Privacy Policy

What Data We Need

At Northumberland Dental Care, part of the Dental Care Ireland group, we take your privacy seriously. Unless otherwise agreed with you, we will collect basic personal data (name, phone number, address and email address) as well as sensitive medical data (medical/dental records, medical correspondence etc.). Dental Care Ireland’s company registration number is 550111 and its registered address is24/26 City Quay, Dublin 2, D02 NY19. Dental Care Ireland will be the ‘Controller’ of your personal data.

Why We Need It

We need to know both basic and sensitive medical data in order to provide you with the dental services you have engaged us to provide, and to assert our right to be recompensed for these services, in line with the agreement or contract we have with you, our patient. If this information is not provided to us by you, we will not be in a position to treat you at our practice. We will only collect data that is relevant to the provision of your dental treatment, and to effectively communicate with you about this treatment, and nothing more. It is important that you notify us of any changes in your personal details, your medical or dental status at your earliest convenience to ensure we hold accurate and high quality records for you.

What We Do With It

All the personal data we hold about you will be processed by our staff in Ireland. We will only use this data for the purposes of providing dental treatment to you, including your appointment reminders. Your appointment reminders may be sent to you by text, electronic mail or by post. There are also some third parties that may have limited access to your data for referrals and processing purposes, or to allow us to claim payment for treatment under a public scheme. They will be the Data ‘Processors’ and are as follows:

• Dept. of Social Protection (PRSI patients)
• Primary Care Reimbursement Service, HSE (Medical Card patients)
• Our IT company – Invistech Ltd. (All patients)
• Our software company – Software of Excellence UK (All patients)
• Specialist referrals (If required)
• Laboratories (If required)

Your data may also be provided to third parties where there is a legal obligation to do so. Where data is backed up remotely, this data is kept on servers located within the European Union. We take all reasonable steps to ensure your data is processed discretely and kept securely. If we require to transfer your personal information to a country outside the EU, we will take the necessary steps to ensure appropriate protection is in place in line with data protection laws.

How Long We Keep It

In line with the Dental Council of Ireland’s Code of Practice in relation to Professional Behaviour and Ethical Conduct, we will keep adult patient records (both basic and sensitive medical data) for eight years after the date of their last treatment. In the case of children and young adults, records will be kept until the patient’s 25th birthday; or their 26th birthday if the young person was 17 when they finished treatment. If a patient dies before their 18th birthday, records will be kept for eight years. After this time the records will be safely destroyed if they are no longer required for the lawful purpose (s) for which they were obtained.

Your Rights

You are legally entitled to a photocopy of your personal data upon written request. As well as the right to access your information, you also have the right to have any inaccuracies in your data rectified and to delete and restrict the use of your information, and to withdraw any consent you have previously given us to handle your information, within legal obligations. Your request will be dealt with in a timely manner.

Access to your personal data is on a ‘need to know’ basis. This prohibits the release of your information to a spouse, partner or family member without your explicit consent. A guardian or carer may have the right to access information in the case of vulnerable adults or those with diminished mental capacity. A parent or guardian will have access to your personal information if you are less than 16 years of age.