Protecting Patient Health Information & Privacy

It's your right and our duty

Dental offices are committed to protecting your personal and health information that they collect from you, such as: address, phone number, credit card information, insurance information, marital status, dependents, medical and dental history and current health status.  To help you understand how this information may be used, once approved by you, please see the list below:

  • To assess your dental health needs, advise you of treatment options and provide correct dental care
  • To enable us to maintain communication with you for the following purposes:
    • Follow-up for treatment, care and billings
    • Booking and confirmation of appointments
    • Distribution of dental health information
  • To communicate with other treating dentists and healthcare providers, including specialists and/or referring dentists who may be involved in your care
  • To comply with legal and regulatory requirements as stated in The Dental Association Act, which would include:
    • Delivery of patient charts, x-rays, and other materials to the Manitoba Dental Association for the purposes of reviewing patient complaints
    • To prepare materials for peer review as identified in The Dental Association Act
  • To complete and submit dental claims to insurance companies for review and payment under your insurance plans
  • To process payments for dental care and purchases from our office
  • To assist in the collection of outstanding accounts

According to PHIA, each private dental office will have a privacy officer. The privacy officer’s main role is to ensure that all aspects of PHIA and PIPEDA are adhered to within the dental office.  FIPPA applies to governments and public bodies, such as hospitals and universities, not private dental clinics.

The responsibilities of the Privacy Officer are:

  1. Accept, review, investigate and bring to the attention of the dentist owner for a plan of action, any patient inquiries or concerns that relate to the use or handling of their personal or personal health information 
  2. Ensure accuracy of patient information