At Smilesdotcom Dental Clinic, we are committed to protecting your privacy and safeguarding your personal and health information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect your data when you visit our website (smilesdotcom.com), book appointments, or interact with our services in Lagos, Nigeria. By using our website or services, you agree to the practices described below.
1. Information We Collect
We collect information to provide quality dental care and improve your experience. The types of information include:
- Personal Information:
- Name, phone number, email address, and physical address when you book appointments, fill out contact forms, or register as a patient.
- Date of birth and gender to personalize your dental records.
- Emergency contact details for your safety during treatments.
- Health Information:
- Medical history, dental conditions (e.g., toothache details), treatment plans, and appointment notes shared during consultations or via forms.
- Insurance details (if applicable) to process payments.
- Website Usage Information:
- Non-personal data like IP addresses, browser type, and pages visited, collected via cookies or tools like Google Analytics to improve our site.
- Interaction with ads (e.g., clicks on our Google Ads campaigns) to measure marketing effectiveness.
- Voluntarily Provided Information:
- Feedback, reviews, or inquiries sent via email or our website’s contact form.
2. How We Collect Information
We collect data in the following ways:
Directly from You: When you submit forms online, call to book appointments, or provide details during visits to our clinic in Lagos.
Automatically: Through cookies and analytics tools when you browse smilesdotcom.com. Cookies help us understand site usage (e.g., which pages are popular).
- From Third Parties: Limited to trusted partners like Google Ads/Analytics for campaign data or insurance providers for billing, with your consent.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your information to deliver excellent dental care and enhance our services, including:
- Scheduling and confirming appointments (e.g., reminders for toothache treatments).
- Creating and maintaining accurate patient records for personalized care.
- Processing payments or insurance claims securely.
- Communicating with you via email, SMS, or calls about appointments, promotions (e.g., dental checkup offers), or updates, with your consent.
- Improving our website and marketing (e.g., analyzing Google Ads performance to reach more Lagos patients).
- Complying with legal obligations, such as reporting to health authorities under Nigerian law.
- Ensuring clinic safety (e.g., using emergency contacts if needed).
4. How We Share Your Information
We prioritize your privacy and only share data when necessary:
- Within Our Clinic: With our dental staff (e.g., dentists, receptionists) to coordinate your care, bound by confidentiality agreements.
- Service Providers: With trusted partners who help us operate:
- Google Analytics for website insights (anonymized data only).
- Google Ads for targeted campaigns (e.g., toothache relief ads in Lagos).
- Appointment booking platforms or IT services, all NDPR-compliant.
- Legal Requirements: If required by Nigerian law, courts, or health regulators (e.g., Nigeria Centre for Disease Control), we may share data to comply.
- With Your Consent: For referrals to specialists or sharing records with insurers, only if you approve.
We do not sell, rent, or share your personal or health information for marketing by unrelated third parties.
5. How We Protect Your Information
We take robust measures to secure your data:
- Technical Safeguards: Encrypted online forms, secure servers, and password-protected patient records to prevent unauthorized access.
- Physical Safeguards: Locked filing cabinets and restricted access to health records at our Lagos clinic.
- Policies: Staff training on NDPR compliance and patient confidentiality.
- Website Security: SSL encryption (https://) on smilesdotcom.com and regular security updates to block cyber threats.
Despite our efforts, no system is 100% secure. We’ll notify you promptly if a data breach occurs, per NDPR rules.
6. Your Rights Under NDPR
As a patient in Nigeria, you have rights over your data:
- Access: Request a copy of your personal or health information we hold.
- Correction: Ask us to fix inaccurate data (e.g., wrong phone number).
- Deletion: Request removal of your data when no longer needed, unless we’re legally required to keep it (e.g., medical records for 5 years).
- Objection: Opt out of marketing emails or SMS (e.g., promotional offers).
- Consent Withdrawal: Revoke consent for non-essential data use, though this may limit services (e.g., no appointment reminders).
To exercise these rights, contact us at info@smilesdotcom.com or call:+234 906 663 6388. We’ll respond within 30 days, as required by NDPR.
7. Cookies and Tracking
Our website uses cookies to enhance functionality:
- Essential Cookies: Enable booking forms and site navigation.
- Analytics Cookies: Track site usage (e.g., Google Analytics) to improve content, collecting anonymized data like page views.
- Advertising Cookies: Support Google Ads campaigns (e.g., toothache ads), tracking clicks to optimize reach in Lagos.
You can manage cookies via your browser settings or our website’s cookie banner. Disabling cookies may affect site features (e.g., form submissions).
8. Data Retention
We keep your information only as long as needed:
- Patient Records: Retained for 5 years after your last visit, per Nigerian health regulations, then securely deleted.
- Website Data: Contact form data kept for 1 year unless you become a patient; analytics data anonymized after 26 months (Google Analytics default).
- Marketing Opt-Ins: Kept until you unsubscribe, then removed within 30 days.
9. International Data Transfers
If you’re outside Nigeria (e.g., booking from abroad), your data may be processed on servers in other countries (e.g., Google’s US servers for ads). We ensure partners comply with NDPR-equivalent standards (e.g., GDPR for EU residents) to protect your privacy.
10. Third-Party Links
Our website may link to external sites (e.g., Google Business Profile for Smilesdotcom). We’re not responsible for their privacy practices. Please review their policies before sharing data.
11. Children’s Privacy
Our services are for adults (18+). We don’t knowingly collect data from children under 16 without parental consent, per NDPR. If you’re a parent and believe we have your child’s data, contact us to remove it.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy to reflect legal or operational changes (e.g., new NDPR rules). Updates will be posted on smilesdotcom.com with the “Last Updated” date. Significant changes (e.g., new data uses) will be notified via email or site pop-up.
13. Contact Us
For questions, complaints, or to exercise your rights, reach out:
- Email: info@smilesdotcom.com
- Phone: +234 906 663 6388
- Address: Smilesdotcom Dental Clinic, 29 Prince Adelowo Adedejji Street, off Admiralty way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
- NDPR Complaints: You may also contact the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) at dpo@nitda.gov.ng.
We’re here to keep your smile and your data safe!