Privacy Policy

Crows Nest Dental Centre (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what personal and health information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and store it, and the choices and rights you have. It applies to information collected through this website, over the phone, by email, and in person at the practice.

This policy is written to meet our obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), which set a higher standard for health information than for most other personal information.

Information we collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

• Contact details — your name, address, phone number, email address and date of birth.
• Health information — your dental and medical history, treatment notes, X-rays, photographs taken for clinical purposes, and details you give us about your current health, medications and any conditions relevant to your care.
• Billing and health fund details — Medicare number, private health fund and membership number, and payment information, where relevant to a claim or an appointment.
• Appointment and booking information — the times you book, reschedule or cancel, whether through our online booking system or by phone, and any notes you add when booking (for example, the reason for a visit).
• Website usage information — standard technical information such as your browser type and pages visited, collected automatically when you use this site. We do not use this information to identify you personally.

How we collect it

Most information is collected directly from you — when you complete a new patient form, speak with our front desk, attend an appointment, or use our online booking system. Our booking system is provided by a third party (Calendly); when you book online, the name, email, phone number and any answers you provide are sent securely to that service so your appointment can be created, and to us so we can prepare for your visit. We may also receive information from a referring practitioner, a health fund, or Medicare, where relevant to your treatment or a claim.

Why we collect and use it

We collect and use your information to:

• provide safe and appropriate dental care, including diagnosis, treatment planning and follow-up;
• manage appointments, reminders and recalls;
• process payments and health fund or Medicare claims;
• meet our legal, professional and clinical record-keeping obligations; and
• with your consent, send appointment reminders or practice updates by SMS or email.

We do not use your health information for marketing by another organisation, and we do not sell your information to anyone.

Who we share it with

We only share your information where it is necessary for your care or where the law requires it, including with:

• specialists or other practitioners we refer you to, or who refer you to us;
• dental laboratories, for work such as crowns, bridges or aligners made for your treatment;
• Medicare and private health funds, to process eligible claims;
• our booking and IT service providers, who host or process information on our behalf and are bound to protect it; and
• regulators or authorities, where we are required or authorised by law.

Photographs and clinical images

Clinical photographs and X-rays are taken and kept as part of your dental record. We will always ask for your separate, explicit consent before using any photograph for a purpose beyond your own treatment records — for example, in an anonymised before-and-after case study on this website or in the practice. You may decline, and this will not affect your treatment.

How we store and protect your information

Your dental records are held in a secure clinical software system, with access limited to staff who need it to provide your care. Physical records, where they exist, are kept in a locked area. We take reasonable steps to protect your information from misuse, loss, and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

How long we keep it

We retain dental records for the period required under NSW health records law — currently at least seven years from your last visit, or, for a patient who was a minor at their last visit, until they turn 25. We may retain records for longer where required for legal or professional reasons.

Accessing or correcting your information

You can ask to see or receive a copy of your dental records at any time, and to have any incorrect information corrected. To do this, contact our front desk — we may ask you to confirm your identity and put the request in writing. In most cases we will respond within 30 days. There is generally no charge to view your record; a reasonable fee may apply for a copy.

This website

This website uses Google Analytics (GA4) to help us understand how visitors use the site — for example, which pages are viewed and how people find us — so we can improve it over time. Google Analytics uses cookies and collects this information in an aggregated form that does not identify you personally, and it is entirely separate from any information you provide when booking an appointment. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking through your browser’s cookie settings, or by installing Google’s opt-out browser add-on at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. The other external service this site connects to is our booking provider, Calendly, which is used when you choose to book an appointment online.

Questions or concerns

Contact us on 02 9438 4471.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au.

Last updated: 28 August 2026.