Privacy Policy

SmileCompare ("SmileCompare", "we", "our", "us") operates a dental practice directory platform connecting patients with dental practices in the United Kingdom. Our registered address and data controller contact details are available upon request.

From Patients: Name, email address, phone number, appointment preferences, and any messages submitted via booking forms.

From Dental Practices: Practice name, address, contact details, owner email, profile images, pricing, and subscription information.

Automatically: IP addresses, browser type, pages visited, session duration, and cookies (see Cookie Policy below).

We use your personal data to:

• Facilitate appointment booking requests between patients and practices
• Manage practice profiles and subscriptions
• Send transactional emails (confirmations, reminders, alerts)
• Improve platform functionality and user experience
• Comply with legal obligations under UK GDPR

We process your data under the following lawful bases:

• Contract: To fulfil booking requests and subscription agreements
• Legitimate interests: To improve our platform and prevent fraud
• Consent: For marketing communications and non-essential cookies
• Legal obligation: To comply with UK law

We do not sell your personal data. We may share data with:

• Dental practices (booking details shared to facilitate appointments)
• Payment processors (Stripe) for subscription billing
• Infrastructure providers operating under data processing agreements
• Regulatory authorities where required by law

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary. Booking requests are retained for 2 years. Practice data is retained for the duration of the account plus 1 year. You may request deletion at any time.

You have the right to:

• Access a copy of your personal data
• Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data
• Erase your data ("right to be forgotten")
• Restrict processing of your data
• Data portability – receive your data in a structured format
• Object to processing based on legitimate interests

To exercise these rights, use our Data Request Form.

We use essential cookies for platform functionality and optional analytics cookies to understand how our platform is used. You can manage preferences via our cookie banner or browser settings.

We implement industry-standard security measures including encryption in transit (TLS), access controls, and regular security reviews. No internet transmission is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

For privacy-related enquiries, contact us via our Data Request Form. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.