LaFauci Dental Group
11 East Street
Middleton, Massachusetts 01949
Effective Date: October 7, 2026
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.
About This Notice
This notice explains how LaFauci Dental Group uses and protects your health information, your rights concerning that information, and our legal responsibilities.
Protected health information includes information that identifies you and relates to your health, dental care, or payment for your care. It may include your medical history, dental charts, treatment plans, progress notes, X-rays, photographs, prescriptions, and billing information.
To exercise any of the rights described in this notice, or to ask questions about our privacy practices, contact our Privacy Officer using the information at the end of this notice.
Our Responsibilities
We are required by law to protect the privacy of your protected health information, provide this notice, and follow the privacy practices described in the notice currently in effect.
We must notify you following a breach of your unsecured protected health information when notification is required by law.
We use and disclose your information only as described in this notice or as otherwise authorized by you in writing. When federal or Massachusetts law provides additional protections, we follow those requirements.
How We May Use and Disclose Your Information
Treatment
We may use and share your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your care.
For example, we may share relevant dental records and X-rays with an oral surgeon, endodontist, periodontist, or another provider involved in your treatment.
Payment
We may use and share your information to bill for and obtain payment for your care.
For example, we may send your dental insurance company information about a procedure to determine coverage, obtain authorization, or process a claim. This is subject to your right to request restrictions for services paid for in full out of pocket, as explained below.
Health Care Operations
We may use and share your information to operate our practice, assess the quality of care, train staff, and manage administrative activities.
For example, we may review records to evaluate treatment outcomes or work with service providers that assist with billing, records management, or practice communications. When required, these providers must enter into agreements obligating them to safeguard your information.
Appointment Reminders and Care Communications
We may contact you about appointments, follow-up care, treatment alternatives, or health-related services relevant to your care. Communications may include telephone calls, limited voicemail messages, mail, email, or text messages, subject to applicable law and your reasonable requests for confidential communications.
Family, Friends, and Others Involved in Your Care
We may share information directly relevant to a family member’s, friend’s, or other person’s involvement in your care or payment for your care when you agree, have an opportunity to object and do not object, or when the law otherwise permits.
If you cannot communicate your preferences, we may use professional judgment to determine whether a limited disclosure is in your best interests. We may also share limited information for notification or disaster relief purposes when permitted by law.
Public Health and Safety
When permitted or required by law, we may disclose information for public health activities, reporting suspected abuse or neglect, reporting adverse reactions or product problems, and preventing or reducing a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
Health Oversight
We may disclose information to agencies authorized to conduct audits, inspections, investigations, licensing activities, or other lawful oversight of health care providers.
Legal Proceedings and Law Enforcement
We may disclose information in response to a court or administrative order, or other lawful legal process, only when applicable legal requirements are satisfied.
A subpoena or request from law enforcement does not automatically authorize disclosure. Additional safeguards may apply, including the special protections described below.
Other Legally Permitted Disclosures
Subject to applicable legal requirements, we may disclose information:
- For workers’ compensation matters.
- For authorized military, national security, or other specialized government functions.
- To coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors.
- To organ or tissue procurement organizations.
- For research when the required authorization or other legal safeguards are in place.
- To correctional institutions or officials with lawful custody of a patient, under the circumstances permitted by law.
- When disclosure is required by federal or state law, including to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to determine our compliance with privacy requirements.
Practice Sale, Merger, or Transfer
If the practice is sold, merged, or transferred, patient records may be transferred as permitted by law to support continued care and practice operations. Applicable confidentiality protections continue to apply. You may request a copy of your records or authorize their transfer to another provider.
Uses and Disclosures Requiring Written Authorization
We will obtain your written authorization for uses and disclosures that require authorization under applicable law, including:
- Marketing uses and disclosures requiring authorization.
- The sale of protected health information.
- Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, if we maintain such notes.
- Other uses and disclosures not described in this notice.
You may revoke an authorization by notifying our Privacy Officer in writing. Revocation does not undo actions already taken in reliance on your authorization.
Special Protections for Certain Information
Substance Use Disorder Records
Certain substance use disorder records received from a program subject to 42 CFR Part 2 have additional federal protections. These protections do not automatically apply to every reference to alcohol or substance use in a dental record.
If we receive or maintain records protected by Part 2, we will use and disclose them only as permitted by that law and other applicable requirements.
Part 2 records, and testimony describing their contents, may not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against you without your qualifying written consent or a qualifying court order issued after the required notice and opportunity to be heard. A court order must also be accompanied by a subpoena or other legal requirement compelling disclosure.
Massachusetts Privacy Protections
Massachusetts law provides additional protections for certain information, including HIV test information, genetic information, certain mental health records, and certain sexually transmitted disease records.
Where applicable, we obtain the specific informed written consent required for disclosure or disclose the information only under an exception permitted or required by law. A general authorization to release dental records may not satisfy these additional requirements.
Fundraising
If we contact you for fundraising on behalf of our practice, you may opt out of future fundraising communications. Your decision will not affect your treatment or payment arrangements.
Before using Part 2 records for fundraising, we will provide a clear and conspicuous opportunity for you to elect not to receive fundraising communications.
Your Rights
Inspect or Obtain Copies of Your Records
You may request to inspect or receive a copy of your dental record and other information subject to your legal right of access, with limited exceptions.
Your request may include dental charts, clinical notes, treatment plans, X-rays, photographs, and billing records. Contact our Privacy Officer to submit a request. We may ask you to put your request in writing and verify your identity.
We will provide requested dental records within a reasonable time, not exceeding 30 calendar days as required by Massachusetts dental regulations.
We will provide records in the form and format you request when readily producible. If that format is unavailable, we will work with you to agree on an appropriate alternative, including an electronic format where applicable.
There is no charge to inspect your records. For copies provided to you or your personal representative, we may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee limited to legally permitted copying labor, supplies, and postage. We do not charge for searching, retrieving, reviewing, or general administration of your request.
We will explain any applicable fee in advance. We will provide a summary instead of your requested records only if you agree in advance to the summary and any associated fee.
We will not withhold your records because you owe money for dental services. If we deny access to any information, we will explain the reason in writing and any available review or complaint rights.
Request a Correction
You may request an amendment to information you believe is incorrect or incomplete. Submit your request in writing and explain the reason.
We will act on your amendment request within 60 days after receiving it. If we cannot complete our response within that period, we may take one extension of up to 30 additional days. Before the initial 60-day period ends, we will notify you in writing of the reason for the delay and the date by which we will complete our response.
We may deny an amendment request under circumstances permitted by law. If we do, we will explain the denial and your right to submit a statement of disagreement.
Request Confidential Communications
You may ask us to contact you through a particular method or at a different location, such as using a specific telephone number or mailing address.
We will accommodate reasonable requests. You do not have to explain why you are making the request. We may ask you to identify the requested communication method and, when appropriate, explain how payment will be handled.
Request Restrictions
You may ask us to limit how we use or disclose your information for treatment, payment, or health care operations, or how we share information with people involved in your care.
We generally do not have to agree to a restriction. If we agree, we will follow it, subject to legally permitted exceptions such as emergency treatment.
If you pay for a service or item in full out of pocket, you may request that we not disclose information relating solely to that service or item to your health plan for payment or health care operations. We must honor that request unless disclosure is required by law.
Tell us about this request before we submit information to your health plan.
Receive an Accounting of Disclosures
You may request an accounting of certain disclosures made during the six years before your request.
The accounting generally excludes disclosures for treatment, payment, and health care operations, disclosures made with your authorization, and certain other disclosures excluded by law.
The first accounting within a 12-month period is free. For additional requests during that period, we may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee after notifying you and allowing you to withdraw or modify the request.
Obtain a Copy of This Notice
You may obtain a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically. The current notice is also available in our office and on our website.
Act Through a Personal Representative
A person with legally recognized authority to act on your behalf may exercise your privacy rights, subject to applicable law. We will verify that person’s identity and authority before providing access or taking action.
File a Complaint
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may contact our Privacy Officer or submit a complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.
We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to revise this notice and our privacy practices as permitted by law. Revised terms may apply to information we already maintain and information we receive in the future.
The revised notice will identify its effective date and will be available upon request, posted in our office, and published on our website.
Questions, Requests, and Complaints
LaFauci Dental Group
Privacy Officer: Richard LaFauci
11 East Street
Middleton, Massachusetts 01949
Telephone: 978-817-2000
Email: drlafauci@lafaucidental.com
Website: https://lafaucidental.com
You may contact our Privacy Officer for questions about this notice, assistance exercising your rights, or to submit a privacy complaint. Please avoid including sensitive medical or dental information in ordinary email unless you have discussed the communication method with us.
You may also file a complaint with:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Telephone: 1-877-696-6775
Complaint information: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html