Privacy Policy for Chelsea Dental Group

Last Updated: 31 August 2026

At Chelsea Dental Group (chelseadentalgroup.net.au), your privacy on the Internet and the security of your medical records are of the utmost importance to us. Operating for over 70 years, we are committed to providing professional, personalised dental care across St Kilda East and surrounding Melbourne suburbs.

This policy outlines how we collect, use, manage, and protect your personal and sensitive health information in compliance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic).

1. What Information We Collect

To provide high-quality general, cosmetic, restorative, and emergency dental treatments, we collect two types of information:

• Personal and Sensitive Health Information: This is information you knowingly choose to disclose on an individual basis. It includes your name, contact details, date of birth, medical/dental histories, clinical notes, x-rays, Medicare numbers, health fund details, and billing data.
• Website Usage Information: Collected on an aggregate basis as you and others browse our site. This includes standard data such as pages viewed, time spent on our site, date and time of visit, referring URLs, browser type, operating system, and IP addresses.

We utilize tools like Google Analytics, Google Ads, and social media pixels for performance tracking and targeted marketing. Users can opt out of digital tracking via browser settings or relevant ad preference platforms. Your clinical data is never linked to advertising profiles.

Information is used strictly for clinical services, billing, and practice administration. Data remains confidential and is only shared for direct care or lawful requirements, though it may transfer in the event of a practice ownership change. Minors under 18 must use the site under guardian supervision.

2. How We Collect Your Data

We collect information directly from you when you:

• Fill out patient intake, registration, or appointment booking forms.
• Correspond with us via email, where we retain your messages and email address with the same protections we use for mail and phone records.
• Interact with our web server tools during standard site browsing.

3. Cookies and IP Addresses

Our website utilizes standard “cookies” (small text files with unique anonymous identifiers) and web server log files to administer the site and deliver requested web pages. Cookies are standard across the internet, but you may alter your web browser configurations to decline cookies if you prefer not to share this information.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal and health information strictly for:

• Administering our business activities and providing requested clinical services.
• Processing clinical billing, HICAPS, payment plans, or government scheme benefits (such as the Child Dental Benefits Schedule).
• Sending clinic updates, booking reminders, or special offers (you can unsubscribe or opt out at any time via the link in our emails).

5. Disclosure and Practice Ownership Changes

Personally identifiable information and private clinical histories will under no circumstances be shared with third parties except for direct clinical care (such as referrals) or as required by lawful means.

Acquisition or Changes in Ownership: Should this website or the dental practice assets be acquired or transferred in the future, your personal and clinical information would be considered part of those transferable practice assets.

6. Protection of Children and Minors

Children under the age of 18 are not authorized to use our website services unsupervised. We ask that minors only submit personal information or use our digital booking utilities in conjunction with, and under the guidance of, a parent or legal guardian.

7. Security and Data Retention

We implement thorough clinical safeguards to protect your files against loss, unauthorised access, and misuse. In accordance with Victorian law, health and dental records are retained securely for the legally mandated timeframes before secure destruction occurs.

8. Your Consent and Policy Updates

By continuing to use our website and clinical services, you consent to our collection and management of your personal information as described in this document. As healthcare regulations and internet technologies evolve, we reserve the right to amend this policy at any time.

9. Access, Corrections, and Contact

You have a right to access or correct the health records we hold about you. For any access requests, privacy queries, or complaints, please contact our clinic privacy officer directly: