Legal, privacy & medical disclosures

The information on unclenchdental.com is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and no clinician–patient relationship is created by visiting this site, submitting an inquiry, or corresponding with us prior to a formal consultation.

Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or dental condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

If you believe you are experiencing a medical or dental emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department immediately.

Unclench Dental provides a deliberately limited scope of dental services focused on therapeutic neuromodulator (botulinum toxin) therapy for conditions of the masticatory system, including:

• Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD / TMJ)
• Chronic bruxism (sleep and awake)
• Masseter hypertrophy secondary to clenching
• Tension-type head and jaw pain of dental/muscular origin
• Stress-pattern jaw clenching

Unclench Dental does NOT provide: comprehensive dental examinations, preventive care, restorative dentistry, endodontic therapy, prosthodontics, periodontal therapy, oral surgery, orthodontics, sleep appliances, pediatric dentistry, or emergency dental care.

Patients are responsible for maintaining regular comprehensive dental care with a general dentist on an appropriate recall schedule. Unclench Dental does not replace that care.

In accordance with California Business & Professions Code and California Dental Board policy, dentists may administer botulinum toxin for dental and functional purposes. Unclench Dental does not provide cosmetic botulinum toxin services (including glabella, forehead, or periorbital treatment), which are outside the scope of dental practice in California.

Use of botulinum toxin for temporomandibular dysfunction, bruxism, masseter hypertrophy, tension-type headache of dental origin, and stress-pattern jaw clenching is considered off-label by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means the FDA has not specifically approved botulinum toxin for these indications.

Off-label prescribing is a legal and accepted medical practice in the United States when supported by clinical evidence and appropriate clinical judgment. The peer-reviewed evidence base for therapeutic masseter and temporalis botulinum toxin is growing but not universally conclusive. All treatments are reviewed with patients in detail prior to informed consent.

Botulinum toxin is a prescription medical treatment with real risks. Absolute contraindications include, but are not limited to:

• Neuromuscular disorders: myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Known hypersensitivity to botulinum toxin or its components (including human albumin)
• Active infection at the injection site
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding (treatment deferred)

Relative contraindications include the use of aminoglycoside antibiotics, certain immunosuppressants, bleeding disorders, and active autoimmune disease.

Common and rare side effects include bruising, swelling, injection-site pain, transient asymmetry, headache, and in rare cases dysphagia, paradoxical worsening of pain, ptosis, smile changes, or allergic reaction. A full risk discussion is provided prior to every treatment.

Individual results vary. No guarantee of outcome is made or implied.

No treatment is provided without written, informed consent obtained at the time of clinical visit. Informed consent includes a detailed discussion of diagnosis, the proposed treatment, alternatives (including no treatment), reasonably foreseeable risks, expected benefits, onset and duration, and cost. Patients are encouraged to ask questions at any point, and to decline treatment at any point without penalty.

Virtual consultations are delivered via a HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform. Prior to the first virtual visit, patients sign a telehealth-specific informed consent acknowledging: the nature of telehealth, the limitations of remote evaluation, protections and limitations of electronic communications, and their right to withdraw consent at any time.

A telehealth consultation does not substitute for an in-person clinical examination when an in-person exam is clinically indicated.

Clinical services are provided by Dr. Jennifer Nguyen, DMD, FAGD, MPH, licensed in good standing by the Dental Board of California. A current license can be verified at the Dental Board of California's license verification service. Unclench Dental operates as a California Professional Dental Corporation.

Clinical services are provided only to adult patients aged 18 or older. Unclench Dental does not knowingly provide treatment to, or collect personal information from, individuals under 18.

Unclench Dental is not an emergency dental provider and cannot respond to same-day dental emergencies. If you are experiencing severe dental pain, facial swelling, dental trauma, uncontrolled bleeding, or signs of systemic infection, contact your general dentist, a local emergency dental clinic, or the nearest emergency department.

If you are experiencing chest pain, difficulty breathing, sudden severe headache, facial drooping, or other signs of a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.

Unclench Dental is a HIPAA-covered entity. Protected Health Information (PHI) is collected, stored, and transmitted in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), and California's Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA).

PHI may be used and disclosed for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, and as otherwise permitted or required by law. Patients have the right to: access their records, request amendments, receive an accounting of disclosures, request confidential communications, request restrictions, and file a complaint.

A full Notice of Privacy Practices is provided to each patient at the time of the first consultation and is available on request. To file a privacy complaint, contact us at [email protected] or file with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights.

California residents have specific 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 is collected, the right to delete personal information, the right to correct inaccurate information, the right to opt out of sale or sharing of personal information, and the right to limit use of sensitive personal information.

Unclench Dental does not sell personal information. Limited website analytics data may be collected to understand usage and improve the site. Patient health information collected in the course of care is governed by HIPAA and CMIA, not by CCPA's commercial provisions, but patients retain all applicable rights under those laws.

To exercise your CCPA rights, email [email protected].

Unclench Dental is committed to providing equal access to goods and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California's Unruh Civil Rights Act. We strive to make our website conform to WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines and continually improve accessibility. Because we are a mobile concierge practice, we are able to accommodate reasonable accessibility requests at the site of care.

If you have difficulty accessing any portion of this website or require accommodation for an appointment, contact [email protected].

Unclench Dental does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition, physical or mental disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, citizenship, primary language, or source of payment.

Clinical records are retained in accordance with California Business & Professions Code §1680 and applicable HIPAA requirements — generally for a minimum of seven (7) years from the last date of service for adult patients, and until the age of 25 for patients treated as minors.

By accessing unclenchdental.com, you agree to the following: content is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind; you will not misuse, reproduce, or redistribute content without permission; you will not use the site for unlawful purposes; and you acknowledge that clinical information presented is general and not tailored to any individual.

Unclench Dental reserves the right to modify these terms at any time. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

All content, trademarks, logos, and site design are the property of Unclench Dental and its founder. "Unclench." and "Unclench Dental" are trademarks. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or use is prohibited.

Questions about these disclosures or any aspect of the practice can be directed to: