Privacy Policy

Philosophy

The Massachusetts Dental Society (“MDS”) respects the privacy of all visitors (“Visitors”) to the MDS website (the “Site”). The MDS strongly believes that if electronic commerce and online activities are to flourish, all Visitors must be assured that information provided online is used responsibly and appropriately. To protect privacy, the MDS has adopted the following Privacy Policy. By using the Site, you agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy.

Collection and Use of Personally Identifiable Information

The MDS collects personally identifiable information on the Site from Visitors when Visitors voluntarily submit such information via the Site. Visitors may submit personally identifiable information when they perform activities on and use features of the Site, including but not limited to: registering for the Yankee Dental Congress and other events; ordering MDS publications or brochures; requesting an article be emailed to a friend; requesting MDS assistance; and facilitating communications among Visitors who are registered Members (each, a “Member”) through the MDS online community.

The MDS uses personally identifiable information to provide the products and services requested by Visitors submitting such information. The MDS will not sell, share, or rent personally identifiable information other than as set forth in this Privacy Policy. The MDS may share personally identifiable information with third-party vendors that provide services for the MDS, the Site, and its Visitors.

Certain content and services offered to you through our website may be served on websites hosted and operated by a company other than MDS ("Third-Party Contractor Websites"). An example is event registration services that may be provided through such companies. The MDS does not disclose your personally identifiable information to these Third Party-Contractor Websites without your consent, but you should be aware that any information you disclose once you access these other websites is not subject to this Privacy Policy. The MDS does not endorse and is not responsible for the privacy practices of these Third-Party Contractor Websites. You should review the privacy policy posted on the other website to understand how that Third-Party Contractor Website collects and uses your personally identifiable information. The MDS makes an effort to make it obvious to you when you leave our website and enter a Third-Party Contractor Website, either by requiring you to click on a link or by notifying you on the site before you visit the third-party site. In addition, if you see a phrase such as "powered by" or "in association with" followed by the name of a company other than the MDS, then you are on a website hosted by a company other than the MDS.

Visitors and MDS members who provide their email address to MDS may receive periodic emails describing the legislative, public affairs, membership, meetings and convention, or other activities of the MDS, including the Yankee Dental Congress. We have instituted opt-out capabilities to help you avoid receiving unwanted commercial email messages from the MDS. We may disclose your contact information if you serve in a leadership capacity. We will not knowingly give or sell your personal data to any unrelated entity outside the MDS, its service providers, subsidiaries and affiliated entities, local district societies, and the American Dental Association.

Visitors may also submit their e-mail addresses and the e-mail address of a friend via the “E-mail this Article to a Friend” feature on the Site. By doing so, the Visitor is authorizing the MDS to send the friend a single e-mail inviting him or her to visit the Site.

Collection and Use of Anonymous Information

The MDS collects anonymous information, such as IP addresses, referral data, browser and platform type, information about page views, and similar non-personal information about Visitor activity on the MDS Web site. This information cannot be tied back to a specific individual. An IP address is a number that is automatically assigned to your computer whenever you are using the Internet.

The MDS collects anonymous information for the purposes of system administration and to audit the use of the Site.

Cookies

Cookies and session variables (we call them all “cookies” in this Privacy Policy) are pieces of information that a Web site transfers to an individual’s hard drive or uses to obtain access information regarding a user’s browser for record-keeping purposes. The use of cookies is an industry standard – you will find them at most major Web sites.

The MDS sets a cookie on your computer that identifies you as a Member when you sign onto or otherwise access the Site. The cookie facilitates you gaining access to protected areas of the Site, pre-populates information on certain forms to save you from re-keying your information, and delivers custom content and images. The cookie is set for a one-day period after which without activity, the cookie expires and you must identify yourself as a Member or a guest again when you sign onto the Site.

Most browsers are initially set up to accept cookies. You can reset your browser to refuse all cookies or indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, note that some parts of the Site may not function properly without the use of cookies.

Accessing and Editing Personally Identifiable Information

Any Member may revise the personally identifiable information stored about them by the MDS (or opt-out from receiving emails and other information from the MDS) at anytime by updating his or her preferences within the Member Profile Page, by sending an email to membership@massdental.org or by calling the MDS at (800) 342-8747.

Security

The Site has security measures in place to protect against the loss, misuse and alteration of your personally identifiable information submitted via the Site. The MDS uses physical, electronic and procedural safeguard to protect any personally identifiable information stored on its computers. Any particularly sensitive information, such as credit card information, is encrypted prior to transmission. While the MDS cannot guarantee that loss, misuse or alteration of personally identifiable information will not occur, the MDS takes many precautions to prevent such unfortunate occurrences. The MDS reminds you that you are responsible for the security of your login information and password and urges you to take appropriate precautions to protect such information.

Links to Other Sites

The Site includes links to other Web sites operated and controlled by third parties. These Web sites are beyond MDS’s control. These other Web sites may send their own cookies to you, collect data, or solicit personally identifiable information. Please consult the privacy statement of each other Web site that is linked to and from the Site for information about their policies.

Compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act

In compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, the MDS does not knowingly collect any personally identifiable information from children under the age of 13.

Updates to this Privacy Policy

The MDS may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, so please check back periodically. By using the Site after any updates to the Privacy Policy, you agree to be bound by such updated Privacy Policy.