About This Privacy Policy
Effective date: 19 April 2026
Last reviewed: 19 April 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how Southwest Endodontic Centre
(ABN to be confirmed) collects, holds, uses and discloses personal and
health information. It applies to our Liverpool practice at Shop 1/420
Macquarie Street, Liverpool NSW 2170, and to the website at
swendo.com.au.
If you have any questions about this policy, please contact us at
info@swendo.com.au or call
(02) 9129 8806.
What Information We Collect
We collect the following categories of information:
- Patient personal information: name, date of birth, home address, phone number, email address, emergency contact, Medicare and private health fund details (if provided).
- Health information: dental and medical history, current medications, allergies, clinical findings, referring dentist notes, X-rays, CBCT scans and other imaging you or your dentist upload or provide.
- Referring dentist information: practitioner name, provider number, practice name and address, email and phone contact.
- Website analytics data: anonymised information collected by Google Analytics including IP address, device and browser type, referring URL, pages visited, and time on site.
- Contact form and enquiry data: information you provide when contacting us by email, web form, or phone.
We only collect information that is reasonably necessary for our functions
and activities as a specialist endodontic practice. Health information is
collected only with your consent.
How We Collect Information
Information is collected in the following ways:
- Via our online referral form — submissions are processed by Web3Forms, a third-party form handler, and delivered to us by email.
- Via our contact form, email and telephone enquiries.
- Directly from you during clinical consultation and treatment.
- From your referring dentist or other healthcare providers involved in your care.
- Automatically via Google Analytics when you visit our website (see Cookies section below).
Why We Collect Information
We collect, hold and use your information to:
- Provide specialist endodontic assessment and treatment to you.
- Communicate with your referring dentist and other treating practitioners.
- Issue invoices, process payments, and manage HICAPS and private health fund claims.
- Comply with our obligations under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (AHPRA), Medicare, and Australian dental records retention requirements.
- Improve the quality and safety of our services, including clinical audit and continuing professional development.
- Meet other legal, regulatory, or professional obligations.
How We Store and Protect Information
We take reasonable steps to protect your information from misuse, loss,
unauthorised access, modification or disclosure:
- Electronic records — stored in password-protected, industry-standard dental practice management software, with access limited to authorised personnel.
- Physical records — stored in locked premises at the practice.
- Website data — transmitted via HTTPS (TLS) encryption.
- Third-party processors — where we use external providers (Web3Forms for form submissions, Google Analytics for website metrics, email and secure messaging platforms for dentist communications), we select providers with appropriate security standards and data protection practices.
- Staff training — all clinicians and reception staff are trained in patient confidentiality and the Australian Privacy Principles.
Who We Share Information With
We disclose your information only as follows:
- Your referring dentist — a consultation report is sent electronically on the day of your appointment, with further reports following treatment.
- Other healthcare providers involved in your care, with your consent (for example, your general dentist, physician, or other specialists).
- Medicare, private health insurers and HICAPS — for processing claims and rebates, with your consent.
- Legal and regulatory bodies — where required by law, court order, subpoena, or by AHPRA in the course of regulatory obligations.
- Our sister practice, Wollongong Endodontics, where your care spans both locations and with your consent.
We do not sell your personal or health information to any third
party under any circumstances. We do not share your information
for advertising or marketing purposes.
Your Rights Under the Australian Privacy Principles
You have the following rights regarding the information we hold about you:
- Right to access — you may request a copy of the personal and health information we hold about you.
- Right to correct — you may ask us to correct any information that is inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete or misleading.
- Right to make a complaint — see the Complaints section below.
- Right to anonymity or pseudonymity — where lawful and practicable. Note that clinical treatment generally requires identified patient records.
To exercise any of these rights, email
info@swendo.com.au with your
request. We will respond within a reasonable time (typically within 30
days). We may ask you to verify your identity before releasing or
amending records.
Cookies and Website Analytics
Our website uses Google Analytics to measure website
performance and understand how visitors use the site. Google Analytics
places cookies on your device and collects anonymised usage data.
You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking at any time by:
We do not use behavioural advertising, retargeting pixels, or third-party
advertising trackers on this website.
Data Retention
We retain your information for the following periods:
- Clinical and health records — retained in line with our obligations under the relevant Australian health records legislation: a minimum of 7 years from the date of last treatment for adult patients, and until the patient turns 25 for minors.
- Referral form submissions and enquiries — retained for 7 years where they relate to patient care, or for a shorter period where they relate to general enquiries.
- Website analytics data — retained per the default Google Analytics setting (currently 26 months).
Once retention periods expire, information is securely destroyed or
de-identified.
Complaints
If you have a privacy concern or complaint, please contact us first so we
can try to resolve the matter promptly:
- Email: info@swendo.com.au with "Privacy Complaint" in the subject line.
- Phone: (02) 9129 8806.
- Post: Privacy Officer, Southwest Endodontic Centre, Shop 1/420 Macquarie Street, Liverpool NSW 2170.
We will acknowledge your complaint within 7 days and aim to resolve it
within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may
escalate the complaint to the Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner (OAIC) at
oaic.gov.au.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in
our practices, technology, legal obligations, or other factors. The
Last reviewed date at the top of this page will be
updated when the policy changes. Significant changes will be communicated
via a notice on our website.
You should review this page periodically. Continued use of our services or
website after any change indicates your acceptance of the updated policy.
