Foothills Crossing Dental Centre – Privacy Policy
Effective Date: August 19, 2026 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
1. Purpose
This Privacy Policy explains how the dental practice collects, uses, discloses, stores and protects personal information and personal health information. It also explains patients’ rights regarding their information and how they may contact the practice with questions or concerns.
The practice is committed to protecting patient privacy and handling information in accordance with applicable privacy legislation, professional obligations and ethical standards.
2. Information We Collect
We may collect personal information and personal health information that is reasonably necessary to provide and manage dental services. This may include:
- Name, date of birth, address, telephone number and email address
- Health card, insurance and dental benefit information
- Medical and dental history
- Current medications, allergies and relevant health conditions
- Examination findings, diagnoses, treatment plans and clinical notes
- X-rays, photographs, scans, models and other diagnostic records
- Appointment, billing and payment information
- Information provided by other healthcare providers or referral sources
- Information required to communicate with patients, insurers or authorized representatives
We generally collect information directly from the patient or the patient’s authorized representative. With consent, or where permitted or required by law, we may also collect information from other healthcare providers, insurance companies, dental benefit providers or other relevant sources.
3. How We Use Information
We may use personal information and personal health information for the following purposes:
- Providing, coordinating and managing dental care
- Assessing dental and general health information relevant to treatment
- Developing and documenting treatment plans
- Communicating with patients about appointments, treatment and follow-up care
- Processing payments, invoices and insurance claims
- Verifying insurance or dental benefit coverage
- Coordinating benefits
- Referring patients to specialists or other healthcare providers
- Receiving and reviewing information from other healthcare providers
- Maintaining accurate clinical, administrative and financial records
- Operating, managing and improving the dental practice
- Training and supervising staff, students or service providers where appropriate
- Conducting quality assurance, risk management and patient safety activities
- Preventing, detecting or investigating fraud, errors or other unlawful activity
- Meeting legal, regulatory, professional, accounting and insurance requirements
- Responding to patient requests, complaints or inquiries
- Fulfilling other purposes permitted or required by applicable law
4. Consent
The practice will obtain consent to collect, use or disclose personal information and personal health information unless consent is not required or is otherwise permitted by applicable law.
Consent may be express or implied, depending on the circumstances and applicable legal requirements. For example, a patient’s consent to receive dental care generally includes consent to collect, use and disclose relevant information for the purpose of providing and managing that care.
Patients may withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal, professional, contractual or other restrictions. Withdrawal of consent may affect the practice’s ability to provide certain services, process claims or continue treatment. Requests to withdraw consent should be made in writing where possible.
5. Disclosure for Insurance Claims
Patient personal and health information may be shared with insurance companies and dental benefit providers where reasonably necessary to:
- Verify coverage and eligibility
- Submit and process claims
- Coordinate benefits
- Obtain preauthorization or predetermination
- Respond to claim inquiries
- Confirm treatment details, fees or payment information
- Resolve claim disputes or administrative issues
Information disclosed will be limited to what is reasonably necessary for the applicable insurance or benefits purpose.
6. Referrals to Specialists and Other Healthcare Providers
Where a referral or specialist consultation is required, relevant patient information may be shared with dentists, dental specialists, physicians and other healthcare providers involved in the patient’s care.
This may include:
- Relevant medical and dental history
- Examination findings
- Diagnostic information
- X-rays, photographs, scans and other records
- Treatment information and recommendations
- Medication and allergy information
- Other personal information reasonably necessary for the referral or provision of care
The practice may also receive information from specialists and other healthcare providers to support the patient’s ongoing care.
7. Other Permitted Disclosures
Personal and health information may also be disclosed where reasonably necessary to:
- Provide, coordinate or manage dental care
- Process payments and administer accounts
- Operate and administer the dental practice
- Use service providers who support practice operations
- Maintain, store or securely dispose of records
- Obtain legal, accounting, auditing, insurance or professional advice
- Protect the health, safety or security of patients, staff or others
- Prevent or investigate suspected fraud, abuse or unlawful activity
- Comply with subpoenas, court orders or other legal requirements
- Respond to regulatory, professional or public health authorities
- Meet professional, regulatory or reporting obligations
- Establish, exercise or defend legal claims
Where permitted by law, the practice will limit disclosures to the information reasonably necessary for the applicable purpose.
8. Service Providers
The practice may use third-party service providers to support its operations, including providers of:
- Electronic health record and practice management systems
- Appointment scheduling and communication services
- Payment processing
- Billing and insurance claim submission
- Information technology, hosting and data storage
- Record storage and secure document destruction
- Accounting, legal, auditing and other professional services
Service providers may access personal information only as reasonably necessary to perform their services and are expected to protect the information in accordance with applicable privacy requirements.
9. Electronic Communications
The practice may communicate with patients by telephone, email, text message, online portal or other electronic means where consent has been provided or where otherwise permitted by law.
Electronic communications may carry privacy and security risks. Patients should avoid sending highly sensitive information through unsecured channels unless they understand and accept those risks. Patients may request an alternative method of communication.
10. Safeguards
The practice uses reasonable physical, technical and administrative safeguards to protect personal information and personal health information against loss, theft, unauthorized access, use, disclosure, copying, modification or disposal.
Safeguards may include:
- Restricted access based on job responsibilities
- Staff privacy and confidentiality training
- Password protection and access controls
- Secure electronic systems and network protections
- Physical security measures
- Secure storage and transmission procedures
- Confidentiality obligations for employees and service providers
- Secure destruction of records when permitted
No method of storage or transmission is completely secure. The practice will respond to privacy incidents in accordance with applicable law and professional obligations.
11. Retention and Destruction
The practice retains personal information and personal health information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide care, maintain appropriate records, meet legal and professional obligations, resolve disputes, and support business and insurance requirements.
When information is no longer required, it will be securely destroyed, erased or anonymized in accordance with applicable law and the practice’s record-retention procedures.
12. Access and Correction
Patients may request access to their personal information and personal health information held by the practice, subject to applicable legal exceptions.
Patients may also request correction of information that is inaccurate, incomplete or outdated. The practice may require the request to be made in writing and may request information necessary to verify the patient’s identity.
If access or correction is refused, the practice will provide an explanation where required by law and advise the patient of any available complaint or review process.
13. Privacy Questions and Complaints
Questions, requests or complaints about the practice’s privacy practices should be directed to the practice’s Privacy Officer:
Privacy Officer: Dr. Galina Bogdanova
Telephone: (587) 391-0181
Email: info@foothillscrossingdentalcentre.com
Mailing address: 3711 - 61 Ave SE, T2C 3J4
The practice will review and respond to privacy inquiries and complaints within a reasonable period and in accordance with applicable law.
Patients may also contact the applicable provincial or federal privacy oversight authority if they are not satisfied with the practice’s response or wish to make an external complaint.
14. Changes to This Policy
The practice may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in its practices, services, technology or legal requirements. The current version will be made available to patients upon request and may be posted at the practice or on its website.
15. General Disclosure Principle
Information disclosed by the practice will be limited to what is reasonably necessary for the applicable purpose and handled in accordance with applicable privacy legislation.