Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Melbourne Sedation Dental Centre (“MSDC”, “we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your personal information, including your sensitive health information. We are bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), including the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and all applicable state and territory health records legislation, including the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic).

This Policy outlines how we manage the personal information we collect in the course of providing our dental services.

2. Contact Details

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us:

• Practice Name: Melbourne Sedation Dental Centre
• Address: 598 Hampton St, Hampton, VIC 3188
• Phone: (03) 9521 0522
• Email: info@themsdc.com.au
• Website: melbournesedationdentalcentre.com.au

3. What Personal Information We Collect

We only collect personal information that is necessary for us to provide quality dental care and services, and for the effective management of our practice.

The information we collect may include:

• Personal Details: Name, date of birth, address, email address, telephone number, and gender.
• Health Information (Sensitive Information):
• Your relevant medical history (e.g., allergies, medications, past and present medical conditions).
• Your dental history, current oral health status, and details of treatments provided.
• Clinical records, including charts, X-rays, photos, scans, and specialist reports.
• Financial and Administrative Information: Health fund details, Medicare information, billing and payment details, and appointment history.
• Information from the Website: Data collected when you use our website, such as IP address, browser type, and usage patterns (see Section 8).

4. How We Collect Your Personal Information

We generally collect your personal information directly from you (or your legal guardian/responsible person) when you:

• Complete a New Patient Registration or medical history form.
• Book an appointment by phone, email, or via our website.
• Consult with our dental practitioners.
• Communicate with us by phone, email, or in person.

We may also collect information from third parties where necessary and with your consent, including:

• Other health service providers (e.g., your GP, medical specialists, or referring dentists).
• Pathology or radiology services (e.g., blood test results).
• Your health fund or Medicare (for billing and claiming purposes).

5. Why We Collect, Hold, Use, and Disclose Your Information (Purpose of Collection)

The main purpose for collecting, holding, using, and disclosing your personal information is to provide you with quality and safe dental health care.

We also use your information for:

• Practice Management: Booking and managing appointments, billing, debt collection, and processing claims with your health fund or Medicare.
• Communication: Sending you appointment reminders, recall notices (for check-ups), and communicating with other health service providers involved in your care (e.g., a dental laboratory for manufacturing prosthetics).
• Quality Assurance: Meeting our legal, ethical, and clinical obligations, including the standards required by the Dental Board of Australia and other regulatory bodies.
• Direct Marketing: Sending you information about our services, promotions, or news, but only if you have provided express consent to receive such communications, and with a clear opt-out mechanism.
• Consequence of Not Providing Information: If you do not provide us with the necessary personal or health information, we may not be able to provide you with safe, appropriate, or complete dental care, and this could put your health at risk.

6. Disclosure of Your Personal Information

We will only disclose your personal information for the primary purpose for which it was collected or for a directly related secondary purpose that you would reasonably expect, or where required or authorised by law.

Parties to whom we may disclose your information include:

• Other health professionals (e.g., specialists, general practitioners) involved in your care.
• Dental laboratories (to create appliances like crowns, dentures, etc.).
• Your health fund or Medicare (for invoicing and claiming rebates).
• Our external IT or cloud storage providers who store our electronic patient records (these providers are required to comply with confidentiality and privacy obligations).
• Legal/regulatory bodies (e.g., in response to a subpoena, court order, or mandatory reporting requirements).

7. Data Quality and Security

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

We take reasonable steps to protect the personal information we hold from misuse, interference, and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. These steps include:

• Storing hard-copy records in secure, locked storage when not in use.
• Protecting electronic data with passwords, firewalls, and encryption.
• Restricting physical and electronic access to your information to authorised personnel only.
• Implementing procedures for the secure destruction or de-identification of personal information when it is no longer required or legally mandated to be kept.

8. Website and Online Privacy (Cookies)

• Website Usage: When you visit our Website, we may use cookies to track your browsing patterns, improve your experience, and analyse site traffic. This data is generally anonymous, but may in some cases be linked to your personal information if you have logged into an online portal or submitted an enquiry form.
• Third-Party Analytics: We use services (such as Google Analytics) to collect information about your use of the Website. These third-party providers may use cookies to collect information, which is subject to their own privacy policies.

9. Accessing and Correcting Your Information

• Access: You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you. All requests for access must be made in writing. We will respond to your request within a reasonable time. We may charge a reasonable fee for providing access to your information (e.g., the cost of photocopying or administrative time), but not for the request itself. In some limited circumstances, we may refuse access where legally permitted or required.
• Correction: We rely on you to ensure your contact details and health information are accurate, complete, and up-to-date. If you believe the information we hold about you is inaccurate, out-of-date, or incomplete, please contact our Privacy Officer so we can update our records.

10. Changes to the Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time by posting a revised version on our Website. The changes will be effective from the date of posting. We encourage you to review this Policy regularly.