Privacy Policy

Tri-Town Dental ("Tri-Town Dental," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of the personal and health information entrusted to us by our patients and website visitors. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information.

We handle personal information in accordance with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Alberta's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), and, for health information, Alberta's Health Information Act (HIA).

1. Information We Collect

Depending on your relationship with us, we may collect:

• Personal identifiers — name, date of birth, address, phone number, and email address.
• Health information — dental and medical history, treatment records, X-rays and diagnostic images, clinical notes, medications, and information relevant to your care.
• Insurance and billing information — dental benefit plan details, coverage information, and payment records (including CDCP and NIHB information where applicable).
• Website information — details you submit through our contact or booking forms, and technical data such as IP address, browser type, and pages visited, collected through cookies and analytics tools.

2. How We Collect Information

We collect information directly from you when you:

• Book or attend an appointment;
• Complete forms in our office or on our website;
• Contact us by phone, email, or through our online booking system;
• Provide dental or medical records from a previous provider.

With your consent, we may also collect information from third parties such as previous dental offices, physicians, or your insurance provider, where relevant to your care or coverage.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide dental care, diagnosis, and treatment planning;
• Communicate with you about appointments, recalls, and treatment;
• Process insurance claims and payments;
• Maintain accurate patient records as required by professional and legal obligations;
• Respond to your inquiries and improve our services;
• Meet legal, regulatory, and professional requirements.

4. Consent

We collect, use, and disclose your personal and health information with your consent, which may be express or implied depending on the sensitivity of the information and the circumstances. By providing information to us, you consent to the practices described in this policy. You may withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal or professional limitations and reasonable notice; withdrawing consent may affect our ability to provide certain services.

5. Disclosure of Information

We may disclose your information:

• To other healthcare providers involved in your care (for example, referrals to specialists);
• To your insurance provider to process claims, with your authorization;
• To service providers who support our operations (such as billing, IT, and appointment systems), under confidentiality obligations;
• Where required or permitted by law, or by a regulatory body such as the College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta.

We do not sell your personal information.

6. Safeguards

We protect your information using physical, administrative, and technical safeguards appropriate to its sensitivity. These include restricted access to records, secure storage, confidentiality obligations for our staff, and reasonable security measures for electronic information. While we take reasonable steps to protect your information, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure.

7. Retention

We retain patient records for the period required by Alberta's health legislation and the record-keeping standards of the College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta. When information is no longer required, it is securely destroyed or de-identified.

8. Accessing and Correcting Your Information

You have the right to request access to the personal and health information we hold about you, and to request corrections if it is inaccurate or incomplete. To make a request, please contact us using the details below. We will respond within the timeframes required by applicable law. In limited circumstances, access may be restricted as permitted by law.

9. Website, Cookies, and Third-Party Tools

Our website may use cookies and analytics tools (such as Google Analytics) to understand how visitors use the site and to improve it. Our online booking is provided through third-party platforms that process your information according to their own privacy practices. You can control cookies through your browser settings.

10. Links to Other Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The revised version will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date.

12. Contact Us / Privacy Officer

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding your privacy or this policy, please contact our Privacy Officer:

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta, or the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.