What Information We Collect
To provide safe, effective and personalised dental care, we may collect personal information including:
- Your name, date of birth, address, telephone number and email address.
- Emergency contact details.
- Medicare, Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), health fund or insurer information where applicable.
- Payment and billing information.
- Medical history, medications, allergies and family medical history where relevant.
- Dental history and previous treating practitioners.
- Clinical records, treatment notes, referrals, radiographs, CBCT scans, intraoral scans, clinical photographs and other diagnostic records.
- Information you provide through our website, online booking system, enquiry forms, telephone calls, emails or social media.
- Any other information reasonably required to provide dental treatment or comply with our legal obligations.
How We Collect Your Information
We collect information directly from you when you:
- register as a patient;
- complete medical history or consent forms;
- attend appointments;
- communicate with us by phone, email, SMS or through our website;
- make enquiries or request information; or
- purchase products or services from our practice.
With your consent, or where permitted by law, we may also collect information from:
- your referring dentist or medical practitioner;
- specialists or other healthcare providers involved in your care;
- pathology or imaging providers;
- your health fund or insurer;
- parents, guardians or authorised representatives; and
- other persons where reasonably necessary to provide your treatment.
Why We Collect Your Information
We collect your information so we can:
- provide dental examinations, diagnosis and treatment;
- maintain accurate clinical records;
- prepare treatment plans and monitor your oral health;
- communicate regarding appointments, treatment and follow-up care;
- process Medicare, health fund and insurance claims;
- process payments and administer your account;
- respond to enquiries and provide customer support;
- comply with legal, regulatory and professional obligations;
- improve our services and patient experience; and
- conduct internal quality assurance and practice administration.
Where practical, we will only collect information that is reasonably necessary for these purposes.
Use and Disclosure of Your Information
Your personal information is used primarily to provide dental care and manage our practice.
We may disclose your information where appropriate to:
- dentists, hygienists, oral health therapists and other members of your treating team;
- dental laboratories involved in manufacturing dental prostheses or appliances;
- specialists and other healthcare professionals involved in your treatment;
- Medicare, health funds, insurers or government agencies;
- secure practice management software providers and IT service providers;
- payment processors;
- professional advisers including accountants, auditors and legal advisers;
- debt collection agencies where accounts remain unpaid after reasonable attempts to recover payment;
- emergency contacts where necessary to protect your health or safety; and
- regulatory authorities where required or authorised by law.
We do
not sell or rent your personal information to third parties.
We will not use your health information for any other purpose unless you have consented.
Marketing Communications
With your consent where required, we may occasionally send information regarding new services, promotions, oral health education or practice updates.
You may opt out of marketing communications at any time by contacting us or using the unsubscribe option provided in electronic communications.
De-identified Information
We may use information that has been de-identified so that you cannot reasonably be identified for purposes such as:
- quality assurance;
- service improvement;
- practice planning;
- marketing and statistical analysis;
- benchmarking; and
- research where permitted by law.
Data Quality and Security
We take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we hold is accurate, current and complete.
We maintain appropriate physical, electronic and administrative safeguards to protect information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
These measures include:
- secure practice management software;
- password-protected systems;
- restricted staff access based on job responsibilities;
- encrypted data where appropriate;
- regular system backups; and
- staff training regarding privacy and confidentiality obligations.
While we take reasonable precautions, no method of electronic transmission or internet storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
Overseas Disclosure
Some of our technology providers or secure cloud storage providers may store information on servers located outside Australia.
Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure those providers handle your personal information in accordance with Australian privacy laws and appropriate contractual safeguards.
Website, Cookies and Analytics
Our website may use cookies and analytics services to help us understand website usage and improve our online services.
Cookies generally do not identify you personally, although they may collect information about your device or browsing activity.
You may disable cookies through your browser settings, although doing so may affect some website functionality.
Our website may also contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third-party websites.
Retention of Records
Patient records are retained for the minimum periods required by applicable Australian laws and professional standards.
Once those retention periods have expired, records may be securely destroyed or permanently de-identified where permitted by law.
Accessing or Correcting Your Information
You may request access to your personal information or ask us to correct information that you believe is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date.
Requests should be made in writing to our Privacy Officer.
Before releasing information, we may request sufficient identification to verify your identity.
In limited circumstances permitted by law, access may be refused. If this occurs, we will explain the reasons where required.
If You Choose Not to Provide Information
Providing accurate personal and health information helps us deliver safe and appropriate dental care.
If you choose not to provide information that is relevant to your treatment, we may be unable to provide certain services or may not be able to provide treatment safely.
Privacy Complaints
If you have questions or concerns regarding your privacy or believe your information has not been handled appropriately, please contact our Privacy Officer.
We take all privacy complaints seriously and will investigate them promptly.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
