Patient

Patient Information & Privacy

 

PART A – PATIENT INFORMATION

Current as of: 6 October 2026

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This page explains what you can expect from us as a patient: what treatment costs, where to get care when we are closed, how to give us feedback or make a complaint, and how we look after your personal information.

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Our services

A full list of the services we provide is available on our Services page, or you can ask our reception team.

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Estimated costs

Every patient’s treatment needs are different, so we cannot quote treatment fees without first examining you.

• If you would like to know the cost of your treatment before it goes ahead, just ask your dentist or our reception team and we will give you an estimate.

• If you would like a detailed written estimate for more complex treatment, a consultation may be required and a consultation fee may apply. Our reception team can tell you this fee when you book.

• Please ask us at any time if you have questions about fees, health fund rebates or payment.

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When we are closed: after hours and emergencies

If you need care when we are closed:

• In a life-threatening emergency, call 000 (Triple Zero).

• For serious facial swelling, uncontrolled bleeding, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or facial trauma, go to the Emergency Department at Mackay Base Hospital.

• For urgent care that is not life-threatening, bulk billed urgent care clinics operate in Mackay.

• For health advice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84).

• For a dental problem that can wait until we reopen, phone us on 07 4863 1450 during opening hours and we will arrange an appointment.

 

Feedback and complaints

We welcome your compliments, suggestions and complaints. You can give us feedback:

• in person, by speaking to the Practice Manager

• by phone on 07 4863 1450 and asking to speak to the Practice Manager

• by email to info@deanwilliamsondental.com.au

• by post to the Practice Manager, PO Box 355, Mackay QLD 4740.

We will acknowledge your complaint and work with you to resolve it.

 

Healthcare complaints authority

If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your complaint, or you prefer not to raise it with us directly, you can contact the Office of the Health Ombudsman (Queensland):

• Phone: 133 OHO (133 646)

• Website: www.oho.qld.gov.au

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PART B – PRIVACY POLICY

Current as of: 6 October 2026

 

Introduction

This privacy policy provides information to you, our patient, on how your personal information (which includes your health information) is collected and used within our practice, and the circumstances in which we may share it with third parties.

 

Why and when your consent is necessary

When you register as a patient of our practice, you provide consent for our dental practitioners and practice staff to access and use your personal information so they can provide you with the best possible dental care. Only staff who need to see your personal information will have access to it. If we need to use your information for anything else, we will generally seek additional consent from you to do this, unless obtaining your consent is not practical or reasonable, and an exception under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) applies.

 

Why do we collect, use, hold and share your personal information?

Our practice will need to collect your personal information to provide dental services to you. Our main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to manage your dental health. We also use it for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits and accreditation, and business processes (e.g. staff training).

 

What personal information do we collect?

The information we will collect about you includes your:

• name/s, date of birth, address/es, contact details (e.g. telephone, email) and family contact information

• details of your oral health condition and the treatment/s and service/s you have received

• details of your general health (e.g. medications, allergies, medical conditions) and medical history that may affect the dental treatment you receive

• private health insurance information

• Medicare number (where available) for identification and claiming purposes

• information regarding other funding sources, where relevant (e.g. Child Dental Benefits Schedule, Department of Veterans’ Affairs)

• information on workers’ compensation, motor vehicle and other accident claims, where relevant

• healthcare identifiers, where relevant

• details of your other medical practitioners.

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Dealing with us anonymously

You have the right to deal with us anonymously or under a pseudonym unless it is impracticable for us to do so or unless we are required or authorised by law to only deal with identified individuals.

 

How do we collect your personal information?

Our practice may collect your personal information in several different ways.

1. When you make your first appointment, our practice staff will collect your personal information via your registration.

2. During the course of providing dental services, we may collect further personal information.

3. We may also collect your personal information when you visit our website, send us an email or SMS, telephone us, make an online appointment or communicate with us using social media.

4. In some circumstances, personal information may also be collected from other sources. Often this is because it is not practical or reasonable to collect it from you directly. This may include information from:

   • your guardian or responsible person

   • other involved healthcare providers, such as specialists and diagnostic imaging services

   • your health fund, Medicare, or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (as necessary).

 

When, why and with whom do we share your personal information?

We sometimes share your personal information:

• with third parties who work with our practice for business purposes, such as information technology providers – these third parties are required to comply with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs)

• with other healthcare providers

• when it is required or authorised by law (e.g. court subpoenas)

• when it is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a patient’s life, health or safety or public health or safety, or it is impractical to obtain the patient’s consent

• to assist in locating a missing person

• to establish, exercise or defend an equitable claim

• for the purpose of a confidential dispute resolution process

• when there is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (e.g. some diseases require mandatory notification)

• during the course of providing dental services, through My Health Record.

Only people who need to access your information will be able to do so. Other than in the course of providing dental services or as otherwise described in this policy, our practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.

We will not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.

Our practice will not use your personal information for marketing any of our goods or services directly to you without your express consent. If you do consent, you may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying our practice in writing.

 

How do we store and protect your personal information?

Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms, including:

• paper records

• electronic records

• visual records, including X-rays, CT scans, videos, photos and impressions

• audio records.

Our practice stores all personal information securely.

• Paper records are scanned into electronic format as soon as practical, after which the paper records are destroyed. All team members and contractors are bound by their confidentiality agreements.

• Electronic records are stored in protected information systems in a secured environment, including the use of password access.

• Visual records, including X-rays, CT scans, videos and photos, are stored in protected information systems in a secured environment, including the use of password access.

• Impressions are stored in an access-controlled storage location.

• Audio records are stored in protected information systems in a secured environment, including the use of password access.

 

How can you access and correct your personal information at our practice?

You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information.

Our practice acknowledges patients may request access to their dental records. We ask that you put this request in writing to the Practice Manager at reception@deanwilliamsondental.com.au, and our practice will respond within a reasonable time, which is considered to be 30 days. Fees may be payable, limited to the costs to the practice of complying with your request.

Our practice will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. From time to time, we will ask you to verify that your personal information held by our practice is correct and current. You may also request that we correct or update your information. To help us attend to your request, we would prefer you to make such requests in writing to the Practice Manager at reception@deanwilliamsondental.com.au.

 

How can you lodge a privacy-related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled at our practice?

We take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing. We will then attempt to resolve your issue/s in accordance with our resolution procedure.

Practice Manager PO Box 355 MACKAY QLD 4740

or email info@deanwilliamsondental.com.au

You may also contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). The OAIC may decide not to investigate your complaint if you have not raised it with the practice first. If you have lodged a complaint with us, and we have not responded within 30 days or you are dissatisfied with our response, you may then take your complaint to the OAIC. For further information, visit www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC on 1300 363 992.

For complaints about your health care or treatment (rather than privacy), see Healthcare complaints authority in Part A above.

 

Privacy and our website

Our website may from time to time contain links to other websites not owned or controlled by us, including Facebook, Instagram and online bookings. These links are provided for your convenience only. Links to third-party websites do not constitute sponsorship, endorsement or approval of those websites, and we are not responsible for their privacy practices. When you leave our website, we encourage you to read the privacy policy or statement of each website that collects personally identifiable information.

 

Policy review statement

This page is reviewed regularly to ensure it reflects any changes that may occur. The updated version will be available online or in the practice.