Privacy Policy – Winning Smiles Dental Surgery

Book Your Visit
Call Now

Last Updated: November 2025

At Winning Smiles Dental Surgery, we are committed to protecting your privacy as both an online visitor and a patient.
We respect your confidentiality and handle all personal and health information in accordance with:

  • The Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs)
  • The Health Records and Information Privacy Act (NSW)
  • The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)guidelines
  • The Australian Dental Association (ADA) Code of Ethics

1. Our Privacy Commitment

We protect your personal and health information by:

  • Using secure, encrypted systems to safeguard data.
  • Complying with all privacy, legal, and professional obligations.
  • Maintaining accurate, factual, and evidence-based website content.
  • Avoiding misleading, exaggerated, or unverifiable claims.
  • Ensuring any patient information is used only with informed, written consent.
  • Providing transparency on how we collect, use, and share your information.
  • Allowing you to access and update your personal information at any time.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect information through:

  • Website forms (appointment bookings, contact forms, and newsletter sign-ups).
  • Patient intake and feedback forms (with consent).
  • Communication by phone, email, or in-person visits.
  • Secure third-party platforms used for bookings or payments.

Types of data collected include:

  • Identification: name, date of birth, and contact details.
  • Health data: medical history, allergies, and clinical records.
  • Financial data: billing information (credit card data is not stored).
  • Digital data: anonymised website analytics (via cookies).

3. Testimonials and Patient Images

At Winning Smiles Dental Surgery, we believe in transparency and honesty in all communication.
We follow AHPRA and ADA advertising standards to ensure that everything we share is accurate, ethical, and compliant.

Testimonials

We appreciate patient feedback, but to comply with AHPRA regulations, we cannot use or publish testimonials that mention treatment results, clinical outcomes, or practitioner performance.

This means:

  • We do not post, quote, or share any reviews that describe treatment outcomes or results.
  • We may share non-clinical feedback—such as comments about our friendly team, comfortable environment, or efficient service—so long as they don’t mention clinical outcomes.
  • Patients are welcome to post reviews on independent platforms(like Google Reviews), but we do not repost, link to, or interact with these reviews on our own website or social media pages.

This ensures our content remains professional, factual, and in line with AHPRA’s National Law.

Before-and-After Images

We understand that visual examples can help educate patients, but strict AHPRA and ADA guidelines apply.
If before-and-after images are ever used, they will only appear for educational purposes, never for promotional reasons.

To remain fully compliant:

  • We use only images of real Winning Smiles patients with written, informed consent.
  • We never use stock, model, or edited photos to imply outcomes.
  • All photos are taken in consistent lighting, angles, and conditions.
  • Each image will include the disclaimer:
    “Results may vary between individuals. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.”
  • “After” images will not be more prominent than “before” images.
  • All educational visuals will meet AHPRA and ADA standards and never mislead or exaggerate results.

At Winning Smiles, we focus on educating our patients with integrity and transparency.

4. Purpose of Collecting Information

Your information is collected and used to:

  • Manage appointments and provide personalised dental care.
  • Maintain accurate health and billing records.
  • Send reminders and clinic updates (only with your consent).
  • Meet professional, legal, and regulatory obligations.
  • Conduct staff training, internal audits, and de-identified research.

5. Marketing and Opt-Out

We may send newsletters or educational updates only with your explicit permission.
You can opt out at any time by contacting us directly.

6. Storage and Security

We keep your information safe using:

  • Encrypted servers and secure password protection.
  • Firewalls and regular security monitoring.
  • Secure destruction of outdated or inactive records, following legal standards.

7. Disclosure of Information

We only disclose your information:

  • To support your dental care or coordinate treatment with trusted health professionals.
  • When legally required (e.g., subpoenas or court orders).
  • To protect the safety and rights of patients or staff.
  • Under confidentiality agreements during business transitions.

We never sell, rent, or trade personal information to third parties.

8. Your Rights

You have the right to:

  • Access and update your personal and health records.
  • Request corrections to inaccurate information.
  • Withdraw consent for marketing or image use.
  • Lodge privacy concerns with our Privacy Officer or the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

9. Cookies and Analytics

Our website uses cookies and third-party tools (Google Ads, Meta Ads) to help us improve your browsing experience.
These tools do not collect personal information, and you can disable cookies anytime through your browser settings.

10. External Links

Our website may include links to external sites for your convenience.
We are not responsible for their privacy practices or content. Please review their privacy policies before sharing any personal data.

11. Online Professional Conduct

The Winning Smiles team follows AHPRA and ADA guidelines for all online communication.
We maintain professionalism, avoid misleading information, and never use testimonials, before-and-after photos, or unverified claims in any advertising material.

12. Complaints and Breach Handling

If you believe your privacy has been compromised, please contact our Privacy Officer immediately.
Unresolved concerns may be referred to the OAIC or the Dental Board of Australia for further investigation.

13. Policy Updates

We may update this policy as privacy or regulatory requirements evolve.
The most recent version will always be available on our website with the “Last Updated” date clearly displayed.