Data Protection and Privacy Policy

The Beacon Dental Sleep Medicine Clinic, Beacon Consultants Clinic, Sandyford, Dublin 18

What data we need from you

Here in the Beacon Dental Clinic we take your right to privacy seriously. We need to collect your basic personal data i.e. Your name, address, phone number (s) and your email address in order to communicate with you, related to your care and appointments. Your sensitive medical/dental records, medication profile and correspondence is also stored by us, to manage your care.

We are solely based in the Beacon Dental Clinic, Beacon Consultants Clinic and as such, we retain all our electronic patient data on a private server and our patient files are located on our premises. No one, other than our staff, have permission to access our electronic and paper database. Our dental staff retain charts in their treatment rooms on occasion, in order, to enter patent information to manage your dental treatment. Once information is completed by them, these files are returned to our filing cabinets, for storage.

Why we need your information

We need to have the information outlined above from you in order to provide care for you. You will have engaged with us for the purposes of providing care for you and as such, we cannot provide care for you without this information. We collect data that is relevant to your care only and communicate with you using the information you have provided to us.

What we do with your data

All the personal data we hold about you will be processed by our staff as we engage with you in the provision of your care. We only use this data for the provision of your care, whilst you are a patient of our practice. We must on occasion refer you to another clinician/clinical practice in managing your care. We must use your data to identify you and ensure clarification on the consultation/treatment request. All receiving clinicians are obliged to treat your data with the same best data management practices, to protect your privacy. Under NO circumstances would your referral to another clinic/clinician result in the misuse of your data. Occasionally, you may request us to complete a form about your care which you pass to your health insurer. This action is completed upon your request. A copy of any form/correspondence we complete on your behalf is retained on your chart, with your knowledge. This is to ensure we can answer any queries any insurer may have around your completed form, a copy of which you have been given. This information is privately held on our electronic database and also in your private patient folder, stored in a closed filing cabinet, which only our staff may access within the clinic.

How long we retain your data

In line with the Dental Council of Ireland’s code of Practice in relation to Professional Behaviour and Ethical conduct, we retain your records (dental and any related medical/general information) for Eight years following the completion of your dental care. Records which are no longer required will be destroyed in a manner which is appropriate to either electronic file destruction or shredding of paper records.