1. Who This Policy Applies To
This policy applies to Techno-Dent Clinic, based in Sandton, Johannesburg, and to the services we provide to patients in Sandton, Bryanston, Rivonia, Morningside, Fourways and Rosebank. It also applies to communications with our team, including email enquiries, appointment requests, clinical follow-ups and payment guidance.
For purposes of POPIA, Techno-Dent Clinic is the responsible party. Our operator, Astros Marketing (Pty) Ltd, may process information on our instructions where it supports communication, administration or related services. We require any operator to handle information lawfully and to keep it secure.
2. What Personal Information We Collect
We collect only the information needed to manage your care, respond to your request and meet legal and professional duties. This may include identifying details, contact details, appointment history, clinical notes and billing records. In some cases, we may also process information about treatment preferences, sedation suitability or imaging required for diagnosis and planning.
- Name, ID number or date of birth
- Phone number, email address and physical address
- Medical and dental history
- Appointment, treatment and payment records
- Images, scans and other diagnostic records
Where you choose not to provide certain information, we may not be able to book a consultation, complete treatment planning or give appropriate aftercare. We only ask for information that is relevant to your care and practice operations, and we do not request more than is reasonably necessary.
3. Why We Use Your Information
We use personal information to provide dental services, manage bookings, support treatment planning and communicate with you about your care. This includes new patient consults, emergency dentistry, family dentistry, preventive care, cosmetic consulting, implant planning, orthodontic assessments, sedation options, aftercare follow-ups and payment guidance.
- To confirm appointments and send reminders
- To assess treatment options and clinical suitability
- To keep proper patient records and billing records
- To contact you about follow-up care or changes to your appointment
- To comply with tax, health and professional record-keeping duties
We may also use limited information for internal administration, reporting and practice management. If we need to use your information for a new purpose that is not covered here, we will first check that the use is lawful and appropriate.
4. How We Protect Clinical Records and Payment Details
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, unauthorised access and unlawful disclosure. Access is limited to staff members who need the information to do their work, and they are expected to keep patient details confidential.
Where we store records electronically, access controls, user permissions and secure backups are used. Where paper records are kept, they are stored in restricted areas. No method of storage is completely risk free, but we work to reduce the chance of information being misused or exposed, even during load-shedding or equipment failure.
We also use practical controls in the practice, including secure disposal of documents, careful handling of imaging files and staff awareness around privacy. If a security incident affects your information, we will take appropriate steps in line with applicable law.
5. Sharing Information With Other Parties
We only share personal information where it is necessary for your treatment, where the law allows it, or where you have given consent. This may include referrals to other healthcare providers, dental laboratories, insurers or service providers assisting with administration. We do not sell patient information.
In some cases, a third party may need limited information to complete a clinical or administrative task. That third party must only use the information for the agreed purpose and must keep it confidential. If information is sent outside South Africa, we will only do so where the recipient is subject to suitable safeguards.
- Referrals and clinical coordination
- Claims, pre-authorisation or payment administration
- Service providers who support records, communication or IT functions
- Authorities where disclosure is required by law
6. Your Rights Under POPIA
You have rights in relation to the personal information we hold about you. Subject to legal requirements, you may request access to your records, ask us to correct inaccurate information or object to certain processing. You may also withdraw consent where consent is the lawful basis for processing, although this may affect our ability to provide some services.
If you would like to exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details below. We may need to verify your identity before releasing or amending information. This is to protect your privacy and make sure records are given to the correct person.
- Request access to your information
- Ask for correction of inaccurate details
- Object to certain uses of your information
- Request deletion where the law permits
- Lodge a complaint about how your information is handled
7. Contact Details and Policy Updates
If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle personal information, please contact Techno-Dent Clinic at our contact form. You may also write to the practice manager for privacy-related queries. We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, process or practice operations.
Any update will apply from the date it is published or otherwise communicated. Continued use of our services after an update means you have read the revised terms. We recommend that patients review this policy from time to time, especially before sharing new personal or medical information.