Patient Information
Patient Privacy Policy
Like most professionals, we have always appreciated the trust that our clients place in us.
One part of that trust is that we will treat our clients’ personal information and records with respect, and only release that information to a third party when the client asks, or when the client’s care and good common sense dictate.
Recent government legislation makes this issue more complex. We are now governed by the provincial Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) and the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), which spell out our requirements. Most of these requirements are things that we have always done. A few are new and make good sense, e.g. short screensaver times on our computer monitors. Others are unreasonable, e.g. requiring client charts to be sealed in an envelope before the dentist puts them in his/her briefcase.
You can trust that as this sort of bureaucracy comes and goes, we will always care about your privacy. Please don’t hesitate to ask us if you ever have any concerns.
The following points address many of the issues regarding your personal information;
- Your dentist is the one who is ethically responsible for safeguarding your personal information.
- You are always welcome to view the records that we keep about you, including your chart.
- From time-to-time, we will use client information for teaching or research purposes, but only if the individual client involved is not identifiable, unless they provide their consent.
- We will take full-face photographs of some aesthetic cases for the purposes of communicating your requirements with our Registered Dental Technicians and ceramists. We usually retain these in your chart afterward unless you request otherwise.
- The biggest issues we face in protecting your privacy come in dealing with insurance companies on your behalf. If we feel that their requests are unreasonable, we will ask you before releasing further information.
- A smaller, but important issue is when payroll staff with your employer contact us with inappropriate questions about your health and care. Again, we will contact you if we feel that their requests are not appropriate.
- In answer to a common question, our computer networks are firewalled.
- When a client passes away, their chart is destroyed by shredding. We also do this if a client moves away, after approximately seven years.
- If you make financial arrangements through a third party such as a bank or MediCard, we do not maintain any of your financial information unless you want us to submit it for you as a courtesy, in which case we shred it after submission.
- If you have a personal matter that you wish to discuss in private with the dentist or staff, we will gladly discuss it in a private office.
- Please respect the privacy of other clients while you are in the clinic.
Again, if you have any questions about your privacy and personal information, ask your dentist. We are proud of our professional practice, and will make every effort to make you comfortable about how we handle your records.
Privacy Policy for www.affinitydentalgroup.ca
If you require any more information or have any questions about our privacy policy, please feel free to contact us. At www.affinitydentalgroup.ca, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us. This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information that is received and collected by www.affinitydentalgroup.ca and how it is used.
Personal Information
By entering your full name, email address, and phone number, you are providing personal information that will be used by Affinity Dental Group for the sole purpose of returning your request to be contacted by us. We will only use this information to contact you in order to assist you in scheduling an appointment to be seen by a doctor, and/or to answer any questions you may have indicated in the comments section. Our intention is to only use your personal information to return your request for contact regarding a dental appointment, and/or a dental related question.
Opt-Out Option
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Log Files
Like many other Web sites, www.affinitydentalgroup.ca makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user's movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable.