Guiney Dental Practice Privacy Statement

We at Guiney Dental are committed to respecting your privacy. We seek your consent to obtain and process personal data for the purpose of providing you with dental treatment safely and to the highest standards. This Statement is your guide to the principles of privacy and confidentiality which govern the collection, use, storage, disclosure, and destruction of your personal data in our practice.

The data compliance officer in this practice is Dr. Freda Guiney info@guineydental.ie.

Collecting Personal Information

Your personal information is crucial to providing efficient dental care and minimising the risk of injury or other damage to your health. This personal data includes your name, age, address, telephone numbers, email address, your doctor and relevant medical consultant(s), your medical and dental history, X-rays, clinical photographs, and study models, information about proposed treatment, options, consent to treatment, treatment provided and its cost, notes of conversations or incidents, and any correspondence with other healthcare professionals relating to you.

Your personal information is stored on our computer systems. Guiney Dental is registered with the Data Protection Commissioner. We regularly update your personal data, including your medical care, to keep it relevant. Please inform us of any significant changes, such as a change of address or other contact details, at your earliest convenience.

You have access to a copy of your personal data upon written request to info@guineydental.ie, and the right to have data rectified if incorrect.

Use and Disclosure of Personal Data

Your personal data is primarily used for the purpose of providing you with healthcare efficiently and safely. Staff within Guiney Dental will have access to the data on a ‘need-to-know’ basis to ensure you receive the highest standard of care.

Any disclosure of personal data, without your consent, can only be done for specified, legitimate reasons, in compliance with the Data Protection Acts, and the Dental Council’s Code of Practice relating to Professional Behaviour and Ethical Conduct. This prohibits the release of your information to a spouse, partner, or family member without your explicit consent. However, 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.

Safeguarding Personal Data

Your personal data is stored securely in our practice. We have implemented measures to prevent unauthorised access to records, fax machines, computers, or computer monitors within the practice. The Guiney Dental team is trained in secure use of email and the internet, and is compliant with the practice’s security measures.

Dr. Freda Guiney is responsible for managing any incident where personal data has been put at risk of unauthorised disclosure, loss, destruction, or alteration.

Retention of Personal Data

We retain all adult records for 8 years after the last treatment. In the case of children and young adults, the records are 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 are kept for 8 years. All records are disposed of by a secure, certified, method of destruction.