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Committees A number of Committees, as indicated below, are convened to assist the New South Wales Dental Board to carry out its statutory functions. Education and Qualifications Committee
Dr JE Highfield (Convenor) The committee advises the Board on matters regarding qualifications of dentists and dental auxiliaries, research grants, educational matters and other areas such as infection control. The committee considers applications from overseas trained dentists and dental auxiliaries for the granting of temporary registration and limited registration and makes recommendations to the Board. Temporary registration as a dentist may in certain circumstances be granted to an overseas trained dentist for the purpose of enabling that person to carry out educational or research activities that the Board considers to be in the public interest. Limited registration is granted with the concurrence of the Minister to overseas trained dentists who are not entitled to full registration to practice under conditions and under supervision. Overseas trained dental hygienists may undertake the examination, held annually and conducted by the Dental Board to determine their fitness for practice and, if successful, be granted registration as a dental hygienist. OApplications for specialist description are also considered by the committee which makes recommendations to the Board regarding granting of the description. Applications for the granting of specialist description by dentists who have gained qualifications from overseas may be referred to the Australian Dental Council (ADC) for advice regarding the equivalence of their qualification in respect to education and training to qualifications awarded by Australian Universities where the specialist programs have been accredited by the ADC. The object is to protect the public, to ensure that dentists and dental auxiliaries are fit to practise and that specialists are of an appropriate standard. The committee also advises the Board on appropriation of monies from the Education and Research Account which may be made for any public purpose connected with dental education and research. In particular, the committee reviews applications from registered dentists for research grants and makes recommendations to the Board regarding the applications. Last year the Board granted approximately $70,000 in response to research applications. Complaints Committee Dr DG Sykes (Convenor) Finance Committee Dr J Lockwood (Convenor) Representation on Committees/Councils/Boards The Australian Dental Council Representatives from the dental profession, the Universities and the Dental Boards have formed the Council. The functions include the accreditation of undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications of dental care providers from the Australian Dental Schools; to assist in the implementation of the Mutual Recognition legislation and to advise on a variety of matters including dental workforce needs. The Council also conducts examinations for overseas trained dentists and assesses the qualifications of overseas trained specialists for all Dental Boards. The Board was represented on Council by Dr John Highfield. Dental Technicians Registration Board The Dental Technicians Registration Board is the statutory authority created by the Dental Technicians Registration Act to maintain a register of Dental Technicians in New South Wales and administer the Act generally. In accordance with the provisions of Section 6(2)(b) of the Dental Technicians Act, the Board is represented on the Dental Technicians Board by Associate Professor Sybille Lechner. Dental Care Assessment Committee The Dental Care Assessment Committee (DCAC) consists of five members appointed by the Minister for Health. Two of the Committee are registered dentists nominated by the Dental Board, two are registered dentists appointed from a panel of names furnished to the Minister by the Board, and one is to be a person appointed by the Minister to be a representative of consumers. The Committee is independent of the Board and Board
members cannot be a member of the Committee. Current members are appointed
for the period 16 August 2007 to 31 July 2011. The Committee meets each month to consider complaints referred to it by the Board about cost and/or quality of dental treatment. The Committee encourages the dentist and complainant to settle the complaint by consent, often resulting in a refund of fees. Should this conciliatory approach fail after the complaint has been investigated, then the Committee makes a recommendation to the Board, e.g. that a dentist be directed to refund all or part of the fees paid, complaint be dismissed, complaint be sustained (with no refund of fees), dentist attend counseling or undergo skills testing etc. The investigation generally consists of an independent assessment of the disputed treatment by an appropriate person e.g. general practitioner known for expertise in the appropriate field or sometimes a specialist. No legal representation is permitted if the complainant or dentist is required to appear before the Committee (a rare occurrence). Whilst the Committee can obtain any advice it thinks necessary, the advice cannot be used in civil proceedings unless ordered by the Board. It should be noted that the Committee cannot determine a complaint except by consent, in which case a report to the Board is still mandatory. Impaired Registrants’ Panel The Impaired Registrants’ Panel is an innovation of the present Act. It is designed to allow a panel of dental professionals to assess and assist any professional who may have an impairment which prevents them from practising dentistry in a competent manner. The impairment may be self reported or brought to the attention of the Board as a result of a complaint. When impairment has been advised to the Board, an Impaired Registrants’ Panel is formed. The Panel reviews the advice or complaint, firstly identifying the nature of the impairment. If the Panel believes the impairment requires steps to be taken so as to protect the public from treatment that may be compromised by the dental care provider, a meeting will be arranged between the professional involved and the Panel. The aim is to encourage the provider to undergo appropriate steps so the impairment may be resolved and he/she may resume practising in a responsible manner. If the Panel believes that the advised impairment is such that patient care may be compromised, the Panel advises the Board of its findings. It is the aim of the Panel to encourage any impaired health provider to take appropriate steps so that he/she may resume responsible and ethical practice. The Panel does not make the final decision. It reports its recommendations in writing to the Board and the Board then makes a decision based on the Panel’s report.
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