Panel hearing summary 2012.0092

Decision of the Dental Board of Australia

Performance and Professional Standards Panel

Jurisdiction: Victoria

Date of hearing and decision: 29 May 2012

Classification of Notification:

National Law Breach – breach of condition/undertaking

Clinical Care – inadequate or inappropriate treatment

Documentation – Health record – inadequate or inaccurate or misleading

Allegations

The patient had previously seen the dentist for treatment and following a procedure for extractions, had to have the teeth surgically removed by another practitioner. The patient also complained about fillings that had to be redone and dentures that required minor adjustments.

The practitioner faced allegations that a treatment plan was insufficiently recorded; that he did not allow the patient to make a fully informed decision about his treatment; that the treatment plan was inappropriate for the presenting clinical situation; and that he did not record the findings of radiographs in the dental records. In addition, the practitioner faced allegations that he performed a tooth extraction in breach of a condition on his registration.

Finding

The Panel found that the allegations were made out and that the practitioner had, by act or omission, engaged in unprofessional conduct and unsatisfactory professional performance.

The Panel found that clinical notes record that in 2009 he performed a sectional removal of a tooth (dentoalveolar surgery) which he was not trained to do. This led the Board to place a condition on his registration restricting him from engaging in such practice. The practitioner breached the condition as he had not completed the required course before engaging again in dentoalveolar surgery.

The Panel further found that a radiograph taken of the patient had not been entered in the dental records. The image had demonstrated significant dental disease which was completely overlooked by the practitioner. The Panel found that the treatment planning was inadequate.

Determination 

The Panel reprimanded the practitioner for failing to comply with the condition on his registration. The Panel required random audits of his patient records to cover his recording of treatment plans for his patients and his appropriate recording of radiographic findings. Further, the practitioner was required to undertake one full day of training in diagnosis and treatment planning by a person appointed by AHPRA. The training was to be conducted at the practitioner’s expense and not count towards the practitioner’s continuing professional development.

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