Cookie / Privacy Policy

COOKIE POLICY

Dental Circle Limited (“Company”, “Dental Circle”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to complying with the Data Protection Act of Kenya. This Cookie Policy explains in detail how we use cookies and similar technologies on our website (https://www.thedentalcircle.co.ke) and how you can manage your cookie preferences. It is intended to complement our Privacy Policy and ensure transparency about our data practices. We use cookies for a broad range of purposes – including website analytics, website functionality, personalised content, advertising, retargeting, product and service improvement, social media integrations, embedded content, customer support tools, and security/fraud prevention – as described below.

Cookies are small text files that websites place on your device as you browse, which are processed and stored by your web browser. They serve various functions, from enabling site features to remembering user preferences. Cookies set by the Company are called “first-party cookies,” while cookies set by external providers (e.g. Google or Facebook) are “third-party cookies.” In this policy, the term “cookies” also includes similar tracking technologies (such as pixels, web beacons, or local storage). Some cookies collect information that can identify you or your device; under the Kenya Data Protection Act, such cookies and identifiers are considered personal data and are subject to data protection law.

Who are we?

At Dental Circle, we blend evidence-based and multidisciplinary team practices with advanced technology to deliver a comprehensive oral health and wellness experience.

If you would like to get in touch with the Company, please use the following email address – info@thedentalcircle.co.ke.

Please note that the Company may update this cookie policy at any time. Any changes the Company may make to this cookie policy in the future will be posted on this page. Please check back frequently to see any updates or changes made.

This policy applies to https://www.thedentalcircle.co.ke/. You can refuse non-essential cookies or change your choices at any time by clicking the ‘Cookies Policy’ link at the bottom of the homepage on the website. Find out more about how your data is used below:

1. WHAT ARE COOKIES?
   • A cookie is a small text file that is placed on your computer, tablet, smartphone, or other device by websites that you visit. They are generally used to make websites function, or function more efficiently. They can allow you to access information that, perhaps, is limited to you as a registered user, or to remember your preferences, or record what you have put in your shopping basket. They also provide information to those operating a website, for example counting the number of people looking at a website, where they come from, the type of browser/device they use.
   • The Company uses cookies and similar technologies for the purposes listed in paragraph 1 above and to operate the website (account sign-in, cart, checkout, security/fraud prevention), analyse site performance, and personalise content/advertisements and surface relevant offers.
   • By using and browsing this website, you consent to cookies being used in accordance with this policy. If you do not consent, you must turn off cookies or refrain from using the site. You can turn off cookies in most browsers, but doing so may restrict your use of the website and/or delay or affect the way in which it operates.
   • Different browsers provide different means of configuring how cookies are handled. To find out more go to the appropriate web-based guidance page for your browser.
2. Who sets these cookies?
   • Both first-party and third-party cookies are used on the website.
   • First-party cookies are cookies set by the Company and which enable the website to work as you might expect it to. They are also used to give the Company anonymised data about how the website is being used, the browser, the type of device accessing it and where the device is located.
   • Third-party cookies are set by others, but may also enable the Company to learn more about website visitors/customers, allowing the Company to provide a more personalised service, or in connection with advertising.
   • The Company will ask for your permission to place cookies or other similar on your device, except where it is essential for the Company to use them in order to provide you with a service that you have requested or to enable the website to function. Consent to the use of cookies may be withdrawn at any stage, but it is likely to affect your use of the website.
3. Consent:
   • Before cookies are placed on your computer, tablet, smartphone, or other device, you will be shown a prompt requesting your consent to set these cookies. By giving your consent to the placing of cookies you are enabling the Company to provide the best possible user experience and service to you. You may, if you wish, refuse consent to the placing of cookies (unless those cookies are strictly necessary). However certain features of the website may not function fully or as intended. You will be given the opportunity to allow and/or refuse different categories of cookies that the Company uses.
4. Cookies control:
   • Your privacy is important to us, and we want to give you control over your non-essential cookie preferences. In line with Kenya’s Data Protection Act and global best practices, we will not set any cookies on your device that are not strictly necessary unless and until you have given your explicit, informed consent. When you first visit our website, you will be presented with a cookie consent banner. This banner will inform you that we use cookies, describe the categories of cookies, and provide you with options to opt in to non-essential cookies. You will have the ability to either “Accept All” cookies or to choose specific cookie preferences (for example, you might choose to enable only certain categories like analytics but not marketing). We do not use pre-ticked boxes or assume consent – we require a clear affirmative action from you (such as clicking “Accept” or toggling on a cookie category) for consent, as mandated by law. If you decide not to consent, or if you close the banner, we will not set or activate any cookies except the Strictly Necessary ones which are always enabled by default. You will still be able to browse the site even if you decline all optional cookies though some features may be limited, as explained above.
   • Our cookie banner and preference system is implemented manually by our development team, following best practices for clarity and compliance. When the banner first appears, it will contain a brief summary of our cookie use and buttons such as:
     • “Accept All Cookies” – to grant consent for all categories of cookies we use (except strictly necessary, which are always on).
     • “Reject Non-Essential Cookies” – to refuse all cookies except the strictly necessary ones.
     • “Manage Preferences” (or similar) – to open a Cookie Settings modal or page where you can select which categories of cookies you consent to.
   • If you click “Manage Preferences”, a Cookie Preferences Center will appear. In this preferences modal, you will see a list of cookie categories (as described above) each with a brief explanation of what they do. You can toggle each category on or off according to your personal preferences (except Strictly Necessary cookies, which will be listed as “Always Active” or otherwise indicated as not optional). For example, you might see options to enable/disable Analytics Cookies, Advertising Cookies, Functional Cookies, etc., each accompanied by a description of their purpose. Our development team has structured this modal to ensure that no non-essential cookies are activated unless their toggle is turned on. By default, all optional categories will be off until you actively opt in.
   • Once you make your selection and save your preferences (or accept all cookies), your choices will be remembered for future visits. Specifically, our site will store a small cookie or record indicating your consent status (e.g. which categories you have allowed or that you declined all). This way, we won’t bother you with the cookie banner on every visit – we will only re-display it periodically (for instance, if your consent status expires after a certain period, or if we add new cookies that require consent) or if you clear your cookies. Additionally, if you consent to some or all cookies, we will proceed to load and enable those cookies/tools accordingly. If you do not consent, those cookies will remain blocked/disabled.
   • You have the right to change your mind at any time. Our website provides a convenient way for you to review or change your cookie preferences after your initial decision. For example, you might find a “Cookie Settings” link or button in the website footer or in your account settings. By clicking this at any time, you can re-open the Cookie Preferences modal and adjust your selections (e.g. withdraw consent from a category you previously allowed, or vice versa). We make it just as easy to withdraw consent as it is to give consent, in accordance with your rights under the law. Once you update your preferences, our site will honour your new choices immediately – disabling any cookies you have turned off (and deleting them where feasible), and only using the categories you have allowed going forward.
   • It’s important to note that refusing or disabling certain cookies may impact the functionality of our website. For instance, as mentioned, if you disable functional cookies, features like live chat support or video playback might not work. If you disable analytics, we lose some ability to improve our services based on your usage. However, we will never prevent you from using our site if you choose to reject non-essential cookies – you will always have access to our core services (book appointments, read content, etc.) even if you opt out of things like analytics or advertising cookies. We do not employ “cookie walls” that force you to accept cookies in order to use the site; consent is entirely your choice and we provide granularity in what you accept.
   • For transparency and record-keeping, the Company will maintain a record of users’ cookie consent decisions. This means that when you choose an option on our cookie banner, our system logs that consent (for example, in a secure database or by storing a consent confirmation cookie) along with a timestamp. We do this to fulfill our accountability obligations under the Kenya Data Protection Act – i.e., to be able to demonstrate that we obtained your consent for non-essential cookies. We handle these records of consent securely and only for the necessary duration (in line with regulatory requirements). They will not be used for any other purpose.
   • In addition to using our on-site banner and preference center, you have the ability to manage or block cookies through your web browser settings at any time. Most browsers allow you to see what cookies are set on your device and to individually delete them, or to block cookies from specific sites or from all sites. For example, you can typically configure your browser to refuse all third-party cookies, or to notify you when a cookie is being set so you can decide whether to accept it. If you choose, you can also delete cookies after they’ve been set. Please note, however, that if you erase or block cookies at the browser level, certain parts of our site might not function properly (for instance, browser-level blocking of all cookies might log you out of sessions or disable features). For guidance on how to adjust your browser settings for cookies, you can refer to online guides or the help documentation for your specific browser. Common browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge provide detailed instructions on managing cookies. Using browser settings to manage cookies is an alternative to our site’s built-in preference tools, and you are free to use either (or both) methods. Keep in mind that if you block cookies via your browser, our cookie banner may still appear on your first visit (since we wouldn’t have a way to know you’ve blocked them), but your browser’s settings will override any selections on our banner for the categories you’ve blocked.
   • The Company takes protection of your personal data very seriously. The Company will not sell your personal data to third parties without your consent. The Company will only share your personal data with third parties when it is necessary to provide you with a service that you have requested, when the Company is required to do so by law, or where you have authorised the Company to do so.
5. Cookies the Company uses.
   • The Company uses cookies and similar technologies in a number of ways to improve your experience while using the website. These include keeping you signed-in to the website; learning how you use the website; and showing you products, services, content, and advertisements that are relevant to you. The Company also uses cookies and similar technologies to support and optimize the website, including: essential operations (session/authentication, cart and checkout continuity, CSRF and fraud prevention, load balancing, rate-limiting, payment routing); preferences and localisation (language, currency (KES), delivery location, saved addresses, wishlists, recently viewed items, filters); performance and diagnostics (traffic measurement, Core Web Vitals, A/B testing, error tracking, search quality improvement); analytics and attribution (with your consent) (campaign/affiliate/referral attribution, channel ROI); personalisation (with your consent) (recommendations, product ranking, merchandising); advertising (with your consent) (ad delivery/measurement, frequency capping, retargeting); social and integrations (with your consent) (social sign-in/sharing, embedded media, maps, support widgets); security and compliance (bot/abuse detection, consent logging, age-gating where required); customer support (live chat, ticketing); and partner operations (with your consent) (third-party measurement and seller tools).
   • We use the following categories of cookies on our website:
     • Strictly Necessary and Security Cookies – These cookies are essential for the website to function properly and for protecting the security of our services. They enable core functionalities such as page navigation, session management, and access to secure areas (e.g. remembering your session when you log in or keeping your appointment requests intact). They also include cookies used for security and fraud prevention – for example, tools that help distinguish legitimate users from bots or prevent malicious attacks. Without these cookies, the website cannot operate safely or properly, so we do not require your consent to use them.
     • Functional & Customer Support Cookies – These cookies help us provide enhanced features and personalisation, and may be set by us or by third-party services that add functionality to our site. For example, functional cookies may remember your site preferences (like language or location selection) or other choices to improve your experience. If we offer a live chat support tool or similar customer support widget, it may use cookies to remember you and maintain your chat session across pages. Live chat cookies are considered functional rather than strictly necessary, which means we will only use them if you have opted in to functional cookies. Without functional cookies, features like chat support or certain interactive tools might be disabled or require you to re-enter information on each page load. For instance, if you decline these cookies, our chat widget may not appear at all or may not remember your previous messages. These cookies do not collect any information for advertising, but simply make your interactions with our site smoother.
     • Analytics and Performance Cookies – We use these cookies to understand how visitors use our website, so we can improve it. Analytics cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources, analyse which pages are popular, and see how users move around the site. This data is typically aggregated and anonymous. For example, we may use Google Analytics or similar tools to collect information about page load times, pages visited, and any errors encountered, all of which helps us enhance our services. These cookies enable us to carry out statistical analyses on website traffic and user behavior in order to measure and improve our content, performance, and services. We will not set analytics cookies unless you have opted in, as they are not strictly necessary and may involve processing of personal data (such as an anonymized IP address or unique ID)
     • Advertising & Retargeting Cookies – These cookies are used to tailor advertisements and marketing messages to you and are only set if you consent. They may be placed by us or our advertising partners (third parties) to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on our website or across other sites. For instance, we might use the Facebook Pixel or Google Ads cookies to remember that you visited the Company’s website and then later show you a promotional offer for our dental services on Facebook or other websites. Retargeting cookies allow us to “remind” you of our products or services after you leave our site, by showing ads tailored to your interests. The information collected through these cookies may be shared with third-party advertisers or ad networks to personalize the content and ads you see on our website and on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies, you will still see advertisements, but they will be less personalized and potentially less relevant to you (rejecting these cookies will not stop all ads, only targeted ones). These cookies will only be set with your explicit consent.
     • Social Media & Embedded Content Cookies – Our website may integrate content and features from third-party services – for example, social media sharing buttons (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), embedded videos (YouTube), maps (Google Maps), or Instagram feeds. When you interact with these features or when they are loaded, the third-party providers (such as Facebook, Google, or YouTube) may set their own cookies on your device. Social media cookies enable you to share our content with your friends or networks and may track your browser across other sites to build a profile of your interests. Embedded content cookies allow, for example, a YouTube video to play on our site while remembering your preferences and tracking viewing statistics. We do not have direct control over these cookies’ behavior or how long they persist, as they are set by the external providers. Therefore, we will ask for your consent before enabling social media integrations or loading embedded third-party content that uses cookies. If you do not opt in, certain features like embedded videos or social sharing tools may be disabled or not function.
     • Third Party Cookies – As mentioned in the cookie categories above, we utilize some third-party services that may set cookies. While we attempt to list and categorize all cookies in this Policy, the third-party providers (such as analytics or advertising partners, or social media platforms) control the cookies they set. These providers will have their own privacy and cookie policies, which we recommend you review to understand how they handle your data. For example, if we embed a YouTube video, Google/YouTube’s cookies and privacy policy will apply to any data they collect through their cookies; if we use a Facebook “Like” button or pixel, Facebook’s policy applies to the information collected via their cookies. The Company does not share personal data collected through cookies with unaffiliated third parties except as described in this policy or our Privacy Policy – such sharing would typically occur only for the service integrations we use (e.g., sending analytics data to Google, or advertising data to Facebook) and in accordance with your consents. We also want to assure you that cookies do not give us access to any files or information on your device that is not directly related to the cookie’s purpose. For instance, we cannot read personal documents or information outside of what the cookie stores. We only use and allow cookies that have defined purposes as explained above. If you follow links from our website to external sites (for example, a link to an article or a social media page), those sites will have their own cookie and privacy practices for which we cannot be responsible. We encourage you to read the privacy/cookie notices of any external websites you visit.