Privacy Policy

Introduction

This privacy policy provides information to you, our patient, on how your personal information (which includes your health information) is collected and used within our practice, and the circumstances in which we may share it with third parties.

Why and when your consent is necessary

When you register as a patient of our practice, you provide consent for our dental practitioners and practice staff to access and use your personal information so they can provide you with the best possible dental care. Only staff who need to see your personal information will have access to it. If we need to use your information for anything else, we will generally seek additional consent from you to do this, unless obtaining your consent is not practical or reasonable, and an exception under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) applies.

Why do we collect, use, hold and share your personal information?

Our practice will need to collect your personal information to provide dental services to you. Our main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to manage your dental health. We also use it for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits and accreditation, and business processes (e.g. staff training).

What personal information do we collect?

The information collected about you includes your:

• Name/s, date of birth, address/es, contact details (e.g. telephone, email), emergency contact information
• Details of your oral health condition and the treatment/s and service/s you have received
• Details of your general health (e.g. medications, allergies, medical conditions) and medical history that may impact the dental treatment you receive
• Private health insurance information
• Medicare number (where available) for identification and claiming purposes
• Information regarding other funding sources, where relevant (e.g. Child Dental Benefits Schedule, Department of Veterans’ Affairs)
• Information on workers’ compensation, motor vehicle and other accident claims, where relevant
• Healthcare identifiers, where relevant

Dealing with us anonymously

You have the right to deal with us anonymously or under a pseudonym unless it is impracticable for us to do so or unless we are required or authorised by law to only deal with identified individuals.

How do we collect your personal information?

Our practice may collect your personal information in several ways:

• When you make your first appointment, our practice staff will collect your personal information via your registration and through the medical history form that we request for you to complete. This information is important so that we can provide treatment safely and appropriately. By signing this form, you are providing express consent to the practice to handle your personal and sensitive information.
• During the course of providing dental services, we may collect further personal information.
• We may also collect your personal information when you send us a correspondence letter or email, SMS or telephone us.
• In some circumstances, personal information may also be collected from other sources, including from your guardian or responsible person, other involved healthcare providers (such as specialists and diagnostic imaging services), or your health fund, Medicare, or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

When, why and with whom do we share your personal information?

We sometimes share your personal information:

• With third parties who work with our practice for business purposes, such as information technology providers — these third parties are required to comply with Australian Privacy Principles (APPs)
• With other healthcare providers
• When it is required or authorised by law (e.g. court subpoenas)
• When it is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a patient’s life, health or safety or public health or safety, or it is impractical to obtain the patient’s consent
• To assist in locating a missing person
• To establish, exercise or defend an equitable claim
• For the purpose of a confidential dispute resolution process
• When there is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (e.g. some diseases require mandatory notification)

Only people who need to access your information will be able to do so. Other than in the course of providing dental services or as otherwise described in this policy, our practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent. We will not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent. Our practice will not use your personal information for marketing any of our goods or services directly to you without your express consent. If you do consent, you may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying our practice in writing.

How do we store and protect your personal information?

Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms, such as paper records, electronic records, and visual records (X-rays, photos). We are committed to safeguarding your personal information and we take reasonable steps to protect this information from interference, misuse, unauthorised access, loss, disclosure and modification. Some of the ways we do this are:

• Confidentiality requirements for our employees
• Document storage security processes
• Security measures for systems access
• Offering a discreet environment for confidential discussions within the dental clinic
• Only allowing transfer of personal information where the individual seeking access has given written consent and identification has been verified

How can you access and correct your personal information?

You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information. Our practice acknowledges patients may request access to their dental records. We ask that you contact our practice manager by email at dawsonstreetdental@gmail.com who will then provide you with an authority to release dental records form to complete, once your identification has been verified.

We may ask you to pay a reasonable fee to cover the cost of access, only where the request requires substantial effort or resources (such as accessing archived information), with an estimate provided in advance. In most cases, access is provided free of charge. Our practice will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. You may also request that we correct or update your information by contacting our practice manager at dawsonstreetdental@gmail.com.

How can you lodge a privacy-related complaint?

We take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing in the first instance. We will respond to you within 2 business days and provide a full response within 28 days. If you are dissatisfied with our response to your privacy complaint, please contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) for further advice by telephone (1300 363 992) or by visiting www.oaic.gov.au.

For more information about our privacy policy, please contact our privacy officer by email at dawsonstreetdental@gmail.com.

Policy review statement

This privacy policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure it is in accordance with any changes that may occur.

Last updated January 2026.