[Last updated 1 September 2020]
This privacy policy sets out how Preventive Dentistry handles your personal information. We do our best to comply with Australian privacy legislation and laws that deal with the management of health records.
We collect, hold, use and disclose personal information for the purpose of providing you with safe and optimal treatment. You may receive updates from us from time to time. We do not sell or give away access to the personal information you provide to us.
Contact us about your privacy:
Preventive Dentistry
ABN 45 087 752 592
info@preventivedentistry.com.au
(02) 6171 2088
Collecting personal information
At all times we try to only collect the information we need to provide our treatment to you.
The main way we collect personal information about you is when you give it to us, for example:
- when you contact us by phone or email
- when providing you with treatment.
We will take photographic images and X-rays of you during the course of providing you with treatment. You consent to our use of those images for our business purposes after they have been de-identified and names changed so that you cannot be identified from the image, for the purpose of our advertising material, including on our website, in print and for educational purposes.
You agree that we may keep your personal information for 7 years after your last contact with us if you are an adult, and for a person who was under the age of 18 years at the time of last treatment, up until your 25th birthday.
Indirect collection
We aim to only collect information directly from you. However, there are circumstances where we may also receive information from other parties, for example:
- we may receive information about you from a parent, guardian or carer;
- if you are receiving treatment from an allied health practitioner, like an orthodontist or doctor, we will receive information from that practitioner so that our treatment for you is consistent with their treatment;
- if you are referred to us by another practitioner, you may give them permission to send us your information and we will receive it from them;
- or there may be circumstances similar to those described above where we receive information about you.
We do not actively seek your information from other sources.
Personal information about children or people without legal capacity
For children under the age of 18 years, we will usually also require the personal information of a parent, guardian or carer who is over the age of 18 years and will discuss the child’s treatment with that person.
We are aware that a child can obtain an independent Medicare Card from the age of 15 years. Provided that payment for services has been appropriately authorised, we are prepared to offer services to children from the age of 15 years without the need for parents to be present, based on individual circumstances.
For a person lacking legal capacity to give consent for treatment, we will obtain the personal information of the guardian or carer for that person and discuss and obtain consent for treatment with that guardian or carer.
Collecting sensitive information
Sensitive personal information is defined as including information about your health, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or criminal history.
We must collect information about your current health and past treatment so that we can deliver our services to you safely. We look after sensitive information in a way that is consistent with the requirements of health records and privacy legislation.
Social Networking Services and links to other websites
We may provide links to other websites or use social media services such as Facebook to communicate with the public about our services. These sites have their own privacy policies. The social media service will also handle your personal information for its own purposes.
Testimonials
As a regulated health profession in Australia, we are not permitted to accept testimonials from you for publication on our website or any advertising material. This does not stop you from saying nice things about us on your own social media account or on third party platforms over which we have no control, or letting your friends and family know about your experience of our services, or recommending our services. We simply cannot publish anything you say about our dental services on our website, social media or any other platform over which we have control.
How we use cookies and other identifiers
We use a range of tools provided by third parties including search engine browsers and our web hosting company, to collect or view website traffic information. These sites have their own privacy policies. We also use cookies and session tools to improve your experience when accessing our websites.
Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. Some website features may not function properly without cookies.
The information collected by these tools may include the IP address of the device you are using and information about sites that IP address has come from, the pages accessed on our site and the next site visited. We use the information to help to track your use of our websites to improve your user experience and the quality of our services. To find out how to opt out of tailored advertising please check the options available here – https://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/.
Disclosure
The information that we collect about you is used only for providing you with treatment and keeping you up to date with our services. We do not publish your personal information.
With your permission, we will:
- share your personal information with other treating practitioners
- share your personal information with a parent, guardian, or carer
We will disclose your personal information when legally compelled to do so in cooperation with the police, or under subpoena, or otherwise in compliance with Australian privacy law.
Accessing and correcting your personal information
You may ask us to send a copy of your records to a new treating practitioner.
You may request copies of the information we hold about you. You have the ability to make a request to amend or correct that information. If we do not agree with your requested change, we will keep a copy of your request with our information.
Problems?
If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, please write to or contact us using any of the details set out at the beginning of this privacy policy and let us know what the problem is. We will respond to your concerns within 30 days.
If you are not happy with how we manage your concerns, you can contact the Australian Privacy Commission, available at https://www.oaic.gov.au.