This Privacy Policy explains how Balgowlah Family Dental Practice collects, uses, discloses, and handles your personal information when you interact with us. Our handling of personal information complies with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), along with relevant New South Wales laws governing the use of personal information and health records.
Definitions
Us / We / Our
Refers to Balgowlah Family Dental Practice, located at 2/343-345 Sydney Rd, Balgowlah NSW 2093, and our staff and contractors.
You / Your
Refers to the person interacting with us, using our services, or visiting our website.
Personal Information
Information or opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable, whether true or not and whether recorded in material form or not. Examples include name, address, phone number, and date of birth.
Sensitive Information
A higher-protection category of personal information under the Privacy Act, including health, genetic and biometric information, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, or criminal record.
Health Information
Includes information or opinion about an individual’s physical or mental health, disability, health preferences, use of health services, or genetics.
Information We Collect
The personal information we collect depends on your relationship with us and the services provided. Examples include:
- Name, address, email address, and phone number
- Date of birth and family relationships
- Occupation and relevant personal information
- Payment and banking details
- Medicare, pension, veteran, or concession card details
- Health fund name and membership details
- Dental and medical history, x-rays, test results, diagnoses, and treatment records
- Details of other treating practitioners, such as your GP
- Photographs or recordings related to your care, taken with your consent
- Employment-related details if you apply for a role with our practice
Information Collected by Our Website
When you visit our website, we may collect:
- Browser type, version, and language
- Operating system
- Pages viewed and access times
- Referring website address
We may use cookies and advertising tools for retargeting purposes. These tools may identify your IP address and browser type but do not collect your name, email, postal address, or phone number.
Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to external websites. Those sites are not subject to this Privacy Policy. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of any third-party websites.
How We Collect Personal Information
We generally collect information directly from you through:
- Patient registration, consent, and medical history forms
- Treatment and services enquiry forms
- Verbal or written communications with our team
- Photographs taken with your consent during treatment
In some circumstances, we may collect your information from third parties, such as your representative, a family member, your GP, or another health provider involved in your care.
Anonymity
Where lawful and practicable, you may interact with us anonymously or using a pseudonym. However, to provide health services safely and effectively, we generally need your personal details.
How We Use and Disclose Your Information
We use and disclose your personal information for the purposes for which it was collected, unless otherwise permitted by law. This includes:
- Providing dental treatment and ongoing care, including appointment reminders
- Coordinating with other health providers involved in your care
- Communicating with a responsible person if you are unable to do so yourself
- Billing, invoicing, and account management
- Business operations, service planning, and complaint handling
- Insurance and legal services
- Quality assurance, risk management, and staff education
- Public health reporting, such as notifiable diseases
- Marketing communications and appointment reminders, with your consent
We may engage trusted third-party service providers who access your personal information only as required to deliver their services. All such parties are bound by appropriate confidentiality and privacy obligations.
Storage and Security of Your Personal Information
We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. Our measures include:
- Secure storage for both electronic and hard copy records
- Access restricted to authorised personnel only
- Encryption of data in transit and at rest
- Password-protected systems and secure login protocols
Overseas Disclosure
Some third-party service providers we use may be located overseas. In the course of normal operations, personal information may be disclosed to, or stored in, countries outside Australia. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure those parties handle your information in accordance with Australian privacy standards.
Access and Correction
You may request access to or correction of your personal information at any time, subject to legal exceptions. Requests may need to be made in writing and may require proof of identity. A reasonable fee may apply for access requests, though not for corrections.
To make a request, please contact us using the details below.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practice or legal obligations. Updated versions will be published on our website. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
Complaints Process
If you believe your privacy has been breached, please contact us directly. We take all complaints seriously and will investigate and respond within 30 days.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a formal complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):
- Mail: Director of Compliance, OAIC, GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001
- Phone: 1300 363 992
- Website: www.oaic.gov.au
Contact Us
Privacy Officer
Balgowlah Family Dental Practice
2/343-345 Sydney Rd, Balgowlah NSW 2093
Phone: (02) 9948 7818
Email: info@balgowlahdental.com.au