Privacy Policy for Ethical Dental

Last Updated: June 2026

At Ethical Dental, we take your privacy seriously. This policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and disclose your personal and health information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) managed by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

1. Our Contact Details

For any questions, concerns, or requests regarding your privacy, please contact us at:

  • Practice Name: Ethical Dental

  • Contact Person: Dr Kate Amos

  • Address: 166 Edinburgh Street, Coffs Harbour NSW 2450.

  • Phone: (02) 66523185

  • Email: contact@ethical.dental

2. The Kinds of Personal Information We Collect

To provide you with high-quality dental care, we need to collect a variety of personal and sensitive health information, including:

  • Identity & Contact Data: Your name, date of birth, gender, address, phone number, and email.

  • Billing & Government Identifiers: Medicare number, health fund details, and payment/billing details.

  • Sensitive Health Information: Your dental history, medical history (including allergies, medications, and chronic conditions), clinical notes, treatment plans, x-rays and photographs of your teeth/mouth.

  • AI-Processed Clinical Data: Digital dental radiographs (X-rays), intraoral scans, photographic imagery of your teeth and gums, and text-based clinical notes or chat transcripts which are processed by our authorised clinical and communication AI tools.

3. How We Collect and Store Your Information

  • Collection: We collect information directly from you via our new patient intake forms, during consultations, over the phone, or through our website's booking system. In some cases, we may collect information from third parties, such as your health fund or a referring medical practitioner (always with your consent).

  • Storage and AI Processing: Your information is stored securely. We use secure cloud-based dental practice management software. Where we utilise specialised Artificial Intelligence (AI) software for clinical analysis or patient communication, your data may be securely transferred to and processed within encrypted, vendor-managed cloud environments. We only partner with AI providers that meet strict enterprise-grade security standards, ensuring your data is encrypted both at rest and in transit.

4. Why We Need to Collect This Information

We collect your personal and health information for the primary purpose of providing you with safe, ethical, and effective dental treatment. Without this information, we cannot accurately assess your health risks, diagnose dental issues, or safely perform procedures.

We also collect it for secondary purposes directly related to your care, such as processing health fund claims, managing appointments (reminders), and managing billing.

5. How We Use and Disclose Your Information

We will only use or disclose your information for the purposes listed above, or as otherwise permitted by law. Typical disclosures include:

  • Internal Staff: Sharing notes between your treating dentist, dental hygienists, and dental assistants to ensure continuity of care.

  • Specialists & Labs: Sending X-rays and teeth models to dental laboratories (for appliances such as crowns/splints) or referring you to specialists for ongoing care.

  • Financial & Insurance: Disclosing line items to your private health fund or Medicare to process your rebates.

  • Legal Obligations: Disclosing information if required by law (e.g., a court subpoena).

6. Our Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

At Ethical Dental, we leverage advanced, TGA-approved (Therapeutic Goods Administration) Artificial Intelligence technologies to enhance the quality, accuracy, and efficiency of your care. We use AI strictly as a supportive tool in the following ways:

  • Diagnosis & Radiographic Analysis: AI algorithms may analyse your X-rays and intraoral scans to help identify potential issues—such as early-stage decay, bone loss, or structural anomalies—acting as a "second pair of eyes" for your dentist.

  • Treatment Planning & Risk Assessment: AI tools help us calculate oral health risk profiles based on your clinical history and analyse vast datasets to simulate and optimise complex treatment pathways (e.g., orthodontic or implant planning).

  • Patient Communication & Administrative Support: We may use secure AI tools to assist in drafting clear, easy-to-understand summaries of your treatment options, generating educational materials tailored to your needs, or managing scheduling and routine inquiries.

Our Ethical AI Commitment: AI is never used to make automated, final decisions about your care. Every AI-generated insight, diagnosis, or treatment plan is rigorously reviewed, verified, and finalised by a qualified human dentist. Final clinical judgment and accountability always rest entirely with your treating practitioner.

7. Accessing and Correcting Your Information

You have a right to request access to the personal information we hold about you, or to ask us to correct it if you believe it is inaccurate, out of date, or incomplete.

  • To make a request, please contact our Privacy Officer using the details in Section 1.

  • We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe (usually 30 days). In some cases, a small administrative fee may apply to cover the cost of retrieving and copying physical dental records or X-rays.

8. How to Lodge a Complaint

If you believe we have mishandled your privacy or breached the Australian Privacy Principles, you can lodge a formal complaint with us:

  1. Contact Us First: Please put your complaint in writing to our Privacy Officer (details in Section 1).

  2. Our Response: We will investigate your complaint thoroughly and respond to you in writing within 30 days, outlining the steps we are taking to resolve the issue.

  3. Escalation: If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to escalate your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au or by calling 1300 363 992.

9. Overseas Disclosures

Important Note on Overseas Data: Under Australian law, if we send your data overseas and something goes wrong, our clinic may remain legally responsible for that breach.

We utilise advanced AI diagnostic, communication, and software tools provided by third-party vendors. Depending on the software provider, your de-identified or encrypted clinical data (such as X-rays) may be securely processed on servers located outside of Australia, primarily in the United States and the European Union. We maintain strict data-processing agreements with these vendors to ensure your information is handled in alignment with Australian privacy standards.

10. Data Retention and Destruction

In accordance with Australian health records legislation, we retain your clinical records for a minimum of 7 years for adults (or until a child turns 25 years of age) after their last attendance. When your information is no longer required or legally mandated to be kept, it will be securely destroyed, permanently de-identified, or digitally shredded.