Privacy policy

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use and disclose your personal information, how you may access that information and how you may seek the collection of any information. It also explains how you may make a complaint about a breach of your privacy and current legislation.

This Privacy Policy was last updated 1st November 2019. We may make changes to our policy, processes and systems in relation to how we handle your personal information. We will update this Privacy Policy to reflect any changes. Those changes will be available on our website and in the practice.

Collection

We collect information that is necessary and relevant to provide you with dental care, treatment and to manage our dental practice. This information may include your name, address, date of birth, health information, family history and contact details. This information may be stored on our computer medical records system.

Wherever practicable we will only collect information from you personally. However, we may also need to collect information from other sources such as treating specialists, radiologists, pathologists, hospitals and other health care providers. We collect information in various ways, such as over the phone, in writing, or in person at Manuka Dental Care. We require written consent from you or a legal guardian to gather this data. This information may be collected by medical and non-medical staff.

In emergency situations we may also need to collect information from your relatives or friends. We may be required by law to retain medical records for certain periods of time depending on your age at the time we provide services.

Use and Disclosure

We will treat your personal information as strictly private and confidential. We will only use or disclose it for purposes directly related to your care and treatment, or in ways that you would reasonably expect that we may use it for your ongoing care and treatment. For example, we may contact you via email or SMS to remind you of your upcoming appointment. We may also contact your treating specialist to request access to an x-ray or vice versa..

There are circumstances where we may be permitted or required by law to disclose your personal information to third parties. For example, to Medicare, Police, insurers, solicitors, government regulatory bodies, tribunals, courts of law, hospitals, or debt collection agents.

Data Quality and Security

We will take reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information is accurate, complete, up to date and relevant. For this purpose our staff may ask you to confirm that your contact details are correct when you attend a consultation. We request that you let us know if any of the information we hold about you is incorrect or out of date.

Personal information that we hold is protected by:

placing passwords and varying access levels on databases to limit access and protect electronic information from unauthorised interference, access, modification and disclosure;

securing our premises.

Corrections

If you believe that the information we have about you is not accurate, complete or up-to-date, we ask that you contact us in writing.

Access

You are entitled to request access to your dental records. We request that you put your request in writing and we will respond to it within a reasonable time.  There may be a fee for the administrative costs of retrieving and providing you with copies of your medical records.

We may deny access to your medical records in certain circumstances permitted by law, for example, if disclosure may cause a serious threat to your health or safety. We will always tell you why access is denied and the options you have to respond to our decision.

Complaints

If you have a complaint about the privacy of your personal information, we request that you contact us in writing. Upon receipt of a complaint we will consider the details and attempt to resolve it.

If you are dissatisfied with our handling of a complaint or the outcome you may make an application to the Australian Information Commissioner or the Privacy Commissioner in your State or Territory.

Overseas Transfer of Data

We will not transfer your personal information to an overseas recipient unless we have your consent or we are required to do so by law.

Contact

Please direct any queries, complaints, and requests for access to medical records in writing via the following formats:

By mail:

The Practice Manager
Manuka Dental Care
29 Flinders Way
Griffith ACT 2603

By email:

Att: Practice Manager
manukadental@grapevine.com.au