1. Introduction
Welcome to Dentistry Professional Corporation dba CLOVE DENTAL Family Dentistry (“we,” “our,” or “us”). We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website at https://clovedental.ca/ or use any of our dental services.
Dentistry Professional Corporation dba CLOVE DENTAL Family Dentistry is a professional dental practice offering a comprehensive range of dental services including TMJ disorder treatment, dental appliances, dentures, periodontics, sedation dentistry, root canal treatment, dental implants, cosmetic dentistry, and teeth whitening. As a healthcare provider, we handle your personal and health information with the utmost care and in compliance with applicable privacy legislation, including Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial health privacy laws.
By using our website or services, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this policy.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Personal Information
We may collect the following types of personal information:
- Contact Information: Full name, email address, phone number, and mailing address
- Health Information: Medical and dental history, treatment records, insurance information, and clinical notes as necessary to provide dental care
- Appointment Information: Scheduling details, appointment confirmations, and reminders
- Payment Information: Billing address and payment method details (processed securely through our payment processors; we do not store full card numbers)
- Communications: Messages, feedback, and correspondence you send us through our contact forms or email
- Insurance Details: Dental insurance provider, policy number, and coverage information
2.2 Automatically Collected Information
When you access our website, we may automatically collect:
- Log data (IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs)
- Device identifiers and screen resolution
- Pages visited, time spent on pages, and navigation paths
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 8)
2.3 Third-Party Information
We may receive information about you from third-party sources, including:
- Referring healthcare providers
- Dental insurance companies and benefits administrators
- Analytics providers (e.g., Google Analytics)
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your personal information for the following purposes:
- Providing Dental Services: To schedule appointments, deliver treatment, maintain clinical records, and coordinate your care
- Appointment Management: To send appointment confirmations, reminders, and follow-up communications
- Billing & Insurance: To process payments and submit insurance claims on your behalf
- Communication: To respond to your inquiries and provide updates about our services
- Marketing: To send newsletters or promotional content (only with your consent; you may opt out at any time)
- Website Improvement: To analyze how visitors use our website and improve functionality
- Legal Compliance: To meet our obligations under applicable healthcare, privacy, and tax laws
- Safety & Security: To detect and prevent fraud, unauthorized access, or other harmful activities
4. Legal Basis for Processing
We collect and process your personal information on the following grounds:
- Consent: You have provided explicit consent (e.g., for marketing communications or SMS notifications)
- Contract: Processing is necessary to provide the dental services you have requested
- Legal Obligation: We are required by law to retain certain health and financial records
- Legitimate Interests: For website analytics and business operations, where these do not override your privacy rights
For users in the European Economic Area (EEA), these grounds align with GDPR Article 6. For users in California, see Section 7.2 for CCPA rights.
5. How We Share Your Information
5.1 Service Providers
We may share your information with trusted third-party vendors who assist us in operating our practice and website, including:
- Dental practice management software providers
- Payment processors (who handle transactions under their own PCI-DSS compliant systems)
- Email and SMS communication platforms
- Cloud hosting and IT service providers
- Website analytics providers
All service providers are contractually bound to use your information only on our behalf and to protect it appropriately.
5.2 Referral & Coordinated Care
With your consent, we may share relevant health information with specialists, laboratories, or other healthcare providers involved in your treatment.
5.3 Insurance & Billing
We share necessary information with your dental insurance provider or benefits administrator solely to process claims and obtain payment for services rendered.
5.4 Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information when required by law or to:
- Comply with a court order, subpoena, or regulatory requirement
- Protect the rights, property, or safety of Dentistry Professional Corporation dba CLOVE DENTAL Family Dentistry, our patients, or the public
- Investigate or prevent fraud or illegal activities
5.5 Business Transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of the practice, your information may be transferred to the new owner, who will be bound by this Privacy Policy or an equivalent.
We do not sell your personal information to any third party.
6. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, and as required by applicable law:
- Patient health records: Retained for a minimum of 10 years from the date of last treatment (or as required by provincial dental regulations)
- Financial / billing records: Retained for 7 years for tax and accounting purposes
- Marketing consent records: Retained until you withdraw consent
- Website log data: Retained for up to 12 months
7. Your Privacy Rights
7.1 General Rights (All Patients)
Regardless of your location, you have the right to:
- Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Correction: Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information
- Withdrawal of Consent: Withdraw consent for non-essential processing (e.g., marketing) at any time
- Complaint: Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) at www.priv.gc.ca
7.2 California Residents (CCPA)
California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act, including the right to know what personal information is collected, the right to deletion, and the right to opt out of the sale of personal information. We do not sell personal information. To exercise your rights, contact us at the details in Section 15.
7.3 EEA Residents (GDPR)
Residents of the European Economic Area have rights under the GDPR including the right to erasure, data portability, and the right to object to automated decision-making. You may also lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.
To exercise any of the above rights, please contact us at info@clovedental.ca.
8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience. We use:
- Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function (e.g., session management)
- Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors navigate our site (e.g., Google Analytics)
- Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant content and measure campaign effectiveness (only with your consent)
- Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences
You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.
9. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., dental association resources, insurance portals). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those external sites and encourage you to review their own privacy policies before submitting any personal information.
10. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational safeguards to protect your personal information, including:
- Encryption of data in transit (SSL/TLS) and at rest
- Access controls and staff authentication
- Regular security assessments and software updates
- Staff training on privacy and data protection
- Incident response procedures
While we take every reasonable precaution, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but will notify you of any material breach as required by law.
11. International Data Transfers
Our primary operations are based in Canada. If any of our service providers process data outside Canada, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as contractual data protection clauses, to protect your information in accordance with applicable law.
12. Children’s Privacy
We provide dental care to patients of all ages. For patients under 18, we collect personal information with parental or guardian consent, and parents/guardians may exercise privacy rights on behalf of their children. We do not engage in marketing directed at children.
13. Do Not Track Signals
Some browsers offer a “Do Not Track” (DNT) feature. Currently, there is no universally accepted standard for responding to DNT signals. Our website does not currently alter its data collection practices in response to DNT signals, though you may manage tracking through your cookie settings (Section 8).
14. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. When we make material changes, we will:
- Post the updated policy on our website with a new “Last Updated” date
- Notify you by email or prominent notice on our website where required
Your continued use of our website or services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
15. Not Sharing
No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. Information sharing to subcontractors in support services, such as customer service, is permitted. All other use case categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.
16. Contact Us
For questions, concerns, or to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us:
Clove Dental
Website: https://clovedental.ca/
Email: info@clovedental.ca
Phone: +1 416-221-7468
Address: 1110 Sheppard Ave E Unit # 210, North York, ON M2K 2W2, Canada
We will respond to privacy inquiries within 30 days