Legal

Privacy Policy.

How Tim Rauch DDS collects, uses, and protects information about you — as a patient, a website visitor, or anyone we interact with.

Last updated · June 2026

Quick summary: We collect only the information we need to provide dental care and run the practice. We protect it carefully (your health records are protected under HIPAA). We never sell your data. You have rights — including the right to see what we have on you, correct it, and ask us to delete it where the law allows.

1. Who we are

This privacy policy applies to Tim Rauch DDS ("we," "us," "our"), a dental practice located at 930 Sunnyslope Rd. STE D4, Hollister, CA 95023. You can reach us at (831) 637-1675 or info@timrauchdds.com.

2. Information we collect

From patients

When you become a patient or schedule an appointment, we collect:

  • Name, date of birth, address, phone number, email
  • Emergency contact information
  • Insurance details (carrier, policy number, group number)
  • Medical and dental history
  • Records of dental examinations, x-rays, treatment, and outcomes
  • Payment information for billing

From website visitors

When you visit timrauchdds.com or submit a form, we collect:

  • The information you provide voluntarily (name, email, phone, message)
  • Standard server logs (IP address, browser type, pages visited, time of visit)
  • Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see section 8)

3. How we use it

We use the information we collect to:

  • Provide dental care and coordinate treatment
  • Schedule and confirm appointments
  • Communicate with you about your care, treatment options, and follow-up
  • Bill your insurance and process payments
  • Comply with legal and regulatory requirements (HIPAA, California Dental Board, etc.)
  • Improve our services and respond to patient feedback
  • Send you appointment reminders, recall notices, and (only with your permission) general practice updates

4. HIPAA & protected health information

Your health information is protected under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). We maintain a separate Notice of Privacy Practices that describes in detail how we handle Protected Health Information (PHI). You'll receive a copy at your first visit, or you can request one anytime.

HIPAA requires us to limit disclosure of your PHI to what is necessary for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations — except where you give us explicit permission, or where disclosure is required by law (court orders, public health reporting, etc.).

5. Who we share information with

We share information only when necessary:

  • Insurance providers — to verify benefits and process claims
  • Specialists we refer you to (only with your consent)
  • Service providers who help us run the practice (billing, scheduling software, secure cloud storage) — all under business associate agreements that require them to protect your information
  • Legal authorities when required by law
  • Anyone you authorize in writing

We never sell your information. We do not share patient information with marketers, data brokers, or social media platforms.

6. Your rights

As a patient or California resident, you have the right to:

  • Access the information we hold about you
  • Correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete
  • Request deletion of information (where the law permits — we are required to retain dental records for certain time periods under state law)
  • Restrict certain uses or disclosures of your information
  • Receive a copy of your records in a readable format
  • Opt out of marketing communications at any time
  • File a complaint with us or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services if you believe your rights have been violated

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at (831) 637-1675 or info@timrauchdds.com.

7. California privacy rights (CCPA/CPRA)

California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), including the rights described above plus:

  • The right to know what categories of personal information we collect and the sources
  • The right to know whether we sell or share your information (we don't)
  • The right to non-discrimination if you exercise your privacy rights

Most health information held by our practice is exempt from CCPA because it's covered by HIPAA. We extend equivalent protections to non-health information about California residents.

8. Cookies and analytics

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies for two purposes:

  • Functional — to remember preferences and make the site work properly
  • Analytics — Google Analytics tracks anonymized visit data so we understand how the site is used and how to improve it

You can disable cookies in your browser settings. Doing so may affect some site functionality.

9. Text messaging and email

If you provide your phone number, we may send you appointment reminders and confirmations by text message. Standard messaging rates apply. You can opt out at any time by replying STOP to any text from us, or by contacting our office.

If you provide your email and opt in, we may send appointment reminders and (occasionally) practice updates. Every email includes an unsubscribe link.

10. Security

We use industry-standard safeguards to protect your information — encryption in transit and at rest, access controls, secure cloud-hosted dental software, and HIPAA-trained staff. No system is completely impenetrable, but we take security seriously and regularly review our practices.

11. Retention

We retain dental records for the period required by California law and applicable regulations — generally a minimum of seven years from your last visit (or longer for minors). Marketing-related data is retained only as long as you remain on our list and not longer than necessary.

12. Children's privacy

Our website is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect online information from children under 13 without parental consent. If you believe we have collected such information, please contact us and we'll delete it.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or the law. We'll post the updated policy on this page with a new "last updated" date. Material changes will be communicated to active patients directly.

14. Contact us

Questions about this policy, your information, or your rights? Reach out:

Tim Rauch DDS
930 Sunnyslope Rd. STE D4
Hollister, CA 95023
Phone: (831) 637-1675
Email: info@timrauchdds.com