commitment to your privacy

Your privacy is important to us, and we are committed to protecting it. We want you to understand how we use your information and that you have choices about how we use it.

Your privacy is not for sale

We do not sell your information.

Our commitment to children's privacy

We respect children's privacy. We do not market our dental plans or products directly to children. If you are under 18, you may use our website under the guidance of a parent or guardian.

About this privacy policy

This policy applies to Dentegra Insurance Company and its affiliated companies.

In this policy, we explain:

• The information we collect online and how we use it
• How to access or correct your information
• Our commitment to website security
• How we use technology to better serve you
• About third-party website links
• Contacting us about your privacy or security
• Effective date of this policy
  
  

To understand how your protected health information (PHI) may be used and disclosed and how you can access this information, see our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.

Your choices (opting out)

We may send you newsletters or promotional emails that are relevant to supporting our relationship with you. If you'd like to stop receiving email from us, you can opt out by following the instructions included in each email or newsletter.

If you have any problems in opting out or canceling your subscription, send an email to feedback@dentegra.com, indicate "opt-out" in the subject line and describe the problem in the body of the message.

Information we collect online

We are very careful with your personal information. We collect it through secure, encrypted channels, limit access to it and prohibit its unlawful exposure.

Examples of the information we may collect from you are:

• Your name
• Email address
• Primary member ID number (may include social security number, Employee ID or Alternate ID number)
• Date of birth
• Credit card information (if you are purchasing dental benefits online)
• For dentists, your license number or tax identification number
• Geolocation
  
  

We may also collect information about the device you use to access our electronic services.

Why we need your information

We use your information to help us provide you with tools and services related to our dental plans. We collect this information from:

• Your online registration, enrollment or subscription. We collect information from you when you register for online services, enroll in one of our dental plans online or participate in a promotion. We use this information to service your accounts and online transactions. We may also use it to let you know about our products or services that we think you'd like.

• Your account activity. Once your account has been opened, we collect and maintain information about your account activity. This allows us to administer your account and provide the services you have requested.

• Your website usage. When you visit our website, we may use cookies or other similar web tools to enhance your web experience. These tools help us to recognize your access device, maintain your web session and provide a more personalized experience. To learn more about how we use technology to help you get the most from our website, see section 6: How we use technology to better serve you.
  
  

Email policies (use of your email)

If you are a member in one of our plans, we may use your email address to contact you with information about your plan or to send you information that you have subscribed to or requested from us.

If you are someone who does business with us (e.g., a broker or dental professional in our network) or a potential customer, we may use your email address to contact you with information about our products and services and other important company news that is relevant to your future or current business relationship with us.

Remember, if you decide that you'd like to stop receiving email from us, you can opt out by following the instructions included in each email or newsletter.

If you have any problems in opting out or canceling your subscription, send an email to feedback@dentegra.com, indicate "opt-out" in the subject line and describe the problem in the body of the message.

Sharing of information

We do not sell your information. We may share your information with third party companies as necessary to administer your benefits or to provide you with services you have requested from us.

We may also share your information as required or permitted by law.

How to access or correct your information

As a user of our online services, you can edit your email address and password, and your website preferences online or by contacting Customer Service.

Our commitment to website security

Our secure, password-protected website allows you to view private information (for example, eligibility, benefits and claims) and other information online. We use industry-standard firewalls and encryption to protect your information. You need an ID and password to access any online systems that display personal information. Our website features SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) with a digital certificate to enforce a minimum of 128-bit encrypted sessions.

We conduct regular web application vulnerability assessments and quarterly third party tests to ensure all of our externally facing websites/Internet addresses are protected from attack in compliance with industry standards.

How we use technology to better serve you

We use different kinds of tracking technology to help us improve our website and our communications to you. For example, we collect tracking information by following your "footsteps" on our website.

Cookies

A "cookie" is a kind of "ID tag" that allows us to recognize your computer when you visit our website.

We use cookies to help us optimize your online experience and to support the delivery of dental benefits information to you. We do not store your personal private information in cookies.

We may use different kinds of cookies, depending on which part of our site you visit:

• Persistent cookies: These cookies stay in your browser until you delete them manually or your browser deletes them based on the duration period contained within the persistent cookie's file.
• Non-persistent ("session") cookies: These temporary cookies disappear when you close your browser.
• Flash cookies (also called "Local Shared Objects"): We do not use Flash cookies.
• Trusted partners: We may contract with trusted partners who may use cookies and other tracking mechanisms to collect information on our behalf. We may share non-personally identifiable information with those partners.
  
  

The Help menu on your browser will tell you how to stop your browser from accepting new cookies, how to have the browser notify you when you receive a new cookie, or how to disable cookies altogether.

If you turn off cookies, you will still be able to access your account and information, but you may not be able to use some of the features on our website.

Other tracking methods

We use other tracking technology to help us personalize your visit to our site, including tracking beacons, JavaScript tracking, and session tracking. We use these methods to learn how we can make our site better and see how well our marketing campaigns are working. When we use tracking technology in email we may send you, it tells us when you opened the email. This helps us learn how effective our messages are to you.

Third-party website links

Our web pages may include links to third-party sites that provide related or helpful information or services. While we try to select quality content and sites, we do not control or operate these sites and our policies and practices do not apply. We recommend that you review the privacy and security policies of any site you visit before sharing your personal or health information. We use this symbol to let you know when you're leaving our site: 

Contacting us about your privacy or security

If you have any questions about how we use your personal information, or about our privacy and security policies that we didn't answer on this page, please contact our privacy department:

Dentegra Insurance Company
c/o Office of Compliance
P.O. Box 1850
Alpharetta, GA 30023-1850
Phone: 877-280-4204
Email: customerservice@dentegra.com

Effective date of this policy

This policy is effective as of September 29, 2015. We may change our policy if we begin to use new technology or enhance our security systems, so you should check this page regularly for updates.

HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

Confidentiality of your health information

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.

This notice is required by law to inform you of how Dentegra and its affiliates ("Dentegra") protect the confidentiality of your health care information in our possession. Protected Health Information (PHI) is defined as individually identifiable information regarding a patient's health care history, mental or physical condition or treatment. Some examples of PHI include your name, address, telephone and/or fax number, electronic mail address, social security number or other identification number, date of birth, date of treatment, treatment records, x-rays, enrollment and claims records. Dentegra receives, uses and discloses your PHI to administer your benefit plan or as permitted or required by law. Any other disclosure of your PHI without your authorization is prohibited.

We follow the privacy practices described in this notice and federal and state privacy requirements that apply to our administration of your benefits. Dentegra reserves the right to change our privacy practice effective for all PHI maintained. We will update this notice if there are material changes and redistribute it to you within 60 days of the change to our practices. We will also promptly post a revised notice on our website. A copy may be requested anytime by contacting the address or phone number at the end of this notice. You should receive a copy of this notice at the time of enrollment in a Dentegra program and will be informed on how to obtain a copy at least every three years.

Permitted uses and disclosures of your PHI

Uses and disclosures of your PHI for treatment, payment or health care operations

Your explicit authorization is not required to disclose information about yourself for purposes of health care treatment, payment of claims, billing of premiums, and other health care operations. If your benefit plan is sponsored by your employer or another party, we may provide PHI to your employer or plan sponsor to administer your benefits. As permitted by law, we may disclose PHI to third-party affiliates that perform services for Dentegra to administer your benefits, and who have signed a contract agreeing to protect the confidentiality of your PHI, and have implemented privacy policies and procedures that comply with applicable federal and state law.

Some examples of disclosure and use for treatment, payment or operations include: processing your claims, collecting enrollment information and premiums, reviewing the quality of health care you receive, providing customer service, resolving your grievances, and sharing payment information with other insurers. Some other examples are:

• Uses and/or disclosures of PHI in facilitating treatment. For example, Dentegra may use or disclose your PHI to determine eligibility for services requested by your provider.
• Uses and/or disclosures of PHI for payment. For example, Dentegra may use and disclose your PHI to bill you or your plan sponsor.
• Uses and/or disclosures of PHI for health care operations. For example, Dentegra may use and disclose your PHI to review the quality of care provided by our network of providers.
  
  

Other permitted uses and disclosures without an authorization

We are permitted to disclose your PHI upon your request or to your authorized personal representative (with certain exceptions) when required by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to investigate or determine our compliance with law, and when otherwise required by law. Dentegra may disclose your PHI without your prior authorization in response to the following:

• Court order
• Order of a board, commission, or administrative agency for purposes of adjudication pursuant to its lawful authority
• Subpoena in a civil action
• Investigative subpoena of a government board, commission or agency
• Subpoena in an arbitration
• Law enforcement search warrant; or Coroner's request during investigations
  
  

Some other examples include: to notify or assist in notifying a family member, another person or a personal representative of your condition; to assist in disaster relief efforts; to report victims of abuse, neglect or domestic violence to appropriate authorities; for organ donation purposes; to avert a serious threat to health or safety; for specialized government functions such as military and veterans activities; for workers' compensation purposes; and, with certain restrictions, we are permitted to use and/or disclose your PHI for underwriting, provided it does not contain genetic information. Information can also be de-identified or summarized so it cannot be traced to you and, in selected instances, for research purposes with the proper oversight.

Disclosures Dentegra makes with your authorization

Dentegra will not use or disclose your PHI without your prior written authorization unless permitted by law. You can later revoke that authorization, in writing, to stop the future use and disclosure. The authorization will be obtained from you by Dentegra or by a person requesting your PHI from Dentegra.

Your rights regarding PHI

You have the right to request an inspection of and obtain a copy of your PHI

You may access your PHI by contacting Dentegra at the address at the bottom of this notice. You must include (1) your name, address, telephone number and identification number, and (2) the PHI you are requesting. Dentegra may charge a reasonable fee for providing you copies of your PHI. Dentegra will only maintain that PHI that we obtain or utilize in providing your health care benefits. Most PHI, such as treatment records or x-rays, is returned by Dentegra to the dentist after we have completed our review of that information. You may need to contact your health care provider to obtain PHI that Dentegra does not possess.

You may not inspect or copy PHI compiled in reasonable anticipation of, or use in, a civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding, or PHI that is otherwise not subject to disclosure under federal or state law. In some circumstances, you may have a right to have this decision reviewed. Please contact Dentegra as noted below if you have questions about access to your PHI.

You have the right to request a restriction of your PHI

You have the right to ask that we limit how we use and disclose your PHI, however, you may not restrict our legal or permitted uses and disclosures of PHI. While we will consider your request, we are not legally required to accept those requests that we cannot reasonably implement or comply with during an emergency. If we accept your request, we will put our understanding in writing.

You have the right to correct or update your PHI

You may request to make an amendment of PHI we maintain about you. In certain cases, we may deny your request for an amendment. If we deny your request for amendment, you have the right to file a statement of disagreement with us and we may prepare a rebuttal to your statement and will provide you with a copy of any such rebuttal. If your PHI was sent to us by another, we may refer you to that person to amend your PHI. For example, we may refer you to your dentist to amend your treatment chart or to your employer, if applicable, to amend your enrollment information. Please contact the privacy office as noted below if you have questions about amending your PHI.

You have the right to opt out of Dentegra using your PHI for fundraising and marketing

Dentegra does not use your PHI for either marketing or fundraising purposes. If we change our practice, we must give you the opportunity to opt out.

You have the right to request or receive confidential communications from us by alternative means or at a different address

Alternate or confidential communication is available if disclosure of your PHI to the address on file could endanger you. You may be required to provide us with a statement of possible danger, as well as specify a different address or another method of contact. Please make this request in writing to the address noted at the end of this notice.

You have the right to receive an accounting of certain disclosures we have made, if any, of your PHI

You have a right to an accounting of disclosures with some restrictions. This right does not apply to disclosures for purposes of treatment, payment, or health care operations or for information we disclosed after we received a valid authorization from you. Additionally, we do not need to account for disclosures made to you, to family members or friends involved in your care, or for notification purposes. We do not need to account for disclosures made for national security reasons, certain law enforcement purposes or disclosures made as part of a limited data set. Please contact us at the number at the end of this notice if you would like to receive an accounting of disclosures or if you have questions about this right.

You have the right to get this notice by email

A copy of this notice is posted on the Dentegra website. You may also request an email copy or paper copy of this notice by calling our Customer Service number listed at the bottom of this notice.

You have the right to be notified following a breach of unsecured protected health information

Dentegra will notify you in writing, at the address on file, if we discover we compromised the privacy of your PHI.

Complaints

You may file a complaint to Dentegra and/or to the U. S. Secretary of Health and Human Services if you believe Dentegra has violated your privacy rights. Complaints to Dentegra may be filed by notifying the contact below. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Contacts

You may contact Dentegra at 877-280-4204, or you may write to the address listed below for further information about the complaint process or any of the information contained in this notice.

Address:
Dentegra Insurance Company
c/o Office of Compliance
P.O. Box 1850
Alpharetta, GA 30023-1850

This notice is effective on and after September 29, 2015.

Language assistance

IMPORTANT: Can you read this page? If not, we can have somebody help you read it. You may also be able to get this letter written in your language. For free help, please call 877-280-4204 right away.

IMPORTANTE: ¿Puede leer esta carta? Si no, podemos hacer que alguien le ayude a leerla. También puede recibir esta carta en su idioma. Para ayuda gratuita, por favor llame inmediatamente a Servicios al miembro/cliente al 877-280-4204.

Summary of Changes to this notice (effective September 29, 2015)

• Clarified the use of your information with our Trusted Partners