Privacy policy

Who we are

Veteran Dental Solutions (ABN 00 000 000 000) provides dental assessment and reporting services to Australian veterans. In this policy, "we", "us" and "our" refer to Veteran Dental Solutions.

We are bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). Because we handle health information, we are also subject to the additional protections that apply to sensitive information.

What we collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

• Identity and contact information: your name, phone number, email address, postal address and state or territory.
• Service information: your branch of service, service dates, service number and discharge details.
• DVA information: your card type, client number, accepted conditions and claim status.
• Health information: dental and medical history, clinical notes, charting, radiographs and other imaging, examination findings, current medications and relevant diagnoses.
• Correspondence: records of our communications with you and with providers acting on your behalf.
• Website usage data: see "Our website" below.

How we collect it

We collect most information directly from you, through our enquiry form, by phone, or in person. With your consent, we also collect information from third parties, including:

• Dental and medical practitioners who have treated you
• Radiology providers
• The Department of Veterans' Affairs
• The Department of Defence (service records)
• Your advocate or ex-service organisation, where they have referred you

We will not request records from a third party without your consent. Where a referral is made on your behalf, we will contact you directly and obtain your consent before proceeding.

Why we collect it

We collect and use your information to:

• Assess whether your oral health conditions may be linked to your service
• Arrange dental examinations and diagnostic imaging on your behalf
• Prepare a clinical assessment and report that meets DVA requirements
• Submit that report to DVA on your behalf
• Respond to requests from DVA for further information
• Communicate with you about the progress of your assessment
• Refer you to other providers where you have asked us to
• Meet our legal, professional and record-keeping obligations

Who we disclose it to

We may disclose your information to:

• The Department of Veterans' Affairs, as part of your claim
• Dental, medical and radiology providers involved in your assessment
• Your advocate or ex-service organisation, where you have asked us to keep them informed
• Our service providers, including secure IT, hosting and practice management providers, who are bound to protect your information
• Regulators, courts or law enforcement, where we are required or authorised by law

We do not sell your information. We do not disclose your information for marketing purposes, and we do not pay or receive referral fees.

We do not routinely disclose personal information to overseas recipients. Where a service provider stores data outside Australia, we take reasonable steps to ensure equivalent protection.

How we store and protect it

Your information is held in secure electronic systems with access limited to team members who need it to perform their role. We use encryption in transit, access controls, authentication requirements and regular review of who holds access.

Health records are retained in accordance with our legal and professional obligations, generally a minimum of seven years from the date of last service, and longer where required. When information is no longer needed and we are not required to retain it, we destroy or de-identify it securely.

Accessing and correcting your information

You have the right to ask what personal information we hold about you and to request a copy. You can also ask us to correct anything that is inaccurate, out of date or incomplete.

Contact us at info@veterandental.com.au or 1300 000 000. We may need to verify your identity. We will respond within a reasonable period, ordinarily 30 days. If we decline a request, we will explain why in writing.

Withdrawing consent

You can withdraw your consent to us collecting or using your information at any time. Depending on when you do so, this may mean we cannot complete your assessment or continue supporting your claim. Information already lawfully submitted to DVA cannot be recalled by us.

Our website

Our website collects minimal information. We do not use advertising trackers or sell website data. Where analytics are used, they are configured to collect aggregate usage data only.

Information you enter into our enquiry form is transmitted over an encrypted connection. Please do not send detailed health information through the website form; we will collect that securely once we speak with you.

Our website may link to external sites, including dva.gov.au. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites.

Complaints

If you believe we have mishandled your information, please contact us first at info@veterandental.com.au. We will acknowledge your complaint promptly and aim to resolve it within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at oaic.gov.au or on 1300 363 992.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The current version is always available on this page, with the date it was last updated shown at the top.

Contact us

Veteran Dental Solutions
ABN 00 000 000 000
Email: info@veterandental.com.au
Phone: 1300 000 000