Privacy in the oral care practice
For proper oral care treatment, it is necessary to compile a dental record of each patient(s). The file contains notes on his/her dental condition, records of treatments performed, and records of examinations. It also includes data requested elsewhere, such as from his/her physician, with his/her consent. Conversely, data from the record may be provided to other health care providers. This will not happen if he/she explicitly objects. The data can also be used by an observer or for consultation with other oral health professionals.
A limited amount of data from the file is used for financial records. Information from the file will also be provided to others if required by law.
Data security
The practice takes care to ensure that the data is stored securely, that it is not lost and does not fall into unauthorized hands. Only persons directly involved in the treatment will have access to the data. For example, the dental hygienist, assistant or an observer. They have access only to the data in the file that is necessary for their job. These persons are, of course, bound to secrecy.
Retention period
The general data retention period is twenty years. Data may need to be kept for a longer period of time, for example, because it is important for long-term or recurring treatments. The initiative for longer retention can also come from the patient(s).
Right to inspect, copy, correct, supplement, and block
The patient(s) has the right to see his/her data and may request a (photo) copy of the data. If the patient(s) believes that the information in his/her record is substantively incorrect, he/she may request that it be corrected. He/she may also request that a (supplemental) statement about the data issued by oral health care be added to the file. He/she may also, if he/she appreciates the preservation of the data, request that (certain) data be blocked from others. The patient(s) should receive a response as soon as possible, but in any case within four weeks.
Right to removal and destruction
The patient(s) may request that all or part of his/her records be destroyed. This request must be carried out within three months, unless it is plausible that the retention of the data is of significant interest to someone other than the patient(s), because a legal provision prohibits destruction.
Complaints
Each patient(s) has the possibility of submitting a complaint to the Authority for the Protection of Personal Data
