1. Introduction

Highland Orthodontics (referred to as “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy and Cookie Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

2. Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following information:

  • Personal Data: This includes your name, email address, contact number, date of birth, and any other information you provide when you contact us or fill out forms on our website.
  • Health Information: We may collect information related to your orthodontic needs and treatments if you fill out any forms or request treatment information online.
  • Usage Data: Information on how you use our website, including your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and time spent on our site.

3. How We Use Your Information

We process your personal data to:

  • Provide orthodontic consultations, treatment options, and general information on orthodontic care.
  • Schedule appointments and manage bookings.
  • Comply with legal obligations, including reporting requirements to the NHS and adhering to GDC standards.
  • Improve our services and website functionality through data analytics.
  • Respond to inquiries and communicate relevant information about your treatment or appointments.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data under the following legal bases:

  • Consent: When you provide explicit consent for specific activities.
  • Performance of Contract: Processing necessary to provide the services you request.
  • Legal Obligation: Compliance with GDC and NHS regulations, as well as data protection laws.
  • Legitimate Interests: To maintain and improve our website, ensuring a positive user experience.

5. Sharing Your Information

Your data may be shared with:

  • Third-party service providers for data analytics and technical support.
  • We do not sell or lease your information to third parties for marketing purposes.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. This includes encryption, access controls, and regular security assessments.

7. Cookies

We use cookies to improve your experience on our website:

  • Essential Cookies: Necessary for the website to function.
  • Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with our site, allowing us to improve functionality and content.

You may disable cookies through your browser settings, but please note that certain website features may not function correctly if cookies are disabled.

8. Marketing and Communication Consent

With your explicit consent, we may use your personal data to provide you with information about our services, events and other updates that may be of interest.

  • Consent for Marketing: We will only send marketing communications (such as promotions or special offers) if you have actively opted in. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us directly.
  • Third-Party Marketing: We do not share your personal data with third parties for their marketing purposes without your explicit consent.
  • Tailored Communication: To ensure that our communications are relevant to you, we may tailor marketing based on your interactions with us, but only where we have your consent to do so.

If you choose not to provide consent for marketing, your decision will not impact your access to our services. We respect your preferences and make it easy to change your communication settings at any time.

9. Your Rights

In compliance with GDPR, you have the following rights:

  • Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  • Rectification: Request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete information.
  • Erasure: Request deletion of your data under certain conditions.
  • Restriction of Processing: Request restriction of how your data is processed.

10. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy or as required by law. This means:

  • Administrative Records: Personal information used for scheduling, billing or other administrative purposes is retained only as long as required for our legitimate business needs or legal obligations.
  • Marketing Data: If you’ve consented to receive marketing communications, we retain your data until you withdraw consent or request deletion.

If you’d like more information about our retention periods, please contact us.

11. Contact Us

For any questions or concerns regarding this policy or to exercise your rights, please contact us at:

Highland Orthodontics
67-69 Kenneth Street, Inverness, IV3 5QF

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01463 718 097

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy and Cookie Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date.