What the website collects, and what it does not.

Last updated: May 19, 2026

Dr. Guy Mendivil Orthodontics ("the practice", "we", "us") operates the website at braces4you.com. This policy explains what information the website collects, how we use it, and the choices visitors have. It is written in plain English and is intentionally specific about the third-party tools we actually use.

The two things this page does not do

It does not govern patient health information. Patient records — your chart, treatment plan, x-rays, billing history with our practice — are protected health information under HIPAA. The practice handles that data under a separate Notice of Privacy Practices available at the front desk and provided at intake. If the two documents ever conflict on PHI, the in-office Notice governs.

It does not cover websites we link to. When you click "Schedule a consultation" you leave braces4you.com and land on the Weave booking page. When you view the office map, content is served from Google. Those sites have their own privacy policies and we have no visibility into what they collect once you arrive.

What the website collects

Information you give us directly

braces4you.com does not host a patient intake form. The only information you submit directly through the site is whatever you choose to type into the Weave booking flow after clicking a "Schedule a consultation" link — and that data is collected by Weave, not by the website. The same is true of any phone call you place from a click-to-call link on the site: the connection is handed off to your phone's dialer and to the carrier network. The website itself stores nothing from that call.

Information collected automatically

Like most websites, braces4you.com collects a limited set of technical information from your browser:

• IP address, approximate location (city / region), and the device, browser, and operating system you are using.
• Which pages you viewed, the order you viewed them in, and how long you stayed.
• Which links you clicked, including outbound clicks to the Weave booking page and click-to-call events on the phone number.
• Whether you reached the site from a Google search, a Google Ad, a direct visit, or a referring site.

The tools we use

We are specific about this because vague language is exactly the part of a privacy policy that should not be vague.

• Google Tag Manager (container GTM-W3HDGNZW) — the wrapper that loads our analytics and advertising tags. GTM itself does not store data; it is a delivery system for the tools below.
• Google Analytics — page views, session duration, traffic sources. Used to understand which pages and search queries actually help patients find the practice.
• Google Ads conversion tracking — when a visitor arrives from a Google Ad and then clicks a "Schedule a consultation" or click-to-call link, the conversion is reported back to Google Ads so we can tell which ads are working. The conversion event names exactly match what is configured in the Google Ads account.
• Google Maps — embedded on the Contact page to show the office location. The embed loads Google resources directly from Google.
• Weave — the appointment-booking platform the practice uses. The website links out to Weave; Weave collects whatever you enter on its booking page under its own terms.
• Vercel — the hosting provider for the site. Standard server logs (request paths, response status, timing) are retained for short periods to operate the site.
• [FILL IN: confirm whether the practice uses a call-tracking service (CallRail, WhatConverts, or a Google Ads forwarding number). If yes, list the vendor here. If no, leave this bullet removed.]

How we use this information

• To understand which pages and search terms bring patients to the practice, and to improve what is on those pages.
• To measure whether our paid Google Ads campaigns are producing real consultations and to spend the marketing budget accordingly.
• To diagnose website issues (broken links, slow pages, errors on specific devices).
• To comply with the law when required.

We do not sell your information. We do not share it with advertisers other than for the conversion-reporting purpose described above, which is required to run paid Google campaigns at all. We do not use it for advertising on third parties unrelated to the practice.

Cookies and similar technologies

The tools listed above set cookies in your browser. Most are short-lived analytics or advertising cookies; some persist for up to two years. You can clear or block them through your browser settings. Blocking them does not prevent you from using the website, scheduling a consultation, or calling the office — it only prevents the website from counting your visit in our analytics.

If you are a California resident

California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), including the right to know what personal information we have collected, the right to request that it be deleted, and the right to opt out of any "sale" or "sharing" of personal information.

We do not sell personal information. The conversion-reporting described above may be considered "sharing" under the CPRA; you can opt out of this by blocking advertising cookies in your browser or by emailing the privacy contact below.

To exercise any CCPA right, email us using the contact information at the end of this page. We will respond within the timeframes the law requires.

Children and parental scheduling

The website is for an orthodontic practice that treats children, teens, and adults, but the site itself is not directed at children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. Parents and guardians are the people who schedule consultations and interact with the booking flow on behalf of minor patients.

If you believe a child under 13 has provided personal information through the website, contact us and we will delete it.

How long we keep this information

Server logs are retained for a short operational window (typically 30 days). Analytics data is retained according to the default retention period of the analytics provider — currently up to 14 months for Google Analytics. Advertising conversion data is retained according to the requirements of the advertising platforms we use.

Security

The site is delivered over HTTPS and hosted on Vercel's infrastructure. No transmission over the internet is perfectly secure; if you have a security concern about the site itself, please reach out using the contact below.

Again — clinical records, billing details with the practice, and any other protected health information do not flow through this website. Those are handled directly by the practice under HIPAA.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the website's tools or practices change. The "last updated" date at the top of the page reflects the most recent revision.

Contact

Questions about this policy, or requests under CCPA / CPRA, can be directed to the practice:

• Dr. Guy Mendivil Orthodontics
• 11901 Bolthouse Dr Suite 200, Bakersfield, CA
• Phone: 661-323-5910
• [FILL IN: dedicated privacy / records-request email address. Until confirmed, the office phone above is the published contact.]

This policy is a draft prepared during the website rebuild and is not legal advice. It should be reviewed by counsel before publication, particularly the CCPA / CPRA section and the call-tracking and contact-email items marked [FILL IN].