Alton Dental Data Protection Policy
Alton Dental is committed to protecting your personal data and handling it with transparency, integrity, and in accordance with current data protection legislation. This policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and share your personal data, in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
To provide you with safe, effective, and high-quality dental care, we need to collect and retain essential personal and health information. This may include:
Your name, date of birth, address, contact details, and GP information
Your current and past medical and dental history
Clinical notes, radiographs (x-rays), photographs, and study models
Information about your treatment (planned, ongoing, or completed) and associated costs
Records of consent and discussions relating to your care
Correspondence with other healthcare professionals or third parties involved in your care
We process your personal data under the following lawful bases:
Provision of healthcare (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(e), Article 9(2)(h))
Legal obligation to retain healthcare records
Consent, where applicable (e.g. for marketing communications)
We retain your dental records for as long as required under UK law:
Adults: For a minimum of 11 years from the date of last treatment
Children: Until the patient reaches the age of 25 or for 11 years after the last treatment, whichever is longer
Your personal data is stored securely digitally:
Electronic records are protected by passwords, user access restrictions, and secure audit trails
Backups are performed daily and stored securely
Access is strictly limited to authorised personnel only
To ensure the continuity and quality of your care, we may share your information with:
Your GP or medical practitioner
Hospital or community dental services
Specialist referrals or other healthcare professionals
Dental insurers or schemes of which you are a member
Data will only be shared on a strict need-to-know basis, with the minimum information necessary for the intended purpose, and where appropriate safeguards are in place.
We may be legally required to disclose your data:
In response to a court order
To comply with legal or regulatory obligations
Any other disclosures not covered above will only occur with your explicit consent. Where feasible, we will inform you before sharing your data in such cases.
Under data protection law, you have the following rights:
To access the personal data we hold about you
To request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete data
To request erasure, where applicable
To request restriction of processing under certain circumstances
To object to processing, including direct marketing
To request data portability in certain situations
You may exercise these rights by submitting a written request to the practice. We will respond within one calendar month (30 days), free of charge.
Note: We do not charge fees for access to records, including x-rays, unless a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, in which case a reasonable administrative fee may be applied in line with the UK GDPR.
If you move to another dental provider, we are happy to send copies of your clinical notes and radiographs directly to the new practice, on receipt of a written request from them and your confirmation. There is no charge for this service.
If you are unhappy with how we handle your personal data, please speak to your dentist or contact the Practice Manager. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):
📞 0303 123 1113
🌐 www.ico.org.uk
This policy is reviewed regularly and updated in line with legal and regulatory changes.
