Privacy Policy for Wongan Dental on Ackland

We aim to provide you with the highest standard of dental care and we need to collect some personal information from you.

This information is necessary to enable us to provide you with appropriate, individual oral health care.

This Privacy Policy sets out how we use and manage your personal information. Personal information includes information that can identify you and information about your past and current health.

As a Provider of Health Services, we are bound by the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988. We also have professional and ethical obligations to protect your privacy and keep your personal information confidential.

What information do we collect?

We will only collect information that is necessary to provide our services and operate our Dental Practice.

We collect the following types of information from patients and prospective patients:

• Name and contact details
• Age, date of birth, and gender
• Dental history and details of previous dentists
• Medical History
• Details about your current health and medications
• Health Insurance Details

If you are claiming from your health insurance fund your insurance card details are used when processing claims through HICAPS. Your details are also required if you pay using your credit card. Any receipts for HICAPS and/or credit card payment containing personal information are kept confidentially and securely for the legal time required. All records are then disposed of through secure and confidential means.

How do we gather your personal information?

You will be asked to complete our medical history form and to provide us with the information we need to provide dental services to you in a safe and appropriate manner.

In addition to basic details such as your name, address and contact details, it is also necessary to collect information about your general health including details about your medical conditions including surgical treatment you are having, or may have had, and any medications you are taking, or have taken.

We respect the confidentiality of all personal information.

When signing our medical history form, you will be giving us permission to obtain personal information about you from third parties. For example, we may need to obtain information from other dentists, dental specialists or other health practitioners, including your GP.

If a patient is unable to provide us with the information we need to provide them with dental care (for example, if the patient is a young child or lacks the capacity to provide these details), this information will be provided by the patient’s legal guardian or other person who is legally entitled to act on behalf of the patient.

How do we use your personal information?

We may use your personal information for any of the following purposes:

• To assess whether we can safely provide you with oral health care.
• To maintain and administer your patient file.
• To invoice you for treatment you have received.
• To process your health insurance claims.
• To contact you for follow-up services by telephone, mail, email and/or SMS for on-going oral health care.
• To collect unpaid invoices.

Our website uses cookies but only for statistical information. It does not capture any personal or identifying information. We will not use your information to send any promotional material which is not related directly to the service we provide.

How do we make sure that your information is accurate?

We take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we collect from you is complete, accurate and up-to-date.

In order to do this we maintain and update your personal information and Medical History when you attend the Practice; and amend and update our records when you let us know your information has changed.

When we may have to disclose your personal information?

To provide you with quality and appropriate care, we may need to disclose your personal information to third parties. When completing and signing our medical history form we ask that you agree for us to do so.

For example, we may disclose your personal information:

• If you ask us in writing, or provide us with your written consent to disclose your information to a third party.
• In an emergency situation if you have nominated relatives or next of kin as emergency contacts.
• To other dentists, dental specialists and healthcare providers, for the purpose of seeking a second opinion, or a referral.
• To laboratories and dental specialists (within Australia) to provide advisory services relating to your treatment. We do not use laboratories in third world countries.

We may also disclose specific personal information (your name, address, contact details and any amounts owing to us) to debt collection agencies engaged by us if you do not pay your account within the required time.

Other than as set out above we will only disclose your personal information without your agreement if we are legally required. Under the Privacy Act 1988.

We must disclose your personal information if we are directed by a government or regulatory body (including Medicare) or a statutory body (for example a court or tribunal) with legal powers to obtain your information.

How do we protect and store your information?

We protect your privacy in a legal and ethical respect.

We take all reasonable steps to protect records against loss, misuse, unauthorised access or use, modification or disclosure. We keep electronic records of patients’ personal information with security processes in place restricting access to computerised records. We have systems in place to ensure electronic data is backed up. We do not use Cloud based electronic storage.

Accessing your personal information.

Legally we are required to keep original patient records at the Practice. You have the right to request access to personal information that we hold about you and we will always try to meet your request within a reasonable time.

You may inspect your dental records or obtain copies.

To request access to your personal information please contact the Practice in writing.

In some circumstances, we may not be able to provide you with access to your personal information.

These circumstances include:

• To provide access would be unlawful.
• If we no longer hold any personal information about you.
• If we consider your request is frivolous or vexatious.
• If the information requested relates to existing or anticipated legal proceedings and would not normally be disclosed as part of those proceedings.
• If denying access is required or allowed by law.
• If we are unable to give you access to the information you have requested we will provide you with written reasons for this decision when we respond to your request.

We may charge you a reasonable fee for access to some types of information requested by you. This charge will be limited to the cost of recouping our administration costs for providing you with the information. Charges may include document retrieval, photocopying, the costs of duplication of x-rays and models, costs associated with interpretation and discussion of your records. and delivery costs (if applicable).

Correcting your personal information.

It is important that the information we hold about you is accurate, complete and up-to-date and we take reasonable steps to ensure that this happens. To allow us to do this, please ensure that you keep us informed of any changes in your personal details which may include a change of address, name, telephone number and health provider) and also any changes relating to health matters (including new or altered medication or recent surgery).

If you have any questions, concerns, or a complaint about this Privacy Policy, or about the way in we which we collect, store and disclose your personal information, you can contact us during office hours. We will respond to you and address your queries, concerns or complaints within a reasonable time.

• Dr Richard Morgan BDS., LDSRCS., LLM., MGDS.
• Dental Surgeon
• Wongan Dental on Ackland
• 1 Ackland Street
• Wongan Hills WA 6603
• p. 08 96711 822.
• e. wongandental@outlook.com