October 2017
New Report suggests Alberta Dentists have TWICE the rate of professional misconduct as Ontario dentists and 4X the problem of Alberta Physicians - they are also 7 TIMES more costly to investigate and discipline? Looking at BC dentists, Alberta dentists also have TWICE the discipline rate and higher investigation and discipline costs.
Is this something the new CEO of the ADA&C should be discussing with the council and Health Minister? Is the problem with the dentists or, as many have suspected, with the authority lawyers and others involved in the process?
In better news, after years and years of lobbying we are pleased to announce that in 2018 the CDSPI legal expense coverage will be revised as requested to help cover fees in the event of a loss (instead of just a win, according to the old policy terms which were selected by a council who apparently did not have the general membership in mind). Members are encouraged to apply for the new plan but have a careful review of terms that may still leave the dentist at risk. This DOES NOT CHANGE the fact that the Alberta dental authority stands out as a the most expensive and aggressive health disciplinary system in the country. We have asked the Health Minister to consider the statistics in the report and hope the new CEO of the ADA&C will do the same and make steps to correct this unfair process.
Alberta Dentist Lobby is calling on the Alberta Dental Association & College to make 'radical strategic changes' to address the extremely serious and unacceptable level of dentist discipline applied to the general membership. Only with an outside audit will daylight be shed on the problem of 'over-lawyering'. Then the only question remaining will be how dentists unfairly treated should be compensated?
Feb. 2018 - Some good news, as the ADA&C revised the advertising rules to allow use of photos of actual teeth, use of the term 'FREE' and testimonials in certain areas where they do not control them. Of course more needs to be done and this process is much slower than it needs to be.
- Michael Zuk DDS
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Alberta Dentists' Association Lobby Group
Sensible Solutions
"Dentists want change. Change cannot come from within the ADA&C so we need to use other means. Register for the e-reports learn how you can help make our dental authority and association more effective. The video on the right will make you scratch your heads about the people making disciplinary decisions at the authority."
- Michael Zuk DDS.