Privacy Policy

Effective Date: August 19, 2025

At Dr. Malfair Dental (Dr. Stephen TE Malfair Inc.), we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information in compliance with the British Columbia Personal Information Protection Act (BC PIPA), applicable federal privacy legislation, and recognized healthcare best practices.

By visiting our website or receiving dental care from our clinic, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Definitions

  • Personal Information: Any information about an identifiable individual, including health, contact, and payment information. It does not include business contact information or work product information.
  • Collection: The act of gathering or acquiring personal information by any means.
  • Consent: Your voluntary agreement to the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information. Consent may be express (written or verbal) or implied (based on obvious purposes).

2. Accountability 

Dr. Stephen TE Malfair Inc. is responsible for all personal information in our custody or control. We have appointed a Privacy Officer, currently Natalie, CDA, responsible for implementing and maintaining our privacy program. All employees are trained and accountable for day-to-day compliance with this policy.

3. Purposes of Collection, Use, and Disclosure

We collect, use, and disclose personal information for legitimate healthcare, administrative, and legal purposes, including:

  • Providing safe, effective, and timely dental care.
  • Managing appointments, billing, insurance claims, and payments.
  • Communicating about treatment plans, oral health, and follow-up care.
  • Coordinating with other healthcare providers to ensure continuity of care.
  • Complying with legal, regulatory, and professional obligations.
  • Conducting research or quality improvement initiatives, subject to consent.

Phone Call Monitoring
For quality assurance, training, and service improvement, some phone calls may be monitored or recorded. If so, you will be notified at the start of the call. Information collected through call monitoring will be used solely for staff training, quality assurance, and improving patient services, and will be protected under the same safeguards as all other personal information.

Business and Marketing Performance Analysis
To evaluate marketing initiatives and measure ROI, we may share certain patient information (including contact and appointment type) with authorized marketing consultants under strict confidentiality agreements. This information will only include the details that are necessary to map new patient leads to revenue.

All third-party providers are contractually required to:

  • Use patient information solely for performance analysis and marketing optimization.
  • Maintain strict confidentiality and security safeguards consistent with BC PIPA and Canadian privacy laws.
  • Not use patient information for any other purpose or disclose it to unauthorized parties.

Patients provide express consent for this limited use as part of the intake process, and consent may be withdrawn at any time with reasonable notice.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

Our website contains links to other websites. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of those websites.

4. Consent

  • Personal information is collected, used, or disclosed only with your knowledge and consent, except where required or permitted by law.
  • Express consent is obtained for sensitive personal information, including medical and financial records.
  • Consent may be withdrawn at any time, with reasonable notice, except where prohibited by law or contractual obligations.

5. Limiting Collection, Use, Disclosure, and Retention

  • We limit collection to information necessary for the purposes identified.
  • Personal information is collected by fair and lawful means only.
  • Personal information is retained only as long as necessary for patient care, legal compliance, or regulatory requirements.
  • Clinic Environment Note: Our open-concept treatment area may allow others to overhear conversations. Private consultation space is available upon request.

6. Safeguards

We maintain appropriate safeguards to protect your personal information, including:

  • Physical: Locked filing cabinets, restricted access to treatment areas.
  • Organizational: Employee training, confidentiality agreements, and access on a “need-to-know” basis.
  • Technological: Passwords, firewalls, encrypted backups, and secure disposal of records.

7. Accuracy

We make reasonable efforts to ensure personal information is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. Patients are encouraged to inform us of changes to contact information, medical history, or insurance details.

8. Third-Party Digital Marketing and Analytics

To improve our online services and communications, we may use trusted third-party providers to analyze aggregated or anonymized patient data for digital marketing performance purposes. These providers:

  • Only receive data necessary for analysis.
  • Cannot access personally identifiable health information, except when expressly authorized for performance analysis (see Section 3).
  • Are contractually obligated to maintain confidentiality and comply with BC PIPA and Canadian privacy laws.

9. Video Surveillance

Dr. Stephen TE Malfair Inc. uses video surveillance cameras for the safety and security of patients, staff, and property.

  • Coverage and Purpose: Cameras are located at the front desk, front door, and back door to deter unauthorized entry, prevent theft, ensure workplace safety, monitor equipment, and protect personnel and the clinic.
  • Notification: Signs are posted at all entry points and camera locations.
  • Operation: Non-rotating cameras record digitally 24/7 to a secure hard drive.
  • Access: Only authorized personnel may access surveillance equipment or recordings, which are stored in a secure, locked area.
  • Retention: Footage is retained for a maximum of 60 days, after which it is permanently and securely overwritten.
  • Disclosure: Video may be shared with authorized personnel or law enforcement as warranted or required by law.

10. Access and Correction

You may request access to your personal information and details about its use or disclosure. You have the right to request corrections to ensure your information is accurate and complete. Access may be restricted in limited cases, such as when required by law, involves another individual’s personal information, or may affect your health or safety.

To request access or correction:
Contact our Privacy Officer:
Natalie – CDA
301-1890 Cooper Road, Kelowna, BC
Phone: 250-860-8900 | Email: drmalfair@shaw.ca

You may also contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia:
PO Box 9038, Stn. Prov. Govt., Victoria, BC V8W 9A4
Phone: 250-387-5629 | Email: info@oipc.bc.ca

11. Updates to this Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Updates will be posted on our website with a revised effective date. We encourage patients to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal information.