Privacy Policy

Introduction:

Emerald School of Dental Assisting (“Emerald,” “we,” or “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our website and Services. It applies to information collected through our Site (https://emeraldacademy.training) as well as related communications you may have with us (such as emails or phone calls inquiring about our program). By using the Site or providing us with personal information, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our Site or submit personal data.

Information We Collect:

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us, as well as some information automatically collected through technology:

Information You Provide Directly: When you engage with our Site and Services, such as by filling out the online Enrollment/Registration form or contacting us via email/phone, you may provide personal data. The types of information we may collect include:
Contact Details: Your name, email address, phone number, and mailing address. For example, our enrollment form asks for your full name, phone number, and address so we can process your admission.
Identification and Background Info: Date of birth (to verify eligibility) and educational history (such as whether you have a high school diploma or GED). We require proof of a high school level education for admission.
Demographic Information: The enrollment form may ask for certain demographic or educational details (e.g., highest grade completed, such as high school or college level).
Application/Enrollment Details: Any information you include in your communications with us or in forms, such as questions you ask, the timing of the course you’re interested in, etc. If you contact us for information, you might provide additional personal details relevant to your inquiry.

Payment Information: If tuition payments or fees are collected through the Site or via online invoice, we (or our third-party payment processor) may collect information such as credit card numbers or bank account details. (Note: Currently, our Site provides tuition information and may direct you to payment options, but any online payment processing will be handled securely by compliant third-party services. We do not store full credit card numbers on our servers.)
Information Collected Automatically: When you visit our Site, certain information about your device and usage of the Site is collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies. This may include:
Usage Data: Your IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, and pages you visit on our Site, as well as the dates/times of access. This data helps us analyze trends and improve our website experience.
Cookies and Similar Technologies: Our Site may use “cookies” (small text files stored on your device) or similar tools to remember your preferences and enhance your experience. For instance, if you dismiss a notification once, a cookie might remember that setting. Cookies can also help with analytics to understand how users find and navigate our Site. You can control cookies through your browser settings – for example, you can refuse all or certain cookies or delete cookies after visiting. However, note that disabling cookies might affect some functionality of the Site.
Google reCAPTCHA: We use Google’s reCAPTCHA service on our enrollment form to protect against spam and abuse. reCAPTCHA works by analyzing user behavior and may collect hardware or software information (such as device and application data) and send it to Google for risk analysis. This means that when you use our form, Google may collect certain information about your device and internet connection for security purposes. This usage is subject to Google’s Privacy Policy.

We generally do not seek to collect sensitive personal information (such as Social Security numbers, racial or ethnic origin, health information, etc.) through our Site. Please do not submit such sensitive data online. We only collect Social Security numbers or other sensitive data offline if required for enrollment or tax purposes (and in such cases, we handle it with appropriate safeguards and in compliance with law).

How We Use Your Information:

We use the collected information for purposes consistent with providing our educational services and running our operations. Uses include:

Providing and Improving Services:

We use personal information to process your application and enroll you in the dental assisting program. For example, the information you submit in the enrollment form enables us to register you as a student, verify that you meet admission requirements (like having a high school diploma), and contact you with next steps. We also use data to plan class schedules and allocate resources (e.g., knowing how many students might join a class, since our class size is limited to 10 students).

Communication:

We use your contact information to communicate with you. This includes sending admissions-related communications (such as confirmation that we received your application, acceptance letters, or requests for additional info), answering inquiries you send through email or phone, and sending student updates. Once enrolled, we will email or call you with important information like class schedules (e.g., reminders that classes are Saturdays 8am-5pm), changes due to holidays (no classes on certain holidays), or other announcements. We may also use your information to send newsletters or promotional materials about our program or continuing education opportunities, but you will have the opportunity to opt-out of marketing emails if you prefer.

Tuition and Payment Processing:

If you make payments to us (such as paying tuition or fees), we will use payment information to process those transactions and maintain proper financial records. For instance, ensuring that tuition is paid by the last day of and issuing receipts or refunds when applicable (per our refund policy).

Compliance and Legal Obligations:

We may use your information to comply with applicable laws and regulations. As a licensed vocational school in Washington, we are required to maintain certain records of our students (e.g., enrollment agreements, attendance, and academic progress) and to submit information to state authorities if requested. We keep records of complaints and outcomes as required by the state Workforce Board. Additionally, we may use and disclose personal information as needed to fulfill our obligations under the law (such as responding to lawful requests by public authorities or in connection with legal claims).

Site Analytics and Improvement:

Automatically collected data (like site usage patterns) helps us troubleshoot technical issues, analyze the effectiveness of our website (for example, seeing which pages are most visited – perhaps the Tuition page or Contact page – and optimizing accordingly), and improve content and navigation. We aim to ensure the Site provides relevant and up-to-date information for users, and analytics help in making informed updates.

Safety and Security:

Information (including IP addresses and reCAPTCHA analysis) is used to protect the security of the Site, our online forms, and our users. For example, we may use certain data to detect and prevent fraudulent submissions or spam messages through our contact form. If you submit inquiries, we may verify your identity to prevent unauthorized access to student-specific information.

We will use personal information in a way that is compatible with and relevant to the purpose for which it was collected or as subsequently authorized by you. If we plan to use your data for a new purpose that is not covered by this Privacy Policy, we will provide notice or request your consent as required by law.

How We Share or Disclose Information:

Emerald School of Dental Assisting respects your privacy and does not sell your personal information to third parties. We only share your information in limited situations, such as:

With Service Providers: We may share data with third-party service providers who perform functions on our behalf and help us deliver our Services. This includes payment processors (to handle tuition payments securely), email service providers (to send out communications), cloud storage or database providers (to store enrollment records securely), or analytics services (to analyze website traffic). These providers are given access only to the information necessary to perform their support functions and are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for our authorized purposes.

With Regulatory and Licensing Bodies: As required by Washington State regulations, we may share certain student information with the state’s regulatory agencies. For example, if you file a complaint that cannot be resolved internally, you have the right to contact the Washington Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, and we might need to provide them with your enrollment details or complaint records during their investigation. We may also submit data as part of annual licensing compliance (such as aggregate enrollment statistics or results) if required by the state.
Legal Requirements: We may disclose personal information if required to do so by law or in the good-faith belief that such action is necessary to (i) comply with a legal obligation, subpoena, or court order; (ii) protect and defend the rights or property of Emerald School of Dental Assisting; (iii) act in urgent circumstances to protect the personal safety of students or the public; or (iv) protect against legal liability. For instance, if law enforcement or a regulatory body requests information as part of an investigation, we will comply to the extent we are required.
Business Transfers: In the unlikely event that Emerald School of Dental Assisting is involved in a merger, acquisition, asset sale, or other corporate reorganization, your personal information may be transferred to the successor or acquiring entity as part of that transaction. We would ensure that any such entity is bound by terms similar to this Privacy Policy with respect to your information. You would be notified via a prominent notice on our Site or via email of any change in ownership or control of your personal information.
With Your Consent: We will share your personal information with third parties if you direct us to or with your explicit consent. For example, if you request us to share your transcript or proof of completion with a prospective employer or another school, we will do so with your permission. Another example is if we feature student testimonials or success stories on our Site or marketing materials – we would only include identifiable information with the student’s consent.

Third-Party Services and Links:

As noted, our Site may incorporate third-party services such as Google reCAPTCHA (for spam protection) and might link to external websites (like dental organizations or map services).
Google reCAPTCHA: When you use the reCAPTCHA on our form, Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Google may collect information like IP address and user behavior to determine if an input is made by a human. This information is used strictly for security purposes to prevent abuse of our forms.
External Links: If you follow links to third-party websites (for example, clicking “Click for driving directions” leading to Google Maps, or visiting our instructor’s dental practice site), you will be subject to the privacy policies of those external sites. We are not responsible for how those third parties collect or use your data. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies:

We described earlier that we use cookies and similar technologies for functionality and analytics. Here is more detail on your choices: Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. You may also clear cookies from your browser at any time. Be aware that disabling cookies might affect some features of our Site – for example, forms or embedded content might not function smoothly if cookies are completely blocked. We do not currently respond to “Do Not Track” signals because there is no uniform standard for such signals, but we continue to monitor developments around online tracking. We do not allow third-party advertising networks on our Site that would collect information for ad targeting purposes. Any analytics we perform (whether via Google Analytics or another tool) is used for our internal website improvement and not for advertising.

Data Security:

We take reasonable measures to protect the security of your personal information. Our Site is hosted on secure servers, and we use technical and organizational measures such as encryption (for instance, our site likely uses HTTPS encryption for data transmission), access controls, and secure data storage to safeguard personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction. We also limit access to personal information to those employees or service providers who need it to perform their duties (for example, the school director processing admissions or an administrative assistant handling student records). Despite our efforts, please note that no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of information. It is important for you as well to protect against unauthorized access to any accounts or sensitive information – be sure to use strong passwords and log out of shared devices. In the event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you and the appropriate authorities as required by law.

Data Retention:

We will retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy. For prospective students who do not ultimately enroll, we may keep your contact information and inquiry on file for a period (for example, to follow up with you about future course offerings or in case you decide to enroll at a later date), but you can contact us to have your information deleted if you no longer want to be contacted. For enrolled students, we retain your information for the duration of your program and for an appropriate period thereafter. Educational institutions often are required by law to maintain certain records — for instance, student academic and financial records may be kept for a number of years to comply with state regulations and for our accreditation/licensing purposes. We also retain information as needed to resolve disputes or enforce agreements. When personal information is no longer necessary or required, we will securely destroy or anonymize it.

Your Rights and Choices:

You have certain rights regarding your personal information:

Access and Update: You may request access to the personal data we hold about you and ask that we correct or update any inaccuracies. For example, if you move or change your phone number, you can contact us to update your contact information on file.
Deletion (Right to Be Forgotten): You may request that we delete your personal information. We will honor such requests to the extent possible and consistent with applicable law. Note that if you are an enrolled student or graduate, we may be required to keep certain information in our records (for example, proof of your coursework or diploma for a period mandated by state law), so we may not be able to delete all data immediately. We will inform you of what data can and cannot be deleted at the time of your request.
California Privacy Rights: If you are a resident of California, you have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and other state laws. These include the right to know what personal information we collect, use, and disclose about you, the right to request deletion of your personal data, and the right to opt out of any “sale” of personal data (though note, as stated, we do not sell personal data). To exercise your California privacy rights, you (or an authorized agent) may contact us using the information in the Contact section below. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests. We will not discriminate against you for exercising any privacy rights (meaning we won’t deny you services or provide different quality of service just because you made a privacy request).
Marketing Communications: If at any time you prefer not to receive marketing or promotional emails from us (such as general announcements about new courses or events), you may unsubscribe using the link provided in those emails or by contacting us to opt out. Please note that even if you opt out of marketing messages, we will still send you transactional or informational communications relevant to your role as a student (for example, emails about class schedules, payment reminders, or policy updates), as these are not promotional but necessary for our administrative or educational purposes.

To exercise any of your rights or if you have any questions about your data, please refer to the Contact Information section of this Privacy Policy.

Children’s Privacy:

Our Site and Services are not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 years old. The dental assisting program is a post-secondary education program intended for adults (or late teens who have completed high school or equivalent). If you are under 13, please do not attempt to fill out any forms or send us any personal information. If we learn that we have inadvertently collected personal data from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete that information promptly. If you are a parent or guardian and believe we have collected information from your child under 13, please contact us so we can address the issue. For minors who are above 13 but under 18 and interested in our program: a parent or guardian’s consent may be required for enrollment if you are under the age of majority. We treat all student data with care, but any student under 18 should only provide data with appropriate consent and involvement of a parent/guardian.

International Users:

Emerald School of Dental Assisting is located in the United States, and our website is intended for U.S. residents, particularly those in our region. If you are accessing the Site from outside the U.S., please be aware that any information you provide will be transferred to and processed in the United States under U.S. privacy laws. By using our Site or submitting your information, you consent to that transfer and processing. We will handle your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy, but additional rules that apply in your country (such as the European Union’s GDPR) may not directly apply to Emerald if we do not actively offer services in those jurisdictions. That said, we strive to uphold high standards of privacy for all our users.

Policy Updates:

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. If we make material changes to how we handle personal information, we will post the updated policy on this page with a new effective date, and we may provide a notice on our website or notify you via email (especially if you are a current student or have provided us your contact information). We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information. Your continued use of the Site after any changes to this Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms.

Contact Information (Privacy): If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us. Our contact details are as follows: – Emerald School of Dental Assisting, LLC
– Address: 33516 9th Ave. Suite #2, Federal Way, WA 98003
– Phone: (425) 625-4242

– Email: info@emeraldacademy.training

Please include your name and contact information and a detailed description of your request or concern. We will take privacy inquiries seriously and will respond as soon as reasonably possible, generally within 30 days.