Privacy Policy.

Who we are

Oralia Dental and Aesthetic Studio Ltd is a private dental and aesthetic practice based in Manchester.

For the purposes of applicable UK data protection legislation, Oralia Dental and Aesthetic Studio Ltd is responsible for the personal information covered by this Privacy Policy where it determines how and why that information is processed.

Information we collect

The personal information we collect depends on your relationship with Oralia and the services you use.

Information may include:

• Your name and contact details.
• Your telephone number and email address.
• Your postal address and date of birth where required.
• Appointment and attendance information.
• Information you provide when contacting us by telephone, email, website form or WhatsApp.
• The treatment or service you are interested in.
• Information contained in messages and enquiries.
• Relevant payment, billing and transaction information.
• Information required to provide dental, aesthetic or other clinical care.
• Technical information generated when you visit our website, where applicable.

Patient and clinical information

If you become a patient, we need to maintain appropriate records relating to your care. These records may contain information concerning your health and are treated with particular care and confidentiality.

Clinical and patient information may include:

• Medical and dental history.
• Current and previous medication.
• Allergies and relevant health conditions.
• Dental examinations and clinical findings.
• Diagnoses and treatment plans.
• Treatment provided and clinical notes.
• Radiographs, scans and clinical photographs.
• Laboratory information and correspondence.
• Consent and treatment discussions.
• Referrals to or from other healthcare professionals.
• Appointment and communication records.
• Relevant payment and account information.

Information concerning a person's health receives additional protection under UK data protection law. We only process this information where there is an appropriate legal basis and condition for doing so.

How we use your information

We may process personal information for purposes including:

• Responding to enquiries and requests for appointments.
• Registering and identifying patients.
• Assessing your dental, medical or aesthetic treatment needs.
• Providing safe and appropriate patient care.
• Creating and maintaining clinical records.
• Managing appointments and communicating about your care.
• Referring patients to other healthcare professionals when appropriate.
• Processing payments and maintaining appropriate financial records.
• Handling complaints, concerns and enquiries.
• Meeting professional, regulatory, legal and safeguarding requirements.
• Protecting the security and operation of our practice and website.
• Understanding how our website is used, where you have consented to relevant analytics.

Our lawful basis for processing

UK data protection law requires us to have an appropriate lawful basis when processing personal information. The basis used depends on the particular purpose and circumstances.

Depending on the processing involved, this may include processing that is necessary:

• To take steps at your request before entering into a contract or to perform a contract.
• To comply with a legal or regulatory obligation.
• For our legitimate interests, where those interests are not overridden by your rights and interests.
• Where you have given valid consent for a particular purpose.

Health and other special category information

Information concerning your health is special category personal data. Where we process health information as part of providing dental or aesthetic care, we will also identify an appropriate condition under applicable data protection law, including where processing is necessary for the provision or management of health care by or under the responsibility of professionals subject to appropriate duties of confidentiality.

In other circumstances, a different lawful condition may apply, including where you have provided explicit consent or where processing is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

Who we may share information with

We do not sell patient or website enquiry information.

Where necessary and appropriate, information may be shared with organisations or individuals involved in your care or in operating the practice, including:

• Dentists and other members of the clinical team.
• Dental laboratories.
• Specialists and other healthcare professionals.
• Hospitals or other healthcare providers where a referral or transfer of care is required.
• IT, software, communications, hosting and other service providers acting on our behalf.
• Professional advisers, insurers and legal representatives where appropriate.
• Regulators, authorities, courts or law enforcement where disclosure is required or permitted by law.

Where another organisation processes personal information on our behalf, we take appropriate steps to ensure that suitable data protection arrangements are in place.

How long we keep information

We do not keep personal information for longer than is necessary. Different types of information are retained for different periods depending on the purpose for which they are held and applicable legal, regulatory, professional and clinical requirements.

Clinical dental records are retained in accordance with applicable professional and records-management requirements. Retention may also need to take into account matters such as the patient's age, continuing treatment, complaints, legal claims or other circumstances.

Website enquiries and administrative records are retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which they were collected and any related legal or business requirements.

When information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, destroyed or anonymised as appropriate.

Keeping your information secure

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration, disclosure or destruction.

Access to patient and clinical information is restricted to people who need it for legitimate professional or operational purposes.

Staff and healthcare professionals are expected to respect the confidentiality of patient information and applicable professional confidentiality requirements.

Our website and Google Analytics

When you use our website, certain technical information may be processed in connection with providing, securing and maintaining the website.

We may also use Google Analytics to help us understand how visitors use our website, such as which pages are visited and how visitors interact with the site.

Where Google Analytics or other non-essential analytics technologies require consent, they should only be activated after you have chosen to accept the relevant cookies or technologies through our cookie consent mechanism.

Cookies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies. Some are necessary for the website to operate, while others may be used for purposes such as analytics.

Where consent is required for non-essential cookies, you can choose whether to allow them through our cookie consent tool.

You can also change or withdraw your cookie preferences through the cookie controls available on the website.

More detailed information about the cookies and technologies used by the website will be provided in our Cookie Policy.

Your data protection rights

Depending on the circumstances and applicable law, you may have rights in relation to your personal information, including the right to:

• Ask for access to personal information we hold about you.
• Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Ask for personal information to be erased in certain circumstances.
• Ask us to restrict processing in certain circumstances.
• Object to certain types of processing.
• Request data portability where that right applies.
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

To exercise a data protection right, please contact us using the details at the end of this policy. We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request.

Children's information

As a dental practice providing care to children, we may process personal and health information relating to patients under the age of 18.

We take particular care when handling children's information and will process it only where appropriate for providing care, maintaining records and meeting our professional and legal responsibilities.

Depending on the child's age, capacity and the circumstances, information may also be provided by or communicated with a parent, guardian or person with appropriate parental responsibility.

Questions, requests and complaints

If you have a question about this Privacy Policy, how we handle your personal information, or wish to exercise a data protection right, please contact:

Complaints to the ICO

If you have concerns about how your personal information has been handled, please contact us so that we have an opportunity to address them.

You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent data protection regulator.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our services, systems, regulatory requirements or the way we process personal information.

The latest version will be published on this website and the date at the top of the policy will be updated.