Privacy Policy.

1. Who We Are

This privacy policy is issued by Smiles by Dr. C, a dental clinic operated by Dr. Seema Chawan and Dr. Chirag Chawan, located at Office 312, 3rd Floor, JK Chambers, Sector 17, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, 400703. References to "we", "us", or "our" in this policy refer to Smiles by Dr. C.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information that you provide voluntarily, including:

• Personal details: name, date of birth, gender, contact number, email address, residential address.
• Health information: medical history, dental records, treatment plans, X-rays, photographs, and other clinical data necessary for your dental care.
• Appointment data: dates of visit, services requested, payment history.
• Website interaction data: if you fill in a form on this website, we collect the information you submit. We may also collect non-identifying technical data such as your browser type, device, and pages visited.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

• To provide dental treatment and clinical care.
• To maintain accurate medical and dental records.
• To schedule and confirm appointments, send reminders, and follow up on treatment.
• To process payments and issue invoices.
• To respond to your enquiries submitted via phone, email, WhatsApp, or our website.
• To comply with legal, regulatory, and professional obligations under Indian dental practice law.
• To improve our services through internal review and analysis.

4. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell or rent your personal information. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

• With your consent: for example, when referring you to a specialist or external laboratory.
• With service providers: who help us run our practice, including IT and software providers, payment processors, and appointment management systems. These providers are bound by confidentiality obligations.
• For legal reasons: if required by law, court order, or regulatory authority.

5. Photographs and Case Documentation

Clinical photographs of teeth and intra-oral structures may be taken for treatment planning, record-keeping, and educational purposes. These images do not include facial features that identify a patient. Where we wish to use any image that could identify you, we will request separate written consent before doing so.

6. Data Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. Patient records are stored in secure systems with access restricted to authorised clinical staff. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure.

7. Data Retention

We retain your medical and dental records for the period required under Indian law and professional guidelines. Other personal data is retained only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected.

8. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you.
• Request that inaccurate information be corrected.
• Request deletion of certain information, subject to our legal obligations to retain dental records.
• Withdraw consent for any non-essential use of your information.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below.

9. Cookies and Website Tracking

This website may use basic cookies and similar technologies to improve user experience, measure performance, and run analytics. You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies will not affect your ability to use the core functions of the website.

10. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including social media platforms such as Instagram and YouTube. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies separately.

11. Children's Privacy

We provide dental care to patients of all ages, including children. Where treatment is provided to a minor, we collect information through the parent or legal guardian, who is responsible for consenting on the child's behalf.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The latest version will always be available on this page with the updated "Last updated" date.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your information, please contact us: