1. About this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how European Ectopic Association collects, uses, stores and protects personal data in connection with:

• the European Dental Awards;

• the website www.europeandentalawards.com;

• user accounts;

• event access passes;

• competition registrations;

• clinical case submissions;

• jury evaluation;

• finalist and winner communications;

• newsletters and marketing communications;

• contact forms and customer support; and

• attendance at European Dental Awards events.

This Policy also explains your rights under Regulation (EU) 2016/679, known as the General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR, and other applicable data-protection legislation.

2. Who is responsible for your personal data?

The data controller is:

Legal name: European Ectopic Association
Legal form: Association
Registered address: București, Sector 1, Strada Bratocea, nr.13, CP 012158
Registration number: 33110298
International tax identification number: RO51253474

E-mail: office@ectopicsociety.com
Telephone: +40745201912
Website: www.europeandentalawards.com

Hereinafter referred to as the “Organizer”, “EDA”, “we”, “us” or “our”.

The Organizer determines why and how personal data is processed in connection with the Website and the European Dental Awards.

For questions about this Privacy Policy or the use of your personal data, you may contact us using the details above.

3. Who does this Policy apply to?

This Privacy Policy applies to personal data relating to:

• Website visitors;

• customers;

• access-pass holders;

• event attendees;

• contestants;

• case leaders;

• team members;

• jurors;

• finalists and winners;

• speakers and partners;

• people contacting the Organizer;

• newsletter subscribers;

• representatives of clinics, companies or other organizations; and

• other individuals involved in the European Dental Awards.

4. What personal data do we collect?

The personal data collected depends on how you interact with us.

4.1 Identification and contact information

We may collect:

• first and last name;

• e-mail address;

• telephone number;

• country and city;

• postal or billing address;

• professional title;

• workplace, clinic or organization;

• professional profile information;

• social-media profile details;

• profile photograph; and

• preferred communication language.

4.2 Account information

When you create an Account, we may collect:

• login e-mail address;

• encrypted password;

• account creation date;

• account activity;

• registered submissions;

• purchased access passes;

• saved information;

• login history; and

• account status.

Passwords are stored in encrypted or hashed form. We do not have access to your original password.

4.3 Order and billing information

When you place an Order, we may collect:

• purchased products or services;

• access-pass type;

• registration package;

• order number;

• order date and status;

• total price and transaction currency;

• billing name and address;

• company name;

• company registration or tax details;

• discount or promotional code;

• invoice information;

• payment status;

• transaction reference; and

• refund or cancellation information.

4.4 Payment information

Online card payments are processed through NETOPIA Payments.

Payment information necessary to authorize and complete the transaction is processed within the payment provider’s secure systems.

We do not intentionally collect or store your complete card number, card security code or other full card credentials. We may receive limited payment information such as:

• payment status;

• transaction reference;

• payment method type;

• transaction date;

• amount paid; and

• information required to identify or reconcile a transaction.

NETOPIA Payments may process personal data in accordance with its own privacy information and legal obligations.

4.5 Access-pass and attendance information

For event registration and admission, we may process:

• attendee name;

• access-pass category;

• ticket or access-pass number;

• QR code;

• order reference;

• accreditation status;

• check-in time;

• invitation or discount-code information;

• access areas and benefits;

• participation status; and

• attendance history.

We may request an identity document at the venue to verify the access pass. Unless legally required, we do not retain a copy of the identity document used for verification.

4.6 Competition registration information

When registering for the competition, we may collect:

• contestant name and contact details;

• professional title and workplace;

• country of practice;

• competition category;

• case title;

• registration package;

• eligibility declarations;

• confirmation of the right to practise;

• case-leader status;

• team-member details;

• declared contributions;

• submission deadlines and status;

• administrative correspondence; and

• information required to verify compliance with the Competition Rules.

We do not normally request professional licence or registration documents during the initial registration process.

However, we may request reasonable evidence where necessary to verify eligibility, investigate a complaint or ensure the integrity of the competition.

4.7 Team-member information

A Case Leader may provide information about other Team Members, including:

• name;

• e-mail address;

• professional role;

• workplace;

• contribution to the case; and

• team status.

Where a Case Leader provides another person’s information, the Case Leader must:

• ensure that the information is accurate;

• have the authority to provide it;

• inform the Team Member that their information will be shared with us; and

• direct the Team Member to this Privacy Policy.

We may contact Team Members to confirm their inclusion, provide Event information or send an access-pass discount code.

4.8 Case-submission information

A competition submission may include:

• case description;

• diagnostic and treatment information;

• clinical documentation;

• photographs;

• radiographs;

• scans;

• videos;

• diagrams;

• treatment stages;

• technical descriptions;

• outcomes;

• supporting documents;

• author declarations;

• case metadata; and

• subsequent clarifications.

The submission may also generate administrative information such as upload dates, file names, submission versions and compliance-review status.

4.9 Patient-related information in clinical cases

Contestants must remove direct patient identifiers from their submissions.

Case files must not contain unnecessary information such as:

• patient names;

• initials where they could enable identification;

• identity numbers;

• contact details;

• addresses;

• medical-record numbers;

• visible identification labels; or

• file metadata that directly identifies a patient.

The submission platform is not intended to collect identifiable patient information.

Where a clinical photograph or other case material remains potentially capable of identifying a patient and is necessary for evaluation, the Contestant is responsible for ensuring that:

• its submission is lawful;

• only necessary information is disclosed;

• the patient has received appropriate information;

• the required written permissions or consents have been obtained; and

• the material may lawfully be used for competition evaluation and any separately authorized publication.

Where identifiable clinical data is processed, it may constitute health-related personal data. Such information will be processed only where an appropriate legal basis and an applicable exception under Article 9 GDPR are available, such as the patient’s explicit consent.

We may remove, restrict or delete material that contains unnecessary patient identifiers.

4.10 Jury and evaluation information

During the evaluation process, we may process:

• allocated cases;

• jury scores;

• comments and professional assessments;

• conflict-of-interest declarations;

• evaluation dates;

• case-ranking information;

• finalist decisions;

• administrative review information; and

• communications relating to the evaluation process.

Where anonymous evaluation is required, jurors will receive case materials without the names of the Contestant, Case Leader, Team Members or clinic, as far as operationally possible.

4.11 Finalist and winner information

If you become a finalist or winner, we may collect or publish:

• name;

• professional title;

• workplace or organization;

• country;

• professional photograph;

• biography;

• finalist or winner status;

• award category;

• selected case information;

• interviews;

• quotes;

• social-media details; and

• photographs or recordings created during the Event.

Where legally required, we will obtain separate consent for optional promotional uses.

4.12 Communications and support

When you contact us, we may process:

• your contact details;

• the content of your message;

• attachments;

• order or registration references;

• complaint information;

• support history; and

• our response and internal follow-up notes.

Telephone calls are not recorded unless you are informed in advance.

4.13 Website and technical information

When you use the Website, we may automatically collect:

• IP address;

• browser type;

• device type;

• operating system;

• approximate location derived from the IP address;

• Website pages viewed;

• access date and time;

• referral source;

• error and security logs;

• cookie identifiers;

• login attempts; and

• information about how the Website is used.

More information about cookies and similar technologies is available in our Cookie Policy and cookie-preference panel.

4.14 Event photography and recordings

European Dental Awards events may be photographed, filmed, livestreamed or otherwise recorded.

The resulting material may include:

• general audience images;

• event-atmosphere footage;

• stage presentations;

• award ceremonies;

• finalist and winner announcements;

• interviews;

• networking activities; and

• partner or speaker appearances.

The legal basis used will depend on the nature and purpose of the recording. General event documentation may be based on our legitimate interests, while specific promotional portraits, interviews or other focused content may require consent or another appropriate legal basis.

Information about recording activities may also be provided at the venue.

5. How do we obtain your personal data?

We may obtain personal data:

• directly from you;

• through the Website;

• when you create an Account;

• when you place an Order;

• when you register or submit a case;

• when you attend the Event;

• from a Case Leader who registers Team Members;

• from the company or organization paying for your registration;

• from event partners or invitation-code providers;

• from payment processors;

• from ticketing or accreditation providers;

• from publicly available professional sources;

• through cookies and similar technologies; or

• through correspondence with us.

Where we receive your information from another person, we will provide or make available the relevant privacy information as required by law.

6. Why do we process your personal data?

6.1 To provide the requested services

We process personal data to:

• create and manage Accounts;

• register and confirm Orders;

• process access-pass purchases;

• provide electronic access passes;

• administer competition registrations;

• receive and manage case submissions;

• manage teams;

• provide access to the submission platform;

• communicate important Event information;

• verify access at the venue; and

• provide customer support.

The legal basis is generally the performance of a contract or taking steps at your request before entering into a contract.

6.2 To process payments and issue invoices

We process transaction and billing information to:

• process and reconcile payments;

• confirm successful transactions;

• issue invoices;

• manage refunds;

• investigate disputed payments; and

• maintain accounting and tax records.

The legal bases are the performance of a contract and compliance with legal obligations.

6.3 To administer the competition

We process submission and professional information to:

• check eligibility;

• review administrative compliance;

• allocate cases to jurors;

• manage anonymous evaluation;

• calculate or record scores;

• determine finalists and winners;

• investigate conflicts or irregularities;

• respond to complaints; and

• maintain the integrity of the competition.

The legal bases may include the performance of the competition contract and our legitimate interests in operating a fair, secure and professionally credible awards programme.

6.4 To announce and promote finalists and winners

We may process finalist and winner information to:

• announce competition results;

• present finalists during the Event;

• publish winner records;

• communicate the results through the Website and social media;

• prepare press and partner communications; and

• preserve the historical record of the European Dental Awards.

Depending on the type of information and use, the legal basis may be the performance of the competition contract, our legitimate interests or consent.

Optional promotional activities that require consent will not be treated as mandatory unless they form an expressly stated part of the competition service.

6.5 To communicate with you

We may send service-related communications concerning:

• payment confirmation;

• invoices;

• account activity;

• access passes;

• registration status;

• submission deadlines;

• requested corrections;

• jury or finalist information;

• Event changes;

• security matters; and

• customer-support requests.

These are operational communications and are not considered marketing.

The legal basis is generally the performance of a contract or our legitimate interest in administering the Event and responding to requests.

6.6 To send marketing communications

With your consent, we may send:

• European Dental Awards announcements;

• future-edition information;

• registration-launch notifications;

• partner or programme updates;

• newsletters;

• promotional campaigns; and

• other relevant communications.

You may withdraw your consent at any time by:

• using the unsubscribe link in an e-mail;

• changing your communication preferences, where available; or

• contacting us at office@ectopicsociety.com.

Withdrawing consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal.

6.7 To protect the Website, Event and users

We may process technical, account and transaction information to:

• prevent fraud;

• detect unauthorized access;

• protect Accounts;

• secure the submission process;

• identify malicious activity;

• prevent access-pass duplication;

• enforce Website and Event rules;

• protect our systems; and

• investigate security incidents.

The legal basis is our legitimate interest in maintaining secure and reliable services and, where applicable, compliance with legal obligations.

6.8 To establish, exercise or defend legal claims

We may retain and use relevant information to:

• resolve contractual disputes;

• investigate complaints;

• respond to chargebacks;

• demonstrate compliance;

• enforce our Terms and Conditions;

• protect intellectual-property rights; and

• establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

The legal basis is our legitimate interest and, where applicable, compliance with legal obligations.

6.9 To comply with the law

We may process or disclose information where necessary to comply with:

• accounting and tax requirements;

• court orders;

• lawful requests from public authorities;

• consumer-protection obligations;

• data-protection obligations;

• anti-fraud requirements; or

• other applicable legal requirements.

The legal basis is compliance with a legal obligation.

6.10 To use cookies and analytics

Cookies that are strictly necessary for the operation, security, checkout and Account functions of the Website may be used without consent where permitted by law.

Analytics, advertising or other non-essential cookies will be used only after the required consent has been obtained.

You may manage your choices through the Website’s cookie-preference panel.

7. Legitimate interests

Where we rely on legitimate interests, these may include:

• operating and improving the European Dental Awards;

• maintaining the integrity of the competition;

• preventing fraud and misuse;

• securing the Website and user Accounts;

• responding to inquiries and complaints;

• documenting the Event;

• protecting our legal rights;

• maintaining limited historical records of finalists and winners; and

• understanding how our services are used.

Before relying on legitimate interests, we consider whether the processing is necessary and whether your rights and interests override our interests.

You may object to processing based on legitimate interests as described in Section 15.

8. Is providing personal data mandatory?

Certain information is required to:

• create an Account;

• place an Order;

• process payment;

• issue an invoice;

• provide an Access Pass;

• register a competition case;

• verify eligibility;

• administer a team submission; or

• communicate essential Event information.

Mandatory fields will generally be marked as such.

Where required information is not provided, we may be unable to:

• complete the Order;

• provide access to the Event;

• issue the requested invoice;

• accept or evaluate a submission; or

• provide the requested service.

Information requested only for marketing or optional promotional activities is voluntary.

9. Who may receive your personal data?

Personal data may be shared only where reasonably necessary with the following recipients.

9.1 Authorized personnel

Information may be accessed by authorized members of the Organizer’s team who need it for:

• Event administration;

• customer service;

• financial administration;

• competition management;

• technical support;

• marketing; or

• legal and compliance matters.

9.2 Payment providers

Payment and transaction information may be shared with NETOPIA Payments, banks, card networks and other entities involved in authorizing and processing the payment.

9.3 Website and technology providers

We may use external providers for:

• website hosting;

• account management;

• database storage;

• e-mail delivery;

• cloud services;

• website maintenance;

• cybersecurity;

• analytics;

• backups; and

• technical support.

These providers may process personal data only to the extent required to provide their services and subject to appropriate contractual obligations.

9.4 Accounting and professional advisers

Information may be shared with:

• accountants;

• auditors;

• lawyers;

• insurers;

• tax advisers; and

• other professional consultants.

9.5 Event providers

We may share necessary attendee information with:

• the Event venue;

• accreditation providers;

• security providers;

• technical suppliers;

• photographers and video teams;

• registration staff;

• catering providers where relevant; and

• other operational Event suppliers.

Only information reasonably necessary for the relevant service will be shared.

9.6 Jurors and competition reviewers

Jurors and reviewers may receive:

• submitted case materials;

• competition category;

• technical case information; and

• information required for evaluation.

Where anonymous evaluation applies, identifying information about contestants, team members and clinics will not be disclosed to the jury, as far as operationally possible.

9.7 Partners and communications providers

Selected finalist or winner information may be shared with partners, media or communication providers where necessary to announce or promote the competition results.

We do not sell personal data to partners or advertisers.

9.8 Public authorities

We may disclose information where required by:

• law;

• a court order;

• a competent public authority;

• a regulatory body; or

• a legally valid request.

10. International transfers

Some service providers may process or store personal data outside Romania or outside the European Economic Area.

Where personal data is transferred outside the European Economic Area, we will use an appropriate legal transfer mechanism where required, such as:

• an adequacy decision adopted by the European Commission;

• Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission;

• contractual and technical safeguards; or

• another lawful transfer mechanism permitted by the GDPR.

You may contact us for additional information about the safeguards applicable to a specific transfer.

11. How long do we retain personal data?

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, security and dispute-resolution requirements.

The following general periods or criteria apply:

Account information

Account information is generally retained while the Account remains active and for up to three years after closure or the user’s last relevant interaction, unless a longer period is required for an Order, submission, legal claim or statutory obligation.

Orders, invoices and payment records

Order, invoice and transaction records are retained for the period required by applicable accounting and tax legislation.

Limited records may be retained longer where necessary to respond to a payment dispute, chargeback, audit or legal claim.

Access-pass and attendance records

Access-pass, accreditation and check-in information may generally be retained for up to three years after the Event, unless a longer period is necessary for a complaint, dispute or legal obligation.

Competition registration and evaluation records

Registration information, jury scores, administrative decisions and competition correspondence may generally be retained for up to three years after the relevant Event.

Limited records of finalists and winners may be retained for longer as part of the official and historical record of the European Dental Awards.

Clinical case files

Non-finalist clinical case files will normally be deleted, anonymized or restricted after the competition and any applicable review period, generally within 12 months after the Event, unless:

• a complaint or investigation is ongoing;

• longer retention is required by law;

• the Contestant has agreed to longer use;

• the case is selected as a finalist or winner; or

• retention is otherwise necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

Finalist and winner materials may be retained for a longer period for Event documentation, award records and authorized communication purposes.

Customer-support communications

Support requests and complaints may generally be retained for up to three years after resolution, unless a longer period is necessary for legal or contractual reasons.

Marketing information

Marketing information is retained until you withdraw your consent, unsubscribe or the information is no longer reasonably required.

We may retain a minimal record of your opt-out request to ensure that no further marketing is sent contrary to your preference.

Website security logs

Technical and security logs will generally be retained for no longer than 12 months, unless a security incident requires longer investigation.

Photographs and video recordings

Event media may be retained for as long as it remains relevant for legitimate Event documentation, historical archiving or communication purposes.

Consent-based materials will be handled in accordance with the consent provided and your right to withdraw consent, without affecting uses that were lawful before withdrawal or materials already incorporated into printed or completed publications.

When the applicable retention period ends, personal data will be deleted, anonymized or securely archived where continued retention is legally permitted.

12. How do we protect your personal data?

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures designed to protect personal data against:

• unauthorized access;

• accidental loss;

• unlawful disclosure;

• alteration;

• destruction;

• misuse; and

• unauthorized copying.

These measures may include:

• encrypted website connections using HTTPS;

• access controls;

• role-based permissions;

• password protection;

• software updates;

• backups;

• secure payment processing;

• activity monitoring;

• confidentiality obligations;

• restricted jury access; and

• administrative and technical security procedures.

No online system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your Account credentials and for informing us promptly if you suspect unauthorized Account access.

13. Children’s data

The Website, competition and Event registration services are intended for adults and dental professionals.

We do not knowingly collect personal data from persons under the age of 18 through registration or checkout services.

Where we become aware that personal data relating to a child has been submitted without an appropriate legal basis, we will take reasonable steps to delete or restrict it.

This does not prevent incidental images of children from being processed where they lawfully appear in submitted clinical cases and all required permissions have been obtained. Any such material must be limited to what is strictly necessary.

14. Automated decision-making

The Organizer does not make decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal effects or similarly significant effects for contestants or attendees.

Competition rankings and finalist selections are based on jury assessments and the competition procedure rather than solely automated decision-making.

Automated tools may be used for administrative functions such as:

• calculating totals;

• checking whether required fields are completed;

• identifying duplicate activity;

• sending notifications; or

• supporting fraud and security checks.

Payment providers may carry out their own automated security or anti-fraud checks under their respective policies.

15. Your data-protection rights

Subject to the conditions and limitations provided by law, you may exercise the following rights.

15.1 Right of access

You may request confirmation of whether we process your personal data and obtain a copy of the relevant information.

15.2 Right to rectification

You may request correction of inaccurate information and completion of incomplete information.

Certain information may also be updated through your Account.

15.3 Right to erasure

You may request deletion of your personal data where the legal conditions are met.

This right does not apply where the information must be retained for reasons such as:

• compliance with a legal obligation;

• establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims;

• completion of an existing contract; or

• another lawful purpose permitted by the GDPR.

15.4 Right to restriction

You may request that the use of your personal data be temporarily restricted in circumstances provided by law.

15.5 Right to data portability

Where processing is based on consent or a contract and is carried out by automated means, you may request certain personal data in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format.

Where technically feasible, you may request that it be transferred directly to another controller.

15.6 Right to object

You may object to processing based on our legitimate interests.

We will stop the relevant processing unless we demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds that override your rights or the processing is required for legal claims.

You may object to direct marketing at any time. Once you object, we will stop using your personal data for that purpose.

15.7 Right to withdraw consent

Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.

Withdrawal does not affect processing that was lawful before consent was withdrawn.

15.8 Rights relating to automated decisions

You have the right not to be subject to certain decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects, subject to the exceptions provided by law.

15.9 Right to lodge a complaint

You may lodge a complaint with the competent data-protection supervisory authority.

In Romania, the supervisory authority is:

National Supervisory Authority for Personal Data Processing
Autoritatea Națională de Supraveghere a Prelucrării Datelor cu Caracter Personal — ANSPDCP

You may also contact the supervisory authority in the EU or EEA country where you live, work or believe that an infringement has occurred.

16. How to exercise your rights

Requests may be sent to:

E-mail: office@ectopicsociety.com
Postal address: București, Sector 1, Strada Bratocea, nr.13, CP 012158

Please include sufficient information to allow us to identify:

• who you are;

• the personal data or processing concerned; and

• the right you wish to exercise.

We may request additional information where reasonably necessary to verify your identity and prevent unauthorized disclosure.

We will normally respond within one month of receiving a valid request. This period may be extended where permitted by law, considering the complexity and number of requests. If an extension is necessary, we will inform you.

Rights requests are generally free of charge. Where a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, particularly because it is repetitive, we may charge a reasonable administrative fee or refuse the request where permitted by law.

17. Marketing preferences

Marketing communications are separate from essential Order, Account, competition and Event messages.

You may stop receiving marketing communications by:

• selecting the unsubscribe link in an e-mail;

• updating your preferences in your Account, where available; or

• contacting office@ectopicsociety.com.

After unsubscribing, you may continue to receive necessary communications regarding an active Order, Access Pass, submission, Account or Event participation.

18. External links

The Website may contain links to websites operated by venues, partners, payment providers, social-media platforms or other third parties.

We do not control the privacy practices of independent third-party websites. You should review the privacy information provided by the relevant third party before submitting personal data.

19. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect:

• changes to our services;

• new Website functions;

• changes to service providers;

• legal or regulatory developments;

• security requirements; or

• changes to how personal data is processed.

The revised version will be published on the Website with an updated revision date.

Where a change materially affects how previously collected personal data is used, we will provide additional notice or request consent where required.

20. Contact us

For questions, requests or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy or the processing of personal data, please contact:

Legal name: European Ectopic Association
Legal form: Association
Registered address: București, Sector 1, Strada Bratocea, nr.13, CP 012158
Registration number: 33110298
International tax identification number: RO51253474

E-mail: office@ectopicsociety.com
Telephone: +40745201912
Website: www.europeandentalawards.com