Privacy Policy
Your Privacy
At Canal Crest Dental, we are committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality and security of your personal information.
When you become a patient of Canal Crest Dental, we may need to collect information about you to provide safe, appropriate and effective dental care. We understand that this information is personal and sometimes highly sensitive, and we take our responsibility to protect it seriously.
This Privacy Notice explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, who we may share it with and the rights you have over your information.
Our commitment to your privacy
Clear and transparent
We want you to understand what information we collect about you, why we collect it and how we use it.
Only what we need
We aim to collect information that is necessary and relevant for providing dental care, managing your appointments, administering our services and meeting our legal and professional obligations.
Your information is confidential
Your dental and personal information will be treated as confidential and will only be accessed or shared where there is an appropriate reason and lawful basis to do so.
Your choices matter
Where we ask for your consent to receive marketing communications, you can choose whether you wish to receive them and can withdraw your consent at any time.
Your information is protected
We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration or disclosure.
We do not sell your personal information
Canal Crest Dental does not sell your personal information to third parties.
Clinical communications are different from marketing
Even if you choose not to receive marketing communications from us, we may still need to contact you about your dental care, appointments, treatment, recalls, payments, referrals, test results or other matters relating to the services we provide.
The personal information we may hold about you
Depending on your relationship with Canal Crest Dental and the services you receive, we may collect and use the following categories of information.
1. Personal and contact information
What we may collect
This may include:
your name
title
date of birth
gender, where relevant to your care
home address
telephone number
email address
emergency contact details
preferred method of communication
appointment history
correspondence with the practice
payment and billing information
information relating to your membership or payment arrangements, where applicable.
Why we use it
We use this information to:
register you as a patient
arrange and manage appointments
contact you about your appointments and dental care
communicate treatment information with you
maintain accurate patient records
process payments and invoices
manage our relationship with you
respond to enquiries, complaints and feedback
comply with our legal and professional obligations
protect the security of our practice and systems.
Lawful basis
Depending on the purpose, we may rely on:
performance of a contract or taking steps at your request before entering into a contract
compliance with a legal obligation
our legitimate interests in operating and administering the practice
your consent, where consent is required.
2. Dental and clinical information
As a dental practice, we need to collect information about your oral and general health to provide safe and appropriate treatment.
What we may collect
This may include:
medical history
dental history
current and previous dental treatment
dental examinations and diagnoses
treatment plans
clinical notes
dental charts
periodontal assessments
radiographs and other diagnostic images
photographs taken as part of your assessment or treatment
scans and digital impressions
treatment consent records
referrals and correspondence with other healthcare professionals
prescriptions and medication information
allergies and relevant medical conditions
information about previous dental procedures
information about pain, symptoms or dental concerns
information relating to dental anxiety or nervousness where relevant to your care
information relating to orthodontic, cosmetic, whitening, hygiene, restorative, implant, periodontal or other dental treatments you enquire about or receive.
Why we use it
We use your clinical information to:
assess your dental and oral health
diagnose dental conditions
plan and provide treatment
monitor your progress and treatment outcomes
provide safe and appropriate care
identify risks, allergies or medical conditions that may affect treatment
make appropriate referrals
communicate with other healthcare professionals where necessary
maintain complete and accurate dental records
meet our professional, legal and regulatory obligations
deal with complaints, claims or legal matters where necessary.
Lawful basis
Health information is treated as special category personal data under UK data protection law and receives additional protection. (ICO)
We process this information where necessary for the provision and management of healthcare and dental care, together with an appropriate condition under UK data protection law for processing special category data.
We do not normally rely on consent as the sole legal basis for maintaining your clinical dental records, because we have professional and legal responsibilities to maintain appropriate patient records.
GDC standards require dental professionals to keep complete and accurate patient records and to protect the confidentiality and security of patient information. (General Dental Council)
3. Treatment interests and enquiries
If you contact us about a particular service, we may record information relating to your enquiry.
This could include enquiries about:
dental hygiene and stain removal
Airflow or other professional cleaning
tooth whitening
fillings and restorative dentistry
crowns and bridges
dentures
implants
orthodontic treatment
clear aligners
cosmetic dentistry
smile makeovers
facial aesthetics, where provided
children’s dentistry
nervous or anxious patient care
other dental treatments offered by Canal Crest Dental.
Why we use this information
We may use it to:
respond to your enquiry
arrange a consultation
provide information about the service you have asked about
prepare for your appointment
maintain appropriate records of your communication with us.
4. Photographs, videos and digital scans
Where photographs, videos, scans or other images are taken as part of your dental assessment or treatment, they may form part of your clinical record.
We may also ask separately for your consent if we would like to use an identifiable photograph, video or treatment result for purposes such as:
our website
social media
educational material
advertising or marketing
patient information materials.
We will explain how the image will be used before asking for your consent.
You are not required to agree to the use of your images for marketing purposes, and refusing marketing consent will not affect your clinical care.
GDC guidance states that patient photographs, videos and other recordings must be treated as confidential and that appropriate consent should be obtained when they are used for other purposes. (General Dental Council)
5. Information you provide through our website
If you use our website, contact forms or online enquiry forms, we may collect information such as:
your name
telephone number
email address
information contained in your enquiry
appointment preferences
information about the treatment or service you are enquiring about.
We use this information to respond to your enquiry and, where appropriate, arrange an appointment.
Please do not include unnecessary medical or highly sensitive information in a general website enquiry form unless specifically requested.
6. Website technical information and cookies
When you visit our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically.
Depending on the technology used on our website, this may include:
IP address
browser type
device type
operating system
approximate location
pages visited
date and time of visits
website interaction information
information collected through cookies or similar technologies.
We use this information where necessary to:
operate and secure our website
identify and resolve technical problems
improve website performance
understand how visitors use our website
maintain website security
measure the effectiveness of our website.
Where required by law, we will ask for your consent before placing non-essential cookies or similar tracking technologies on your device.
7. Marketing communications
If you have provided appropriate consent, we may contact you about services, practice updates, educational information, events or special offers that may be relevant to you.
Marketing communications may include:
email
SMS
telephone
post
other digital communications.
You can withdraw your consent to marketing communications at any time.
You can do this by:
using the unsubscribe option in an email
contacting the practice
speaking to a member of our team.
Withdrawing marketing consent will not affect your clinical care.
We may still contact you where the communication is necessary for your dental care or the management of your appointment.
8. Communications with you
We may communicate with you by:
telephone
email
SMS
post
secure patient communication systems
other communication methods that you have agreed to use.
We will take reasonable steps to ensure that confidential information is communicated securely and appropriately.
Please tell us if your contact details or preferred communication method changes.
9. Information from other healthcare professionals
Where necessary for your care, we may receive information from or share relevant information with:
your dentist
dental hygienist or dental therapist
dental specialists
orthodontists
oral surgeons
hospitals
your GP or other healthcare professionals
dental laboratories
other professionals involved in your treatment.
We will only share information that is necessary and appropriate for the relevant purpose.
10. Information about children and young people
Where we provide dental care to children and young people, we may collect information relating to the child and, where appropriate, their parent, guardian or person with parental responsibility.
We take particular care to protect children’s personal information and will handle it in accordance with applicable data protection and confidentiality requirements.
11. Payment and financial information
Where relevant, we may collect:
payment information
invoices
payment history
details relating to treatment charges
information required to administer payment plans or finance arrangements.
Payment card information may be processed through our payment providers rather than being stored directly by Canal Crest Dental, depending on the systems we use.
12. Complaints and feedback
If you contact us with a complaint, concern, comment or feedback, we may record:
your contact details
details of your complaint or concern
relevant clinical information
correspondence relating to the matter
information about how the complaint was investigated and resolved.
We use this information to investigate and respond to complaints, improve our services and meet our legal and professional obligations.
Why we use your personal information
We may use your personal information to:
provide dental care
assess and diagnose dental conditions
plan and provide treatment
manage appointments
maintain accurate clinical records
communicate with you about your treatment
arrange referrals
provide appropriate aftercare
process payments
respond to enquiries
manage complaints
improve our services
maintain the security of our practice
comply with legal, regulatory and professional requirements
protect our legitimate interests where appropriate
send marketing communications where you have provided the necessary consent.
We will not use your information for purposes that are incompatible with the purposes for which it was collected unless permitted or required by law.
Our lawful bases for using your information
The lawful basis we rely on will depend on why we are processing your information.
These may include:
Contract
Where processing is necessary to provide services to you or take steps at your request before providing services.
Legal obligation
Where we are required to process information to comply with a legal requirement.
Legitimate interests
Where processing is necessary for the legitimate operation and administration of Canal Crest Dental, provided that our interests do not override your rights and freedoms.
Consent
Where the law requires us to obtain your consent, such as for certain marketing activities or specific uses of photographs or other information.
Healthcare and treatment
Clinical information may be processed where necessary for the provision and management of healthcare and dental care, subject to the additional requirements that apply to special category data.
Sharing your personal information
We may share relevant personal information where necessary with:
members of the Canal Crest Dental team involved in your care
dentists, dental therapists, hygienists and other dental professionals
dental laboratories
specialist or referral services
healthcare professionals involved in your care
IT and practice-management system providers
appointment and communication providers
payment providers
professional advisers where appropriate
insurers or indemnity providers where necessary
regulatory bodies such as the General Dental Council
the Care Quality Commission, where applicable
law enforcement or other authorities where legally required
other organisations where disclosure is necessary and permitted by law.
We will only share information that is relevant and necessary for the purpose.
Where we use external service providers to process personal information on our behalf, we require appropriate contractual and security arrangements to protect your information.
We do not sell your personal information.
Confidentiality
Your dental records are confidential.
We will only disclose confidential patient information where:
you have given appropriate permission
disclosure is necessary for your care
disclosure is required by law
disclosure is otherwise permitted in exceptional circumstances.
GDC standards require dental professionals to protect patient confidentiality and only release information without permission in exceptional circumstances. (General Dental Council)
Social media
Canal Crest Dental may use social media platforms to communicate with patients and promote the practice.
Please remember that information posted publicly on social media may be visible to other people.
If you contact us through social media, we may ask you to contact the practice by telephone, email or another appropriate method where confidential or clinical information is involved.
Please do not send detailed medical or dental information through public social media messages.
If you interact with our social media pages or use social-media features on our website, the relevant social media company’s own privacy policy may also apply.
Keeping your information secure
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information.
These measures may include:
password-protected systems
access controls
secure storage
staff confidentiality requirements
secure disposal of confidential documents
appropriate backup arrangements
secure methods of transferring information
protection against unauthorised access
staff training in confidentiality and data protection.
Access to patient information is restricted to people who have a genuine need to access it for their role.
GDC standards require patient information to be kept secure whether records are held electronically or on paper. (General Dental Council)
Keeping your information accurate
We aim to ensure that the personal information we hold about you is accurate and up to date.
Please tell us if your:
name
address
telephone number
email address
emergency contact details
medical history
medication
allergies
change.
You can update your information by contacting the practice or speaking to a member of our team.
How long we keep your information
We keep personal information only for as long as it is necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, taking into account our legal, regulatory, professional, clinical and business requirements.
Dental records may need to be retained for an appropriate period even after you stop attending the practice.
We maintain a data retention schedule that sets out appropriate retention periods for different categories of information.
We securely delete, destroy or anonymise information when it is no longer required, unless there is a legal or other legitimate reason to retain it.
The ICO recommends that organisations document retention periods and the reasons for keeping different categories of information. (ICO)
Your rights
Depending on the circumstances and applicable law, you may have rights in relation to your personal information.
These may include the right to:
Access your information
You can ask for a copy of personal information we hold about you.
Correct your information
You can ask us to correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete.
Request erasure
In certain circumstances, you may ask us to delete personal information.
However, this right is not absolute. For example, we may have a legal, professional or clinical reason to retain certain information.
Restrict processing
In certain circumstances, you can ask us to restrict how we process your information.
Object to processing
In certain circumstances, you may have the right to object to particular processing of your personal information.
Data portability
Where applicable, you may have the right to receive certain personal information in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and to ask us to transfer it to another organisation.
Withdraw consent
Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw your consent at any time.
Withdrawing consent does not affect processing that took place before you withdrew it and does not necessarily require us to delete information that we have a legal or professional obligation to retain.
Requesting access to your dental records
You have rights under data protection legislation to request access to your personal information and dental records.
If you would like to make a request, please contact:
Canal Crest Dental
57 Basin Rd, Chichester PO19 8PX
01243 959 100
reception@canalcrestdental.co.uk
We may need to verify your identity before releasing information to ensure that your personal information is not disclosed to someone who is not entitled to receive it.
GDC guidance confirms that patients have rights to access their dental records under data protection legislation. (General Dental Council)
If you do not provide information
Some information is necessary for us to provide safe and appropriate dental care.
For example, if you do not provide relevant medical history, medication or allergy information, this may affect our ability to assess risks and provide treatment safely.
If you choose not to provide information that is necessary for your care, we may not be able to provide certain treatments or services.
Your right to withdraw marketing consent
You can withdraw your consent to marketing communications at any time.
You can:
unsubscribe from an email
contact the practice
telephone us
speak to a member of the Canal Crest Dental team.
We will respect your marketing preferences.
Withdrawal of marketing consent does not prevent us from contacting you about matters relating to your dental care.
Cookies
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies.
Cookies can help us:
make our website function correctly
remember certain preferences
understand how visitors use our website
improve website performance
maintain website security
understand the effectiveness of our online communications.
Some cookies may be essential for the website to operate, while others may require your consent.
You can manage cookie preferences through the cookie settings available on our website, where applicable.
Data breaches
We have procedures in place to identify, investigate and manage suspected personal-data breaches.
Where required by law, we will notify the Information Commissioner’s Office and/or affected individuals of a personal-data breach.
Complaints about your personal information
If you have concerns about how Canal Crest Dental has collected or used your personal information, please contact us first so that we can investigate and try to resolve your concern.
You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your personal information has not been handled in accordance with data protection law.
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
You can find further information on the ICO’s website.
Data Protection Contact
If you have questions about this Privacy Notice or how Canal Crest Dental handles your personal information, please contact:
Canal Crest Dental
57 Basin Rd, Chichester PO19 8PX
01243 959 100
reception@canalcrestdental.co.uk
Who is responsible for your information?
The organisation responsible for your personal information is:
Canal Crest Dental
[Legal business/company name]
[Registered address]
57 Basin Rd, Chichester PO19 8PX
Data Controller: [Legal entity name]
ICO Registration Number: [Insert ICO registration number]
Changes to this Privacy Notice
We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time to reflect changes in:
the services we provide
how we process personal information
our technology and systems
data protection legislation
regulatory or professional guidance.
When we make significant changes, we will update the version/date shown below and, where appropriate, notify patients of the changes.
Privacy Notice version: 1.0
Last updated: September 2026
Next review date: September 2027