BUCK AND PHILLIPS ORAL SURGERY MESSAGING PROGRAM PRIVACY POLICY

Section 1: Privacy Policy

Buck and Phillips Oral Surgery (“we,” “us,” or “our”) operates www.buckoralsurgery.com and provides oral and maxillofacial surgery services at our Birmingham, Alabama locations, including communications via our phone and messaging systems.

We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting the information you provide to us. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, how we protect it, and how information provided to us through our mobile messaging program is handled.

This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through our office, website, online forms, appointment requests, telephone communications, electronic communications, and our text messaging program.

This Privacy Policy is intended to supplement, not replace, our Notice of Privacy Practices which provides additional information regarding how we use and disclose protected health information (PHI) as required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”). This Privacy Policy is separate from our Notice of Privacy Practices.

Our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices is a separate document and is available at:

https://www.buckoralsurgery.com/patient-information/privacy-policy/

Our patient messaging program is intended primarily for healthcare, appointment, account, scheduling, and practice-related communications. We do not use protected health information for marketing communications without the authorization required by applicable law.

By providing your mobile number and consenting (via website form, intake paperwork, verbal consent documented by staff, or other affirmative methods), you agree to receive SMS/text messages from Buck and Phillips Oral Surgery related to appointment reminders and confirmations, scheduling and rescheduling updates, post-operative and treatment-related care instructions, billing and/or account notifications, missed-call follow-ups, patient care coordination, and other practice-related communications facilitated through our phone and messaging system. Messages support patient care and office operations at both of our Birmingham, Alabama locations. Consent to receive text messages is not a condition of receiving treatment or services from Buck and Phillips Oral Surgery.

Section 2: Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with Buck and Phillips Oral Surgery, we may collect information that you provide directly, including:

Name, contact details (phone number, email, address), date of birth, identifying information, appointment and scheduling information, medical, dental, and health information that you provide to us or that is necessary for your care, and patient information necessary for care and communication, insurance and billing information, information necessary to process payments or insurance claims, mobile phone numbers and SMS/text messaging opt-in consent data when you enroll in our messaging program, information and communications you send us from emails, calls, phone messages, text messages, forms, website interactions, or other communications with our practice, information provided when requesting an appointment or contacting our office, website information such as IP address, browser type, device information, usage data when you visit our website or interact with our services and information collected through cookies or similar technologies, where applicable, information relating to your consent to receive text messages from Buck and Phillips Oral Surgery, including your mobile telephone number, the date and method of your consent, and your messaging preferences.

We collect information directly from you, from your authorized representatives, from healthcare providers involved in your care, from insurance companies and other parties involved in providing or paying for your healthcare, and through our website and electronic systems.

Section 3: How We Use Your Information

We use information we collect to operate our oral surgery practice and provide services to you. Depending on the circumstances, we may use your information for:

Providing, coordinating, and managing your healthcare, consultations, surgeries, appointments, and office services, sending SMS/text messages related to appointment reminders and confirmations, scheduling updates, post-operative instructions, billing and/or account notifications, missed-call follow-ups, care coordination, and other practice-related or healthcare related communications, communicating with you, responding to questions or requests you submit to our office, processing payments and insurance claims, maintaining accurate medical and business records, performing activities necessary to operate and administer our practice, meeting and complying with legal, regulatory, and professional obligations, protecting the security and integrity of our systems, communicating information you have specifically requested, sending text messages or other communications when you have provided the appropriate consent or when otherwise permitted by applicable law, operating, improving, and securing our services.

Section 4: Mobile Information and Opt-In Consent, Non-Sharing Statement

The restrictions in this section and the next concerning SMS/mobile information apply specifically to SMS opt-in information and consent. Nothing in this section prohibits disclosure of information to service providers when necessary to provide the services you have requested, including delivery of text messages, provided that such providers are contractually restricted from using the information for their own marketing or promotional purposes.

We do not share, rent, or sell mobile information or text messaging originator opt-in data and consent with third parties or affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes. We do not use information you provide to us to create or sell advertising profiles about you. We do not sell your personal information or protected health information.

SMS opt-in data and consent may be processed by service providers solely as necessary to operate and support our messaging program. Those service providers are not permitted by Buck and Phillips Oral Surgery to use SMS opt-in data or consent for their own marketing or promotional purposes. Nothing in this section limits disclosures that are otherwise required by applicable law.

Section 5: Data Sharing

We may use or disclose information when permitted or required by law, including when necessary to provide treatment, obtain payment, operate our practice, coordinate your care, comply with legal requirements, protect the rights, safety, or security of our patients, practice, employees, or others. Information may be provided to service providers who assist in operations (under contractual protections, including where required under HIPAA).

Information may be provided to appropriate healthcare providers, insurance companies, payment processors, technology providers, professional advisors, and other service providers when necessary to perform services on our behalf or to carry out activities related to the operation of our practice, or as required by law, court order, or to protect rights and safety, and in connection with a business transfer (with continued protections).

We do not sell your personal information or protected health information.

We do not share your patient information with third parties for their own advertising or promotional purposes.

Section 6: SMS Messaging Privacy and Choices

Buck and Phillips Oral Surgery may offer a text messaging program to communicate with patients regarding matters such as appointments, appointment reminders, treatment-related communications, follow-up information, office communications, and other messages related to your relationship with our practice.

By providing your mobile telephone number and affirmatively opting in to receive text messages, you consent to receive text messages from “Buck and Phillips Oral Surgery” at the mobile number you provide.

Your text messaging opt-in information, mobile telephone number, and consent to receive SMS messages will not be sold, rented, or shared with third parties or affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes.

We will not use your SMS opt-in data or consent information to market unrelated products or services to you, and we will not provide your SMS consent information to advertisers, data brokers, or other companies for their marketing or promotional purposes.

Text messaging originator opt-in data and consent information will not be shared with any third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.

Where a third-party messaging service is necessary to deliver text messages on our behalf, that service may process the information necessary to provide the messaging service.

Text messaging is not fully encrypted end-to-end on carrier networks. Messages may be visible to anyone who has access to your mobile device, wireless account, or message notifications. Please contact us if you prefer another method of communication.

Section 7: SMS Message Frequency

Message frequency varies based on your appointments, communications with our office, care needs, and the communications you have requested or authorized. You may receive recurring messages including appointment reminders, appointment confirmations, follow-up communications, information about billing and other patient-related communications.

Section 8: Message and Data Rates may apply

Message and data rates may apply. Your mobile carrier’s standard message and data rates may apply to text messages sent to or received from Buck and Phillips Oral Surgery. You are responsible for any charges imposed by your wireless carrier.

Section 9: How to Opt Out of Text Messages

You may stop receiving text messages from Buck and Phillips Oral Surgery at any time.

To stop receiving text messages from our messaging program, reply STOP to any text message from us. After you opt out, we may still contact you by telephone, email, mail, patient portal, or other permitted methods when necessary for your care, treatment, billing, safety, or as otherwise permitted or required by law.

After you send STOP, you may receive one final message confirming that you have been unsubscribed. After that, you will no longer receive text messages from us unless you separately provide consent to receive them again.

To request assistance with our text messaging program, reply HELP to any text message from us.

You may also contact our office directly to request that text messaging be discontinued.

For complete messaging terms, please see our SMS Messaging Terms & Conditions:

https://www.buckoralsurgery.com/terms-conditions/

Section 10: Customer Support

For questions about our text messaging program, privacy practices, or communications from Buck and Phillips Oral Surgery, please contact us directly:

Buck and Phillips Oral Surgery

Phone: (205) 933-1331 or (205) 991-8500
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.buckoralsurgery.com

Southside Office
1112 South 19th Street
Birmingham, AL 35205

North Shelby County Office
1 Buckton Road
Birmingham, AL 35242

Section 11: Website Privacy

When you visit our website, we may collect certain technical information necessary to operate, maintain, secure, and improve the website, such as your IP address, browser type, device information, and information concerning your interaction with our website.

Our website may use cookies or similar technologies. Where applicable, these technologies may be used to maintain website functionality, understand website usage, improve our website, and provide requested services.

We do not sell or disclose information submitted through patient-facing forms, appointment requests, or other patient communications to third parties for their own advertising or promotional purposes.

Section 12: Third-Party Links and Services

Our website or messages may contain links to third-party sites. We are not responsible for their privacy practices.

Section 13: SMS Security and Privacy Considerations

Text messaging is not fully encrypted end-to-end on carrier networks.

Messages may be visible to anyone who has access to your mobile device, wireless account, or message notifications.

We seek to limit SMS content to information reasonably necessary for the purpose of the communication and handle such communications in accordance with applicable privacy requirements.

We maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

However, no method of transmitting or storing information electronically can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Please contact us if you prefer another method of communication.

Section 14: Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide services, maintain required medical and business records, comply with applicable legal, regulatory, professional, contractual, and record-retention obligations, resolve disputes, and protect our legal rights. When information is no longer required to be retained, we take reasonable steps to securely delete, destroy, or de-identify it in accordance with applicable law and our policies.

Section 15: Children and Minors

We provide oral surgery services to patients of different ages, including minors. When we collect information from or about a minor, we handle that information in accordance with applicable federal and state privacy laws and our Notice of Privacy Practices.

Our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices is available at:

https://www.buckoralsurgery.com/patient-information/privacy-policy/

Section 16: Changes

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or services.

When we make material changes, we will post the updated Privacy Policy on our website and update the effective date.

Continued participation in the messaging program following notice of changes may be subject to the updated terms, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

Section 17: HIPAA and Protected Health Information

This Privacy Policy is separate from our Notice of Privacy Practices.

Our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices is available at:

https://www.buckoralsurgery.com/patient-information/privacy-policy/

Certain information collected by Buck and Phillips Oral Surgery may constitute protected health information (“PHI”) under HIPAA.

Our use and disclosure of PHI is governed by our Notice of Privacy Practices, applicable federal and state laws, and other legal requirements.

If there is a conflict between this general Privacy Policy and our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices concerning PHI, the applicable HIPAA requirements and our Notice of Privacy Practices will govern.

Section 18: Privacy Rights Complaint

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated or you have questions about our privacy practices, please contact us. You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. You will not be retaliated against for filing a privacy complaint.

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Last Updated: August 31, 2026