Privacy policy
Who we are
Allen Dental Care @ St Edward Street Dental Practice is a dental clinic providing NHS and private dental services. We are the data controller responsible for the processing of your personal information.
What personal data we collect
We collect the following types of personal data:
Full name, date of birth, gender
Contact details: address, email, phone number
NHS number and GP contact details
Medical and dental history
Payment and billing information
Emergency contact details
Treatment records, notes, x-rays, and photographs
We may also collect information from third parties such as previous dental providers or GPs if you give consent.
How we collect your data
We collect data:
Directly from you when you register, complete medical history forms, or contact us
During your appointments and treatment planning
When referred by another healthcare provider
When you contact us via phone, email, our website, or social media
Why we process your data (legal basis)
We process your data under the following lawful bases:
Consent: Where you have given explicit consent (e.g. marketing preferences)
Contract: To provide dental care services you have requested
Legal obligation: To comply with UK health regulations and NHS requirements
Vital interests: To protect your life in an emergency
Public task: Where providing NHS care falls under public duty
Legitimate interest: For managing and improving our services and communications
How we use your data
We use your data to:
Provide safe and effective dental care
Maintain accurate clinical records
Arrange appointments and communicate with you
Process payments and handle billing
Send treatment plans, recalls, and important notices
Comply with NHS, CQC, and legal obligations
Manage referrals to and from other healthcare professionals
Marketing communications
We will only contact you for marketing purposes (e.g. promotions or new services) if you have given your explicit consent. You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us or clicking “unsubscribe” in any marketing message.
Sharing your data
We will only share your information when necessary and with appropriate safeguards. This may include:
NHS England and relevant NHS bodies
Referral clinics, hospitals, or specialists
Dental laboratories and suppliers involved in your care
Regulatory bodies such as the Care Quality Commission (CQC)
Software providers who securely host our patient management systems
Debt collection agencies, where applicable and lawful
HMRC or legal authorities if required by law
We never sell or rent your data to third parties.
How we protect your data
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to secure your data, including:
Secure electronic records with encrypted access
Locked physical records
Regular staff training on confidentiality and GDPR compliance
Access limited to authorised personnel only
How long we retain your data
We keep your data for as long as necessary to fulfil legal, clinical, and contractual obligations. For most dental records, this is 11 years after the last treatment or until the patient reaches age 25, whichever is longer.
After the retention period, your data is securely deleted or destroyed.
Your rights under UK GDPR
You have the right to:
Access your personal data
Request correction of inaccurate data
Request erasure of your data in certain circumstances
Object to processing based on legitimate interest
Restrict how we process your data
Withdraw consent (where processing is based on consent)
Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at stedwardstreetdental@gmail.com.
Contact us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact:
Practice Manager
Allen Dental Care @ St Edward Street Dental Practice
47 St. Edward Street, Leek, Staffordshire, ST13 5DN
Email: stedwardstreetdental@gmail.com
Phone: 01538 399288
You also have the right to contact:
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Website: www.ico.org.uk
Phone: 0303 123 1113
