Privacy Policy — Australian Periodontal Group (AusPerio)
Your privacy is respected
This practice policy outlines how the practice uses and manages your health information. The Notice to Patients is posted in our patient waiting area as a summary statement of this policy.
The practice is bound by the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988 and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic).
The practice will review and update this Privacy Policy on an annual basis.
Collection
It is our usual practice to only collect health information directly from our patients or their authorised representatives.
In addition, personal information such as your name, address, contact details, health insurance and financial details are used for the purpose of addressing accounts to you, as well as for processing payments, collecting unpaid invoices via an external collection agency, and writing to you about our services and any issues affecting your health care.
We will only collect your email address if you send us a message or provide us with your address directly. Your email address will only be used for the purpose for which you have provided it, and it will not be added to a mailing list or used for any other purpose without your consent.
The practice may collect health information from a third party or a publicly available source, but only if the patient consents to such collection or would reasonably expect us to collect their health information from that third party, or if collection is necessary to provide the patient with appropriate health care.
Referral information: Where a patient is referred to this practice by another dental or medical practitioner, we may receive personal and health information from that referring practitioner. All such information is handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
Website statistics
Our practice website is hosted by Squarespace. Squarespace, as our hosting provider, makes a record of your visit and logs the following information for statistical purposes:
Your server address
Your domain or top-level domain name
The date and time of your visit to the site
The pages you accessed and documents downloaded
The previous site you visited
The type of browser you are using
This non-identified information is used to monitor usage patterns on our site to improve navigation and design features.
Google Analytics: Our website uses Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to collect anonymous data about how visitors use our site. This data does not identify you personally and is used solely to improve the website experience. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
Contact forms: Information submitted via the contact or enquiry forms on our website is received by practice staff only and is handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
Cookies
Our website uses session cookies during your visit. Upon closing your browser, session cookies are destroyed and no personal information that might identify you is retained.
Cookies can either be persistent or session based. Persistent cookies are stored on your computer, contain an expiry date, and may be used to track your browsing behaviour upon return to the issuing website. Session cookies are short lived, are used only during a browsing session, and expire when you quit your browser.
Employer/employee responsibilities
As an employer, the practice collects personal information related to employment and human resource management.
All staff employed at this practice are required to undergo training to understand their responsibilities in maintaining your privacy and to sign a confidentiality agreement to protect your personal information.
Use and disclosure
The practice only uses health information for the purposes of providing you with health care or for purposes directly related to providing you with health care. In addition, personal information is used to administer your invoicing for dental and/or medical services, credit card payments, process health insurance claims or to collect unpaid invoices via an external collection agency. We will not use your health information for any other purpose unless one of the following applies:
You have consented
The other purpose is directly related to providing you with health services and you would reasonably expect that your information may be used for that purpose (for example, the practice may disclose your health information to another health service provider for the purpose of providing you with health care)
The use of your health information is required or authorised by law
Data quality
The practice takes steps to ensure that the health information we collect is accurate, up to date and complete. These steps include maintaining and updating personal and health information when you attend the practice, or when you advise us that your personal information has changed.
The practice keeps hard-copy and electronic records and takes reasonable steps to protect those records against loss, unauthorised access, use, modification or disclosure, or other misuse.
The practice ensures that hard-copy records are kept in locked files and there are security processes in place regarding computer access. The practice has taken steps to ensure that electronic data is backed up.
After a period of seven years (and if you attended the practice as a child, once you have reached the age of 25) we may destroy your records in accordance with applicable laws.
Data security
In the interests of your privacy, and given the inherent insecurity of information passed over the internet, we do not currently support the transmission of personal health information to or from our patients over the internet. If you send any personal health information to us via the internet, we cannot guarantee its security. Please contact the practice directly by phone if you need to discuss sensitive health information.
Access and correction
If you request access to health or personal information we hold about you, or request that we change that information, we will allow access or make the changes unless we consider that there is a sound reason under the Privacy Act or other relevant law to withhold the information or not make the changes.
Requests for access or correction must be in writing and directed to the practice Privacy Officer. If you have any questions, the Privacy Officer can be contacted during business hours at the practice.
The practice may charge for access to or copies of health records.
Marketing
The practice's marketing functions support the growth and development of the practice and to provide you with information about services offered at the practice.
The practice may use your information for the purpose of direct marketing; however, we will not on-sell your personal information.
If you would prefer not to receive marketing materials from the practice, a request can easily be made to the Privacy Officer or another staff member at the practice.
Sending information overseas
As part of maintaining your records, the practice may use off-site electronic data storage providers, professional indemnity insurers, marketing agencies or other third-party service entities. These providers may be located offshore.
Where practicable, we will inform you about where your information is sent; however, at all times the practice will take reasonable steps to ensure compliance with the Australian Privacy Principles in relation to any off-shore transfer of your information.
Non-disclosure of information
Although we respect your right to privacy, if you choose not to provide us with information relevant to your care, we may not be able to provide a service to you or the service we are asked to provide may not be appropriate for your needs.
Importantly, you could suffer some harm or other adverse outcome if you do not provide information relevant to your care.
Complaints
We take your privacy seriously. If you suspect there has been or may have been a breach of your privacy, you can complain directly to the practice Privacy Officer.
In the event of a privacy breach, the practice will comply with applicable guides or guidelines issued by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner for the handling of privacy breaches.
For more information about privacy laws, or to raise concerns about any matter not satisfactorily resolved with the practice, you can contact:
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner www.oaic.gov.au | Phone: 1300 363 992
Health Complaints Commissioner (Victoria) hcc.vic.gov.au | Phone: 1300 582 113
Enquiries
For further information about the practice's management of privacy, please contact our Privacy Officer:
Dr Sara Byrne Privacy Officer — Australian Periodontal Group (AusPerio) Email: melbourne@ausperio.com.au Phone: (03) 9349 7612
Melbourne CBD: Suite 2, Level 10, 24 Collins St, Melbourne 3000; Cranbourne: 26 Codrington Street, Cranbourne 3977
This policy is reviewed annually. Last reviewed: May 2026.