Privacy policy

Last updated: October 2026

Regent Dental Specialist Pty Ltd, trading as Gum & Dental Specialist Centre (“we”, “us”, “our”), provides this policy. We provide specialist periodontal and dental implant care at Suite 603, 8 Elsie Street, Burwood NSW 2134.

We are committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use, store and disclose your personal information, including health information, and how you can access it or make a complaint. We comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), including the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW).

1. Information we collect

We only collect information that is reasonably necessary to provide care to you and to run our practice. This may include:

• Identity and contact details — name, date of birth, address, phone, email, preferred language and emergency contact.
• Health information — your medical and dental history, medications, allergies, clinical notes, examination findings, diagnoses, treatment plans, clinical photographs, X-rays and 3D scans, and correspondence with other health practitioners.
• Referral details — information provided by your referring dentist or doctor.
• Financial and health fund details — health fund membership, billing and payment information. We do not store full card numbers after a payment is processed.
• Website and enquiry information — details you submit through our online forms, emails or messages, and general website usage information (see section 5).

2. How we collect it

Wherever practical, we collect information directly from you — in person, by phone, email, WeChat, or through our website forms and new patient form.

We may also collect information from other people with your consent or where the law allows, such as your referring dentist, your doctor or other specialists, a parent, guardian or carer, or your health fund. If you are under 18, we may collect information from your parent or guardian.

3. How we use it

We use your information for the purpose it was collected and for directly related purposes you would reasonably expect, including to:

• assess, diagnose and treat you, and plan your ongoing care;
• communicate with you about appointments, treatment and accounts;
• send reports to your referring dentist and communicate with other practitioners involved in your care;
• process health fund claims and payments;
• manage our practice, including quality improvement, clinical audit, staff training and accreditation;
• meet our legal, professional and insurance obligations.

We will not use clinical photographs or your information for teaching, presentations or publicity without your separate written consent, and any such use will be de-identified.

4. Who we share it with

We may disclose your information, only as needed, to:

• your referring dentist, your doctor and other health practitioners involved in your care;
• dental laboratories that make restorations or surgical guides for your treatment;
• your health fund (for example through HICAPS) when you ask us to make a claim;
• service providers who support our practice, such as practice management software, IT support, email, SMS reminder and electronic prescription services, who are required to keep it confidential;
• our professional indemnity insurer and legal advisers, where necessary;
• anyone else you authorise, or where we are required or permitted by law (for example, to lessen a serious threat to someone’s life, health or safety, or in response to a court order).

We do not sell, rent or trade your personal information.

5. Website, forms and messaging

Online forms. Our appointment request, new patient and referral forms are delivered to our practice email through a third-party form service, FormSubmit, which is based in the United States. Information you enter is transmitted to us by email. Please include only the details needed for us to respond; we will collect your full history at your appointment.

Email and messaging. Email, SMS and messaging apps such as WeChat are not completely secure. Messaging apps are operated by third parties under their own privacy terms. If you would prefer not to communicate with us electronically, please tell us and we will use another method.

Cookies and analytics. Our website may use cookies and analytics tools (such as Google Analytics) to understand how the site is used, for example which pages are visited. This information does not identify you personally. You can disable cookies in your browser settings.

6. Overseas disclosure

Some of the service providers we use may store or process information outside Australia, including:

• our website form service (United States);
• cloud-based email and software providers, which may store data in Australia or overseas.

We take reasonable steps to ensure overseas recipients handle your information consistently with the Australian Privacy Principles.

7. Storage, security and retention

Your records are held electronically in secure practice management systems and, where applicable, in paper files kept in secure areas. We protect your information with measures including password-protected systems, restricted staff access, secure backups and staff confidentiality obligations.

As required by NSW law, we keep health records for at least 7 years from your last visit, or, if you were under 18 when the information was collected, until you turn 25. After this, records are destroyed or de-identified securely.

8. Access and correction

You can ask for access to the personal and health information we hold about you, and ask us to correct anything that is inaccurate, out of date or incomplete. Please make your request in writing to our Privacy Officer (details below).

We will respond within a reasonable time, usually within 30 days. There is no charge to make a request, but we may charge a reasonable fee to cover the cost of providing copies, such as X-rays or scans. We will tell you of any fee before proceeding.

In limited circumstances the law allows us to refuse access, for example where it would pose a serious threat to someone’s life, health or safety. If we refuse, we will explain why in writing.

9. Anonymity

You can make general enquiries without giving your name. However, it is not practical for us to provide clinical treatment, issue referrals or process health fund claims without identifying you.

10. Reminders and marketing

We send appointment and maintenance recall reminders by SMS, email or phone as part of your care. We will only send you other information about our practice if you have agreed to receive it, and you can opt out at any time by contacting us or using the unsubscribe option.

11. Data breaches

If a data breach is likely to result in serious harm to you, we will notify you and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, as required by the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.

12. Questions and complaints

If you have a question about this policy or a concern about how we have handled your information, please contact our Privacy Officer. We will acknowledge your complaint promptly and aim to resolve it within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact:

• Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) — 1300 363 992, www.oaic.gov.au
• Information and Privacy Commission NSW — 1800 472 679, www.ipc.nsw.gov.au

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The current version is always available on this page and at reception.