Patient Privacy Policy

GEORGIA DENTAL GROUP/DR. BRIAN BAIRD INC.

Our dental office collects personal information on patients to ensure patients receive safe and appropriate dental treatment. In addition, credit card and insurance coverage information may also be collected to facilitate payment for treatment rendered.

PRINCIPLE 1 – ACCOUNTABILITY

Our dental office is responsible for all personal information under our control and the policies and practices we employ for handling this information is to ensure our office complies with the Provincial Privacy Legislation called Personal Information Protection Act. For more information on our policies, or should you have any concerns, please contact our Privacy Officer, Dr. Brian Baird, whose contact information is listed at the end of this document.

PRINCIPLE 2 – IDENTIFYING PURPOSES

Our office collects personal information from patients for the safe and efficient delivery of dental treatment. This information includes contact details, medical history, past treatment, billing/collection information and insurance details. Patients will be notified if their personal information is to be used for purposes other than those indicated here. In the normal course of business operation, your information may be viewed by computer or accounting personnel whom also adhere to our confidentiality agreement.

PRINCIPLE 3 – CONSENT

As a dental patient, your personal information is requested to ensure safe and appropriate dental care is provided. It will only be collected, used and disclosed for this purpose. Similarly, financial information will also be collected, used and disclosed for the payment of services rendered. On this basis, it is reasonable to conclude that you have provided consent for this purpose.

PRINCIPLE 4 – LIMITING COLLECTION

Personal information collected on patients is limited to providing patient care and receiving payment for these services.

PRINCIPLE 5 – LIMITING USE, DISCLOSURE & RETENTION

Personal information will not be used, disclosed or retained for purposes other than those identified above and will only be retained for as long as necessary to fulfill those purposes or as required by law. When it is no longer required, all personal information will be destroyed in a manner that recognizes the sensitivity of the information.

PRINCIPLE 6 – ACCURACY

To ensure the accuracy of the personal information, our office encourages patients and staff to maintain records that are accurate and up to date. Patients can notify office staff immediately if there are any changes.

PRINCIPLE 7 – SAFEGUARDS

Our office will take reasonable steps to ensure the personal information under our control will be protected for unauthorized use and disclosure appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.

PRINCIPLE 8 – OPENESS

Information on our policies and practices are available to patients. Please direct enquiries to our Privacy Officer.

PRINCIPLE 9 – INDIVIDUAL ACCESS

An individual can request to view their personal information held by our office by contacting our Privacy Officer. A patient can challenge the accuracy and completeness of the information and have it amended as appropriate.

PRINCIPLE 10 – CHALLENGE COMPLIANCE

Should a patient lodge a complaint regarding our office's compliance with the Personal Information Protection Act, a complaint can be filed with our Privacy Officer. All complaints will be investigated by the Privacy Officer who will respond to the complaint. In the event the complaint remains dissatisfied, a formal complaint can be made to the Provincial Information & Privacy Commissioner.

We will be guided by the relevant section of the Act and the directives of the Ministry of Management Services as amended on occasion.