About Finn Dental
Privacy Notice
Data Protection Privacy Notice for Patients
To provide you with the dental care and treatment that you need, we require up-to-date and accurate information about you. If you are a referral patient, we will also receive information from your general dentist who has been involved in providing your care. This privacy notice describes the type of personal information we hold, why we hold it and what we do with it.
About us
Greg Finn at Finn Dental Specialists, Kelsey Lane, Beckenham, Kent BR3 3NE is responsible for keeping the information we hold about you, secure. Staff at the practice who have access to your information include dentists, hygienists and dental nurses as well as reception staff and administrators who are responsible for the management and administration of the practice.
Information that we hold
We can only keep and use information for specific reasons set out in the law. If we want to keep and use information about your health, we can only do so in particular circumstances. Below, we describe the information we hold and why, and the lawful basis for collecting and using it.
Contact details
We hold personal information about you including your name, date of birth, next of kin, address, telephone number and email address. This information allows us to fulfil our contract with you to provide appointments. We will also use the information to send you reminders and recall appointments as we have a legitimate interest to ensure your continuing care and to make you aware of our services.
Dental records
We hold information about your dental and general health, including
- Clinical records made by dentists and other dental professionals involved with your care and treatment
- X-rays, clinical photographs, digital scans of your mouth and teeth and study models
- Medical and dental histories, including details of your GP and where applicable your referring dentist
- Treatment plans and consent
- Notes of conversations with you about your care
- Dates of your appointments
- Details of any complaints you have made and how these complaints were dealt with
- Correspondence with you and other health professionals or institutions
We collect and use this information to allow us to fulfil our contract with you to discuss your treatment options and provide dental care that meets your needs. We also use this information for the legitimate interest of ensuring the quality of the treatment we provide.
Financial information
We hold information about the fees we have charged, the amounts you have paid and how you have paid. This information forms part of our contractual obligation to you to provide dental care and allows us to meet legal financial requirements.
How we use your information
Your information is normally used only by those working at the practice, however we may need to share it – for example, with:
- Your doctor
- Your general dentist if you are a referral patient
- The hospital or community dental services or other health professionals caring for you
- Dental laboratories
- Debt collection agencies
- Private dental schemes of which you are a member
We only disclose information on a need-to-know basis. We will let you know in advance if we send your medical information to another medical provider and will provide their details.
In exceptional circumstances or if required by law, we may need to disclose your information to a third party not connected with your health care, including HMRC or other law enforcement or government agencies.
We may use your contact details to inform you of products and services available at our practice.
We may also contact you to request a testimonial or to conduct a patient survey once treatment is completed for quality control purposes. The patient survey is conducted by a third party and you will have to give your consent separately to receive information to complete this.
Our usual methods of contact are telephone, text, email and letter and we will ask your preference for how we contact you about your dental care.
If we wish to use information pertaining to your dental treatment for dental education purposes or anonymously on our website, we will always request your consent separately, in advance.
Keeping your information safe
We store your personal information securely on our practice computer system and historical manual notes in a manual filing system. Staff at the practice understand their legal responsibility to maintain confidentiality and follow practice procedures to ensure this. We take precautions to ensure security of the practice premises, the practice filing systems and computers.
We use industry standard specialist dental software to record and use your personal information safely and effectively. Our computer system has a secure audit trail and we back up information routinely.
Your records are kept for a minimum of 11 years after the date of your last visit to the practice or until you reach the age of 25, whichever is the longer.
Access to your information and other rights
You have a right to access the information that we hold about you and to receive a copy. We do not usually charge you for this and will comply within one month of the request. We can refuse or charge for requests that are manifestly unfounded or excessive. In this case we give the individual a reason for refusal and that they have the right to complain to the supervisory authority and to a judicial remedy.
You can also request us to:
- Correct any information that you believe is inaccurate or incomplete. If we have disclosed that information to a third party, we will let them know about the change.
- Erase some of the information we hold – for example, some contact details and other non-clinical information
- Stop using your information – for example, sending you reminders for appointments or information about our service. If you have consented to receiving marketing information, you can withdraw your consent at any time.
- Stop using information if you believe the information is inaccurate or you believe we are using your information illegally.
- Supply your information electronically to another dentist
To request any of the above, please contact our receptionists at the practice or email: info@finndental.co.uk
If you do not want us to use your personal information as described, you should discuss the matter with your dentist. If you object to the way that we collect and use your information, we may not be able to continue to provide your dental care.
If you have any concerns about how we use your information and you do not feel able to discuss it with your dentist or anyone at the practice, you should contact The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. Their telephone number is 0303 123 1113.
Greg Finn
Practice Manager