Privacy and Cookie Policy

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Welcome to AlpineSmiles.ch. Your privacyis important to us and we are committed to protecting your personal data inaccordance with the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (nDSG) and, whereapplicable, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

1. Data Controller

The data controller responsible for your personal data is Alpine Smiles, Via Pico 19, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland. For any questions or concerns regarding this policy, please contact us at smile@alpinesmiles.ch.

2. Data We Collect

2.1 Browsing Data

When you visit our website we automatically collect technical data including your IP address, device and browser type, referring page, and interactions with the website. This data is collected for security and analytical purposes.

2.2 Voluntarily Provided Data

When you use our contact forms or book an appointment we collect your first name, last name, email address, phone number, and the details you provide in your message or appointment request.

2.3 Data Collected via Third-Party Technologies

We use the following tools to collect data for analytics and advertising purposes:

Google Analytics: collects anonymous traffic data and user behaviour to help us improve the website.

Google Tag Manager: manages marketing and analytics tracking tags.

Facebook Conversion API: collects demographic and behavioural data to support personalised advertising campaigns on Meta platforms.

2.4 AI-Assisted Reception

We use an AI-assisted reception service to handle enquiries, appointment requests, and booking changes outside of regular opening hours. When you interact with this service, we collect the information you provide including your name, contact details, and the nature of your enquiry. This data is used solely to respond to your request and to facilitate your booking. It is processed in accordance with the same data protection standards as all other data described in this policy.

3. Purpose of Data Collection

We use your data for the following purposes:

  • To respond to your enquiries and booking requests.
  • To analyse website traffic and improve the user experience.
  • To deliver personalised advertising via Facebook and Meta platforms.
  • To display interactive content such as Google Maps.
  • To comply with our legal obligations under Swiss and EU law.

4. Legal Basis for Data Processing

We process your data on the following legal grounds:

  • Consent: for cookies, marketing communications, and contact forms.
  • Contract performance: to provide the services you request.
  • Legal obligation: where required by applicable law.
  • Legitimate interest: to improve our website, services, and marketing activities, where this does not override your fundamental rights.

5. Data Retention

We retain your data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy. Specific retention periods are as follows:

  • Contact form and enquiry data: retained for 12 months from the date of your enquiry.
  • Appointment and patient-related data: retained for 10 years in accordance with Swiss accounting and medical record obligations.
  • Analytics data: retained according to the default settings of Google Analytics, typically 14 months.
  • Advertising data: retained according to the settings of Facebook Conversion API, typically 180 days.

After the applicable retention period, your data is securely deleted or anonymised.

6. Data Sharing

We may share your data with the following parties:

  • Third-party service providers including Google (Analytics and Tag Manager) and Meta (Facebook Conversion API) solely for the purposes described in this policy.
  • Law enforcement or regulatory authorities where legally required.

We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

7. International Data Transfers

Some of your data may be transferred outside Switzerland or the European Economic Area, including to the United States. We ensure that all such transfers comply with applicable data protection law through appropriate safeguards including standard contractual clauses approved by the Swiss Federal Data Protection Commissioner (FDPIC) and, where applicable, the EU-US Data Privacy Framework.

8. Your Rights

Under the nDSG and GDPR you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

  • The right to access your personal data.
  • The right to correct inaccurate data.
  • The right to request deletion of your data.
  • The right to restrict or object to the processing of your data.
  • The right to data portability.
  • The right to withdraw consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at smile@alpinesmiles.ch. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) at www.edoeb.admin.ch, or with the relevant supervisory authority in your country of residence.

9. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, or disclosure. Access to personal data is restricted to authorised personnel only.

10. Policy Updates

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. Updates will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. For significant changes we will notify you by email or through a prominent notice on the website.

Effective date: July 2026

Cookie Policy

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help the website recognise your device and remember certain information, improving your browsing experience and enabling certain features to function correctly.

2. Types of Cookies We Use

2.1 Essential Cookies

Necessary for the website to function properly. These cookies do not require your consent and cannot be disabled. They are used to maintain your session, remember your language preferences, and ensure the security of the website.

2.2 Performance Cookies

We use Google Analytics to collect anonymous data on how visitors interact with our website. This helps us understand usage patterns and improve the site. These cookies require your consent.

2.3 Functional Cookies

These cookies remember your preferences such as language settings and location for displaying maps. They improve your experience but are not strictly necessary for the website to function.

2.4 Advertising and Profiling Cookies

We use the Facebook Conversion API to deliver personalised advertisements based on your browsing behaviour on our website. These cookies require your consent and can be managed through your cookie preferences.

3. Third-Party Cookies

Some cookies are placed by third-party services we use:

  • Google Maps: for displaying interactive maps.
  • Google Analytics: for anonymous website usage data.
  • Google Tag Manager: for managing marketing and analytics tags.
  • Facebook Conversion API: for tracking and optimising advertising campaigns on Meta platforms.

4. Managing Your Cookie Preferences

You can manage and withdraw your consent to non-essential cookies at any time through our cookie settings tool on this website. You may also manage cookies directly through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect your browsing experience.

  • Google Chrome: Settings, Privacy and Security, Cookies.
  • Mozilla Firefox: Options, Privacy and Security, Cookies and Site Data.
  • Safari: Preferences, Privacy, Manage Website Data.

5. Updates to This Cookie Policy

This Cookie Policy may be updated periodically. We encourage you to check this page regularly. The effective date at the top of this page indicates when it was last revised.

Effective date: July 2026

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