Patient Privacy Policy

SOUTH BURNIE DENTURES – PRIVACY POLICY FOR PATIENTS

Our Commitment to Privacy

Our practice is committed to safeguarding the personal information of patients and staff in line with our obligations under Commonwealth legislation (such as the Privacy Act 1988) as well as adhering to guidelines set by industry regulatory bodies such as the Dental Board of Australia.

What Information Do We Collect About Patients and Why?

Administrative Data

Our practice collects administrative data for accounting purposes, including name, phone number, contact address/billing address, private health care fund and number, Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) details, Tasmanian Government Denture Voucher details, financial records of accounts and payments (kept for five years, as required by the Australian Taxation Office), insurance claims records, work-related injuries (kept for five years as required under WHS legislation), and complaints.

Dental and Prosthetic Records

We keep detailed clinical records including material choices, diagnostic tests, examination history, treatment, advice, referrals, communications with laboratories and other practitioners, and photographs/casts to help us provide appropriate ongoing care. We may obtain this information from other practitioners or we may share this information with other practitioners with your consent as part of this ongoing care.

Personal details are verified regularly and treatment records are updated at every consultation. We may add a note to health records retrospectively, but we do not alter previous records. For a detailed list of documentation which forms part of your record, please see Appendix 1.

Who Else May See the Information?

We may use patient information to discuss treatment with other practitioners or dental specialists. We may use it in a de-identified form for academic purposes, or with insurance officers or lawyers where the treatment relates to an insurance claim or a formal complaint.

Health Identifiers

The practice will not adopt, use, or disclose an identifier assigned by any government agency except healthcare identifiers for purposes permitted under the Healthcare Identifiers Act (2010) (Cth).

Access and Correction

Patients and staff may request access to their information or make changes to their information at any time except where we consider there is a sound reason under the Privacy Act or other legislation. We may charge a reasonable fee to recover costs in providing access to electronic or paper records. We aim to use accurate, current, and complete information, and we will make reasonable attempts to correct inaccurate information or safely dispose of any unsolicited information no longer required.

Anonymity

You may provide a pseudonym for emergency treatment if it is paid in full at the time of treatment. However, anonymous treatment is not practical for ongoing prosthetic care, if other practitioners or laboratory fabrication stages are required, or for health fund, DVA, or government-funded services. We may also refuse to provide anonymous treatment if it is impractical due to our legal obligations.

How Safe is Your Information?

Our practice takes all reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, interference, and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. See our privacy policy in relation to IT and website systems in Appendix 2.

Privacy Complaints and Contact Information 

If you have any questions about this privacy policy, wish to update your files, or would like to lodge a formal complaint regarding how your personal information has been managed, please contact us directly:

Practice Name: South Burnie Dentures

Clinic Director / Privacy Officer: Srbislav Stanisic

Clinic Address: Unit 2, 11 Edwardes Street, South Burnie, TAS 7320

Primary Phone Line: 0499 875 117

Alternative Clinic Line: 03 6407 6119

Patient Acknowledgment & Consent

Please sign below to acknowledge your understanding of our privacy policy and to consent to receiving clinical SMS messages / appointment reminders from our practice.

APPENDIX 1: Guidelines on Dental Clinical Records

Clinical records maintained by South Burnie Dentures include the following components:

• Date of visit.

• Identifying details of the clinical practitioner providing treatment.

• Information about the type of examination or consultation conducted.

• The presenting complaint or aesthetic request.

• Relevant medical and dental history.

• Clinical findings, oral observations, and structural assessments.

• Diagnosis and clinical indications.

• Treatment plans, material variations (acrylic/teeth selections), and alternatives.

• Informed consent of the patient, client, or consumer.

• All laboratory and clinical procedures conducted.

• Instrument batch tracking control and sterilisation identification codes where relevant.

• Therapeutic agents or materials used (acrylic types, tooth brands, or clinical compounds).

• Details of specific advice, home-care instructions, or denture hygiene guidelines provided.

• Unusual sequences or complications during treatment stages.

• Clinical photographs, models, impressions, jaw registrations, casts, and other relevant diagnostic data.

• Instructions to, and written communications with, dental commercial laboratories.

• Referrals to or from dentists, specialists, or general practitioners.

• Relevant phone calls, emails, or written communication with or about the patient.

• Details of anyone contributing directly to the dental record.

• Estimates, treatment plans, or formal quotations of professional fees.

• Detailed records of patient feedback or complaints, should there be any.

APPENDIX 2: IT and Web Privacy

We are sometimes required to send clinical information about patients via secure digital networks (for example, if you are referred to an oral surgeon, dentist, or external commercial laboratory for part of your prosthetic fabrication). We endeavor to ensure your information is protected at all times and manage our IT systems with robust passwords and security processes to ensure data is not lost.

If we utilise offsite data backup systems (such as secure cloud-based dental practice management programs), we exclusively use premium facilities that strictly comply with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). We will not transfer personal information to anyone in a foreign country for any other reason without prior written consent. Please make sure to advise staff if you do not wish your records to be recorded, stored, or transferred electronically.

Our standard local internet connectivity records general data traffic logs strictly for administrative and diagnostic purposes to ensure local server uptime, including date and time of network access.

Our digital business touch points securely collect your email address or mobile number only if you send us a message or provide it directly to us on your intake sheet. We will never share or use your contact details for any secondary marketing purposes outside of direct care communications, appointment confirmations, and laboratory collection alerts without your express permission.