Data Protection & Privacy Policy

Our data protection code of practice lays out our procedures that ensure Dove Holistic Dental Centre and our employees comply with The Data Protection Act, 2018. 

What personal data do we hold?

To provide patients with a high standard of dental care and attention, we need to hold personal information. This personal data can include:

  • Past and current medical and dental condition, personal details such as age, address, telephone number and general medical practitioner

  • Radiographs, clinical photographs and study models

  • Information about their treatment that we have provided or propose and its cost

  • Notes of conversations or incidents that might occur for which a record needs to be kept

  • Records of consent to treatment

  • Any correspondence relating to them and other health care professionals, for example in the hospital or Medical Specialist Group.

Why do we hold information about our patients?

We need to keep comprehensive and accurate personal data about our patients to provide safe and appropriate dental care. We will ask our patients yearly to update their medical history and contact details.

Retaining information

We will retain dental records and study models of our patients whilst they still attend Dove Holistic Dental Centre and, for at least eleven years, or for children until age 25, whichever is the longer after they cease to be a patient.

Security of information

Personal data about our patients is held in the practice’s computer system and a manual filing system. The information is only accessible to authorised team members. Our computer system has secure audit trails, and we back up data routinely.

Disclosure of information

To provide proper and safe dental care we may need to disclose personal information about our patients to:

  • Their general medical practitioner

  • Local hospitals

  • Other health professionals involved in their care

  • Private dental schemes of which they are members

  • Agents and Third parties as required by legal and law

Disclosure will take place on a ‘need-to-know’ basis. Only those individuals or organisations who need to know to provide care for our patients and for the proper administration of Government (whose personnel are covered by strict confidentiality rules) will be given the information.

In very limited circumstances or when required by law or court order, personal data may have to be disclosed to a third party not connected with health care. In all other situations, a disclosure that is not covered by this Code of Practice will only occur when we have specific consent. Where possible, those involved will be informed of these requests for disclosure.

Access to records

Patients have the right to access the data that we hold about them and to also to receive a copy. Parents may access their child’s records if this is in the child’s best interests and not contrary to a competent child’s wishes. Formal applications for access must be in writing to the practice.

If you do not agree

If you do not wish personal data that we hold about you to be disclosed or used in the way that is described in this Code of Practice, please discuss the matter with us. You have the right to object; however, this may affect our ability to provide you with optimal dental care.

You have a right to withdraw your consent at any time. However, this will not be retrospective. 

Privacy Policy  

This website uses Google Analytics to help analyse how users use the site. The tool uses “cookies,” which are text files placed on your computer, to collect standard Internet log information and visitor behaviour information in an anonymous form. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including IP address) is transmitted to Google. This information is then used to evaluate visitors’ use of the website and to compile statistical reports on website activity.

We will never (and will not allow any third party to) use the statistical analytics tool to track or to collect any Personally Identifiable Information (PII) of visitors to our site. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. Neither we nor Google will link, or seek to link, an IP address with the identity of a computer user. We will not associate any data gathered from this site with any Personally Identifiable Information from any source, unless you explicitly submit that information via a fill-in form on our website.

If you have questions concerning our privacy policy, please use our contact details to discuss them.