Providence Dental Practice adheres to the regulations set forth in the 1998 Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This policy outlines our meticulous procedures to ensure the fair and lawful processing of personal information pertaining to our patients.
- Name, age, address, telephone numbers, and email address
- General dental practitioner information
- Past and current medical and dental conditions
- Radiographs, clinical photographs, and study models
- Details about the treatment provided or proposed, including associated costs
- Notes of conversations or incidents requiring record-keeping
- Records of consent to treatment
- Correspondence with other healthcare professionals, such as referrals to specialists
We need to keep comprehensive and accurate personal data about our patients in order to provide them with safe and appropriate dental care.
We will process personal data that we hold about you in the following way:
We understand how important your dental records are to you. In the event that you are no longer a patient at our practice, please rest assured that we will continue to securely hold on to your records for at least another eleven years, or until your children reach the age of 25, whichever is longer.
Personal data pertaining to individuals is stored within the practice’s computer system and/or manual filing system. It is important to emphasize that this information is not publicly accessible, and only authorized members of staff have the privilege of accessing it. Furthermore, our computer system is equipped with secure audit trails, and we diligently back up information on a daily basis.
In order to provide proper and safe dental care, we may need to disclose personal information about you to:
- Your general medical practitioner;
- The hospital or community dental services;
- Other health professionals caring for you;
- Dental Insurance Companies of which you are a member.
- Private dental schemes of which you are a member.
Information will only be disclosed on a strictly “need-to-know” basis. Access to the information will be restricted to individuals and organizations that require it for the purpose of providing care to you, as well as for the efficient administration of government, whose personnel are also bound by rigorous confidentiality protocols. Any recipient will exclusively receive the information necessary for these specific purposes.
Under exceptional circumstances or as mandated by law or court order, personal data may need to be disclosed to an unrelated third party not involved in your dental care. Any non-covered disclosures will only occur with your explicit consent. Whenever feasible, you will be notified of such disclosure requests.
You have the right to access the data that we hold about you and to receive a copy. We will provide a copy of the record within 21 days of receipt of the request and an explanation of your record should you require it.
If you move to another dental practice we will provide copy notes direct to that practice free of charge on receipt of a written request from them to do so.
If you do not wish personal data we hold about you to be disclosed or used in the way that is described in this Policy, please discuss the matter with your dentist. You have the right to object, but please remember that this may affect our ability to provide you with dental care.
