Privacy Policy
Parnell Orthodontics
Effective Date: 20 January 2026
1. Purpose and Scope
This Privacy Policy explains how Parnell Orthodontics Ltd, trading as Parnell Orthodontics, collects, uses, stores, shares, protects, retains and allows access to personal information and health information.
It applies when you use our website, book an appointment, contact us, upload photographs or information throughour website, attend our practice, or receive orthodontic services from us.
2. Who We Are and How to Contact Us
Parnell Orthodontics Ltd is a specialist orthodontic practice in Auckland, New Zealand. Our current contact detailsare:
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Website: www.parnellortho.co.nz
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Email: care@parnellortho.co.nz
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Phone: +64 9 377 2012
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Address: 32 Mahuhu Crescent, Parnell, Auckland Central, 1010, New Zealand
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Privacy contact / Privacy Officer: Privacy Officer, Parnell Orthodontics Ltd
3. New Zealand Privacy and Health Information Obligations
We handle personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020. Because we provide healthcare services, health information is also handled in accordance with the Health Information Privacy Code 2020.
We also take into account Dental Council of New Zealand standards and guidance for patient records and privacy of health information, the Health (Retention of Health Information) Regulations 1996, and the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights.
This Policy does not limit or exclude any rights you may have under New Zealand law.
4. Information We Collect
The information we collect depends on how you interact with us and the services you request. We may collect:
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Identity and contact details, including name, date of birth, address, email address and telephone number.
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Appointment, enquiry and communication details, including online booking details, telephone notes, emails and text-message communications.
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Health information, including dental history, medical history, medicines, allergies, previous treatment, orthodonticconcerns and information relevant to safe orthodontic assessment or treatment.
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Clinical records, including examinations, diagnoses, treatment plans, progress notes, consent records, referrals, correspondence, radiographs, CBCT images where clinically indicated, intraoral scans, impressions, models, clinical photographs, videos and treatment-monitoring information.
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Payment and billing information, including transaction records and account history.
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Information about a parent, guardian or authorised representative where a patient is a child, young person or is otherwise represented by another person.
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Technical website information, including IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, referral source, approximate location data and cookie or analytics information.
5. How We Collect Information
We usually collect information directly from you when you complete a form, make an enquiry, book an appointment, upload photographs or information, communicate with us, or attend our clinic.
We may also collect information from another source where this is authorised by you or permitted by law, including from parents or guardians, referring dentists, other healthcare providers, dental laboratories, treatment-monitoring providers, insurers, payment providers or other persons involved in your care.
Where we collect personal information from a source other than you, we will take reasonable steps to notify you in accordance with New Zealand privacy requirements, unless an exception applies.
6. Why We Use Information
We use personal information and health information for purposes connected with providing safe, effective orthodontic care and operating our practice. These purposes include:
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Verifying your identity and contact details.
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Assessing orthodontic needs and suitability for treatment.
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Providing orthodontic treatment, reviews, monitoring, retainers and related services.
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Communicating with you about appointments, care instructions, treatment progress, consent, fees, payments andrecalls.
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Maintaining accurate patient records and meeting legal, professional, audit and insurance obligations.
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Responding to enquiries, complaints, access requests and correction requests.
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Processing payments, managing accounts and recovering unpaid amounts where lawful and appropriate.
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Improving our services, website, patient experience and internal training systems.
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Sending service updates or marketing communications where lawful and where you have consented or wherethe communication is otherwise permitted.
7. Health Information and Patient Records
Health information is sensitive and is collected in a relationship of clinical trust. We treat it as confidential and only collect information that is reasonably necessary for our professional functions and activities.
Patient records may include radiographic images, photographs, intraoral scans, treatment plans, clinical notes, consent records, correspondence and financial transaction information associated with services provided.
The physical and electronic systems that hold patient records are owned or controlled by the practice, but youhave rights to access and request correction of personal and health information about you, subject to lawful grounds for refusal.
8. Photographs, X-rays, Scans and Online Image Uploads
Orthodontic assessment commonly involves photographs, radiographs, intraoral scans, digital models and other images of the face, teeth and jaws. These may be used for diagnosis, treatment planning, treatment monitoring, communication with you and with other providers involved in your care, record keeping, quality assurance and lawful professional purposes.
If our website allows you to upload photographs or information for a virtual consultation or enquiry, those uploadsmay contain health information. Please upload only images and information requested by us and avoid including unnecessary personal details.
We will not publish identifiable clinical photographs, videos or testimonials for marketing or educational purposefulness we have obtained appropriate consent. Consent to marketing or educational use can be withdrawn for future use by contacting us, although material already lawfully published or printed may not always be fully retractable.
9. Children, Teenagers, Parents and Representatives
We provide orthodontic services for teenagers aged 12 and above and adults. For children and young people, we may collect and use information from, and communicate with, parents, guardians or other authorised representatives where appropriate.
Access to a young person’s health information will be handled in accordance with New Zealand law, clinical judgement, privacy obligations and the young person’s rights and best interests.
10. Disclosure and Sharing of Information
We do not sell personal information. We may disclose personal information or health information only where permitted or required by law and where relevant to the purposes described in this Policy. This may include disclosure to:
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Dentists, GPs, specialists, laboratories, radiology providers and other healthcare providers involved in your care.
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Third-party service providers that support our practice, such as IT providers, website hosts, cloud storage providers, booking systems, payment processors, email or SMS providers, practice-management software providers and secure treatment-monitoring platforms.
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Professional advisers, auditors, insurers, debt recovery providers and legal advisers were reasonably necessary.
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Regulatory authorities, courts, tribunals, the Dental Council of New Zealand, the Health and Disability Commissioner, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, law enforcement or other agencies where required or authorised by law.
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A parent, guardian, representative or support person where authorised or otherwise lawful and appropriate.
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Any other person or organisation you authorise.
11. Overseas Disclosure, Cloud Services and Digital Platforms
Some service providers used by the practice may store, process or access information outside New Zealand. This may include secure cloud hosting, email, booking, treatment-monitoring, imaging, laboratory or practice-management systems.
Where we disclose personal information or health information outside New Zealand, we will take reasonable steps required by New Zealand privacy law to ensure the information is protected by acceptable or comparable privacy safeguards, unless another lawful basis applies.
12. Marketing Communications
We may use your contact details to send information about our services, recalls, educational updates or promotions where you have consented or where permitted by law. We will comply with the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007 for commercial electronic messages.
You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe option where provided or by contacting us. Service, appointment, treatment, account and safety-related communications are not treated as marketing.
13. Cookies, Analytics and Website Technologies
Our website may use cookies, analytics tools and similar technologies to operate the website, understand site traffic, improve user experience, remember preferences and assess marketing performance.
Cookies do not give us access to your computer. You can usually change browser settings to decline or delete cookies. Some website features may not function fully if cookies are disabled.
If we use advertising pixels, marketing tools or analytics services that identify or profile users, this should be clearly configured and disclosed through the website cookie or privacy settings.
14. Security of Information
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information and health information from loss, unauthorised access, misuse, disclosure, alteration and destruction. Measures may include physical security, user permissions, password controls, staff training, confidentiality obligations, secure systems, data backups and appropriate vendor controls.
No internet transmission is completely secure. If you send information to us online, including by email or online upload, you do so acknowledging that internet communications carry some inherent risk.
15. Retention and Disposal
We retain health information and patient records for at least the minimum period required by the 'Retention of Health Information Regulations 1996', currently 10 years from the day after the most recent date on which services were provided to the patient.
Where a patient is a child or young person, or where other legal, insurance, audit, complaint or clinical reasons apply, we may retain records for longer where lawful and appropriate.
When information is no longer required for lawful purposes, we will take reasonable steps to securely destroy, delete or de-identify it.
16. Access and Correction Rights
You may ask us whether we hold personal information about you, request access to that information, or ask us to correct information you believe is inaccurate, incomplete or misleading.
We may need to verify your identity before responding. We will respond within the timeframes required by law and may refuse access only where permitted by law. If we do not make a requested correction, you may ask us to attach a statement of correction to the information.
In most circumstances, agencies should not charge for access or correction. If a charge is lawful and appropriate, we will tell you before proceeding.
17. Privacy Breaches
If we become aware of a privacy breach, we will assess and manage it promptly. If it is reasonable to believe that a privacy breach has caused serious harm, or is likely to cause serious harm, we will notify the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and affected individuals as required by the Privacy Act 2020.
We will also take reasonable steps to contain, investigate and reduce the risk of recurrence.
18. Third-Party Websites and Services
Our website may link to third-party websites or use third-party services. Once you leave our website or use athird-party platform, that third party’s privacy practices may apply. We are not responsible for the privacy practicesor content of external websites.
19. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time by publishing an updated version on our website. The updated version will apply from the effective date shown on the document.
20. Questions, Requests and Complaints
If you have questions, wish to access or correct your information, or want to raise a privacy concern, contact us at:
Email: care@parnellortho.co.nz
Phone: +64 9 377 2012
Website: www.parnellortho.co.nz
You may also contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner in New Zealand if you are not satisfied with our response.