What is dental crowding?

Crowding occurs when there isn’t enough space in the jaw for all the teeth to fit properly, leading to overlapping or crooked teeth. Orthodontic treatment such as braces or aligners can help correct crowding.

What is a deep overbite, Class II Division 2?

A deep overbite, Class II Division 2, is a condition where the upper front teeth excessively overlap the lower teeth, often with upper incisors tilted backwards. Orthodontic treatment can improve both function and appearance.

What is a Class III open bite?

A Class III open bite means the lower teeth are positioned forward compared to the upper teeth, and the front teeth do not meet when the mouth is closed. This can affect chewing and speech and may require orthodontic or surgical correction.

What causes significant horizontal lower jaw prominence and lip profile concavity?

This occurs when the lower jaw is more prominent than the upper jaw, creating an imbalanced facial profile. Orthodontics, sometimes combined with jaw surgery, can help achieve a more harmonious balance.

What is severe crowding with lip strain?

Severe crowding happens when there is not enough space for teeth to align properly. This can cause lip strain as the lips work harder to close over protruding or misaligned teeth. Orthodontic treatment relieves strain and improves alignment.

What is severe upper narrowness and crowding?

This condition occurs when the upper jaw is narrow, leading to insufficient space for teeth and causing misalignment. Expansion and orthodontic treatment are common approaches to correct it.

What is a deep overbite with lack of lower jaw prominence?

This condition involves excessive overlap of the upper teeth and a smaller or recessed lower jaw. Orthodontics, sometimes combined with growth modification or surgery, can help correct the bite and jaw relationship.

What is Class III with a large lower jaw and lack of upper jaw development?

This is a skeletal imbalance where the lower jaw is oversized and the upper jaw underdeveloped, creating a Class III bite. Treatment may include orthodontics and jaw surgery to restore balance.

Privacy Policy

At Michael Woods Orthodontics, we take the privacy of our patients seriously. Whether you are visiting our Armadale practice for the first time or you have been part of our Melbourne community for years, you have a right to know how we handle your personal information, and we want to be completely open about it.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and what your rights are. It applies to all patients, website visitors, and anyone who contacts us by phone, email, or through our website.

Who We Are

Michael Woods Orthodontics is a specialist orthodontic practice located at 549 Dandenong Road, Armadale, VIC 3143. We are led by Professor Michael Woods and Dr Nevenka Tadic, both registered specialist orthodontists with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

We operate under the requirements of the:

Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)
Australian Privacy Principles (APPs)
Health Records Act 2001 (Vic)
Guidelines issued by the Australian Dental Association (ADA)

If you have any questions about this policy, you are welcome to call us on (03) 9509 7496 or visit us at the practice during business hours.

What Information We Collect

We collect personal information that is necessary for providing you with specialist orthodontic care. The type of information we hold includes:

Personal details:

Full name, date of birth, and home address
Phone numbers and email address
Emergency contact details

Health information:

Medical and dental history
Clinical notes, treatment records, and progress photographs
X-rays, study models, and diagnostic records
Referral letters from other health professionals

Administrative information:

Appointment history and billing details
Health fund information
Payment records

For patients under 18, we also collect information from parents or guardians, as appropriate.

How We Collect Your Information

In most cases, we collect information directly from you. This happens when you:

Complete a new patient registration form
Attend a consultation or appointment
Contact us by phone, email, or through the website contact form
Book an appointment online

There are some situations where we may receive your information from a third party. This can include referrals from your general dentist, information from other treating specialists, or records requested with your consent from another practice. We only collect from third parties when it is relevant to your care and when you would reasonably expect us to do so.

Why We Collect and Use Your Information

Your personal and health information is collected and used for the following reasons:

To provide you with safe, appropriate, and personalised orthodontic treatment
To communicate with your referring dentist or other treating health professionals
To send you appointment reminders and follow-up information
To process payments and liaise with your health fund, where applicable
To keep accurate and complete clinical records as required by law
To meet our legal and regulatory obligations under Australian health and privacy law

We will not use your information for purposes that are unrelated to your care without first asking for your consent.

Marketing Communications

From time to time, we may use your contact details to let you know about services at the practice, upcoming events, or general oral health information that may be relevant to you. If you would prefer not to receive these communications, simply let us know in writing or by calling the practice, and we will remove you from our list promptly.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party for marketing purposes.

Who We May Share Your Information With

Your health information is treated with strict confidence. We only share it with other people or organisations in the following circumstances:

Your treating team: All practitioners and relevant staff within Michael Woods Orthodontics may access your records to provide and coordinate your care.
Referring dentists and specialists: We routinely communicate with your general dentist and, where appropriate, with other specialists involved in your care. This may include oral and maxillofacial surgeons, periodontists, and general practitioners.
Health funds: Where you have asked us to process a health fund claim on your behalf, we will share the necessary information with your fund.
Legal or regulatory requirements: We may be required to disclose information to comply with a court order, government request, or legal obligation.
Emergency situations: In circumstances involving a serious threat to the health or safety of a patient or another person, we may disclose relevant information to emergency services or treating clinicians without prior consent.

We do not disclose your information to anyone else without your written consent, unless we are required or permitted to do so by law.

Use of Records for Education and Research

As a practice with strong academic and research ties, we may occasionally wish to use de-identified clinical records, including photographs, X-rays, study models, or clinical case information, for educational lectures, research publications, or practice promotional material.

We will only do this in a way that does not identify you personally. If you have any concern about this, please let us know in writing and we will note your preference in your records.

Overseas Disclosure

Some of the software and technology systems we use to manage bookings, records, or clinical planning may store data on servers located outside Australia. Where this occurs, we take all reasonable steps to ensure those systems comply with privacy standards equivalent to the Australian Privacy Principles. By using our services, you acknowledge that some information may be handled in this way.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

Access the personal information we hold about you. Requests should be made in writing to the practice. An administrative fee may apply for the preparation of records.
Correct any information that is inaccurate, out of date, or incomplete. Simply contact us and we will update your records.
Withdraw consent to receiving marketing communications at any time.
Make a complaint if you believe your privacy has not been handled appropriately.

How to Make a Privacy Complaint

If you have a concern about the way we have handled your personal information, we want to hear from you. Please contact us in writing, addressed to the Practice Manager, at:

Michael Woods Orthodontics 549 Dandenong Road Armadale VIC 3143 Phone: (03) 9509 7496

We will acknowledge your complaint within five business days and aim to resolve the matter within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

Website: www.oaic.gov.au Phone: 1300 363 992

You may also contact the Health Services Commissioner (Victoria) for matters relating to health information.

Website and Cookies

When you visit our website, certain technical information is collected automatically. This may include your IP address, the type of browser you are using, the pages you visit, and the time and duration of your visit. This information is used to improve the performance and usability of our website.

Our website may use cookies. A cookie is a small file placed on your device that helps us recognise returning visitors and understand how our website is being used. You can adjust your browser settings to decline cookies, though this may affect some features of the website.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of any external websites that may be linked from our site.

Updates to This Policy

We review this Privacy Policy regularly and may update it from time to time to reflect changes in the law or our practice operations. The current version will always be available on our website. We encourage you to check back periodically.