1. Scope and who we are
Scale Dental Practice (“Scale Dental Practice,” “we,” “us,” “our”) provides patient communication and appointment scheduling software for dental practices. This Privacy Policy explains how we handle information when you visit our website, contact us about our software, or use our platform as a customer.
This policy covers two categories of information: (i) information about our customers — the dental practice, its owners, staff, and authorized representatives — and (ii) patient contact and appointment information that practices process through our platform, for which we act as a service provider. Different rules apply to each, as described below.
2. Information we collect
Information you give us
- Contact information such as your name, business name, phone number, and email address when you book a call or contact us through our website.
- Business information such as your company, services, target markets, current marketing channels, and goals discussed during onboarding.
- Account and billing information for engaged clients, including payment method and billing address, processed through our payment provider.
- Communications you send us, including email, SMS, and recorded calls when you consent to recording.
Information collected automatically
- Standard server log information such as IP address, browser type, device type, referring page, and timestamps.
- Usage data on how you interact with our website (pages viewed, links clicked) through analytics tools.
- Delivery and status data from the communications and scheduling tools we use to operate the platform.
Information from third parties
- Contact and appointment information that a practice adds to the platform or that patients provide when they contact the practice through the platform.
- Delivery and status data from the communications and scheduling tools we use, and information from payment processors and integrations you authorize us to connect.
3. How we use information
We use the information described above for the following purposes:
- To deliver our software — answering calls and text messages, booking and confirming appointments, sending reminders and recall notices patients have consented to receive, and maintaining a shared record of patient conversations for the practice.
- To respond to inquiries, schedule calls, and onboard new customers.
- To process payments and administer the business relationship.
- To improve our services, tooling, and creative through aggregated, de-identified performance analysis.
- To send operational communications (service updates, reports, compliance notices) and, with your consent, occasional educational content.
- To comply with applicable laws, carrier and messaging requirements, and our contractual obligations.
4. Patient information we process for practices
When a dental practice uses our platform, we may handle information about that practice’s patients — such as contact details (name, phone, email), appointment details, and the content of messages between the patient and the practice. Because this information can relate to health care, we treat it with heightened care, and where HIPAA applies we handle it under a business associate agreement with the practice.
For this information, the dental practice owns the relationship with the patient (the “controller”), and we act as a service provider that processes the information only to deliver the software to that practice. Our handling of this information is governed by our written services agreement with each customer, which supplements this Privacy Policy.
Practical effect for patients: if you contacted a dental practice that uses our platform, your information is handled as part of that practice’s communication and scheduling. We do not sell that information, and we do not use it for any purpose other than providing the software to the practice. We do not use it to train general-purpose AI models or for our own marketing.
If you wish to access, correct, or delete information you provided, please contact the dental practice you engaged with — they control that information, and we will support their response.
5. Virtual Receptionist and automated communications
For clients who use our Virtual Receptionist, we operate an automated system that contacts and responds to patient leads by phone call and text message on the client’s behalf — answering questions, asking qualifying questions, and scheduling consultations. If you interact with our Virtual Receptionist, the following applies.
- You may be interacting with an automated system. Conversations are handled by AI-assisted voice and messaging technology. Where required by law, we disclose that you are speaking with an automated assistant, and you can ask to be connected to a person.
- Calls and messages may be recorded, transcribed, and logged. We record and transcribe conversations to deliver the service, maintain accurate records, and improve quality. In jurisdictions that require all-party consent to recording, we provide notice at the start of the interaction so you can decline.
- Text messaging. Messages are sent only where appropriate consent exists. You can opt out at any time by replying STOP, and reply HELP for assistance. Message and data rates may apply, and message frequency varies.
- Phone calls. Calls are placed consistent with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), and applicable state law, based on the consent the patient provided to the practice.
Conversation data — including audio, transcripts, and the information you provide — is processed by third-party voice, messaging, and AI providers that act as our service providers under contract, is delivered to the dental practice you contacted, and is handled as part of that practice’s intake process. We do not sell this information, and we do not use it to train general-purpose AI models.
Human oversight. The Virtual Receptionist gathers information and schedules consultations; it does not make clinical decisions or provide dental or medical advice. Diagnosis and treatment decisions are made by the dental practice and its licensed professionals.
6. Automated decisions and profiling
We use automation and profiling to operate our services efficiently. For example, our Virtual Receptionist asks scheduling questions and routes conversations, and our scheduling tools organize appointments and reminders to decide which messages to send and when.
These processes help us organize and prioritize follow-up. We do not use them to make decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects about you on a solely automated basis. Whether and how a patient is treated is decided by the dental practice and its licensed professionals, with human involvement.
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to obtain information about automated processing that significantly affects you, to request human review, and to object to such processing. For information you provided to a dental practice that uses our platform, contact that practice — they control that information, and we will support their response. For information we hold as a business, email [email protected].
8. SMS consent and mobile information
SMS Consent. Mobile opt-in data, SMS consent, and phone numbers collected for SMS communications are used solely to provide the SMS services you have requested, such as appointment reminders, confirmations, and replies to your inquiries.
No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Information sharing to subcontractors in support services, such as customer service, is permitted. All other use case categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.
We keep records of text-messaging opt-ins, opt-outs, and consent for compliance purposes. For full SMS program terms — including how to opt out by texting “STOP” and how to get help by texting “HELP” — see the SMS Terms and Conditions in our Terms of Service.
10. Data retention
We retain information only for as long as needed to provide the services requested, to comply with our legal obligations, to resolve disputes, and to enforce our agreements.
- Inquiry and website-visitor information: up to 24 months from last contact, unless you become a client.
- Client and billing records: for the duration of the engagement plus seven years, as required for tax and accounting purposes.
- Patient information and Virtual Receptionist conversation records processed for clients: handled per our services agreement with the client, and deleted on the client’s instruction at the end of the engagement.
- Aggregated, de-identified data: retained indefinitely for benchmarking and service improvement.
11. Your rights and choices
Depending on where you live, you may have rights under applicable privacy laws to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you.
- Correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Delete information, subject to our legal and contractual retention requirements.
- Object to or restrict certain processing.
- Receive a portable copy of information you provided to us.
- Opt out of marketing communications at any time using the unsubscribe link in any email, or by replying STOP to any text message.
To exercise any of these rights, email [email protected]. For information you provided to a dental practice that uses our platform, that practice controls the information — please direct your request to them, and we will support their response.
12. California and U.S. state privacy rights
Some U.S. states give residents additional privacy rights. We honor these rights for residents of states where they apply.
California (CCPA / CPRA)
If you are a California resident, you have the right to know what personal information we collect and how we use and disclose it; to access, delete, and correct it; and to opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of personal information as those terms are defined under California law.
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. We also limit our use of sensitive personal information (which can include health information) to what is reasonably necessary to provide our services.
Other states
Residents of states with comprehensive privacy laws — including Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Texas, and others — may have similar rights to access, correct, delete, and obtain a copy of their personal information, and to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information. Where the law provides, you may also appeal a decision we make about your request.
We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of these rights. To submit a request, email [email protected].
13. Security
We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include encryption of data in transit and at rest, access controls based on the principle of least privilege, and routine security reviews of our infrastructure and third-party providers.
No system is perfectly secure. If we become aware of a breach affecting your information, we will notify you and applicable authorities as required by law.
14. Children
Our website and services are directed to businesses and adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13. If a parent or guardian submits information about a minor to request care from one of our client practices, that information is provided by the adult and handled for the practice as described above. If you believe a child has submitted information to us directly, please contact us so we can delete it.
15. International users
We operate primarily from the United States. If you access our services from outside the United States, you understand that your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States, which may have different data protection rules than your country of residence.
16. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the “Effective” date above and, where appropriate, notify clients directly. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
17. Contact us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, email us at [email protected].
For privacy requests specifically, email [email protected].