Data Deletion Instructions

How to request deletion

Use any one of these:

1. Email: alexandriasmilesdentist@gmail.com, subject line "Data deletion request"
2. Phone: (703) 671-0626, Monday–Thursday, 9:30 AM–5:00 PM Eastern
3. Message us: send "delete my data" to our Facebook Page or Instagram account
4. Mail: Alexandria Smiles Dentistry, Attn: Privacy, 5234 Dawes Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22311

To help us find your records, tell us:

• which platform you used (Facebook or Instagram)
• the name or @username on that account
• roughly when you contacted us

We won't ask for your password, ID documents, date of birth, or payment details.

What we delete

• Copies of your messages and comments, and our replies, held by our systems and our messaging-assistant providers
• The Facebook or Instagram identifier Meta assigned to you for our Page or account
• Your name or username, and any contact details you gave in the chat (for example, your phone number or preferred appointment time)
• Appointment-request notes and assistant logs about your conversation
• If you ask: our public replies to your comments, and our copy of the conversation in our Page's inbox

What we can't delete, or must keep

• Content on Meta's platforms that you control. Your copy of the conversation stays in your Messenger or Instagram inbox until you delete it, and you can delete your own comments at any time. Meta's handling of your data is covered by Meta's Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy
• Patient records. If you've become our patient, your dental and billing records are kept as long as Virginia and federal law require. Deleting your messaging data doesn't affect them, and we'll tell you if any part of your request can't be completed for this reason.

How long it takes

• We'll acknowledge your request within 5 business days.
• We'll complete the deletion within 30 days of receiving it and confirm by the same channel you used. You'll get a reference number you can quote if you want to check the status.

Stopping messages

We only reply to people who contact us first, and we never send marketing messages through Facebook or Instagram. To stop, simply don't message us, type "stop," or block our Page or account. To reach a person instead of the assistant, type "talk to a person" or call (703) 671-0626.

If you used "Remove" in your Facebook settings

If you removed an app connected to our Page under Facebook Settings & Privacy > Settings > Apps and Websites and asked for your data to be deleted, we'll follow the steps above. You can also contact us directly using any option on this page.