Panel hearing summary 2013.0143

Decision of the Dental Board of Australia

Performance and Professional Standards Panel

Jurisdiction: Queensland

Date of Hearing: 29 April 2013

Date of Decision: 29 May 2013

Classification of Notification:

Clinical care – inadequate or inappropriate history or examination
Clinical care – inadequate or inappropriate treatment
Health record – inadequate or inaccurate or misleading

Allegations

The dental practitioner faced allegations that they had engaged in unsatisfactory professional performance, in that they:

• incorrectly treated a patient with a crown and not root canal treatment
• failed to properly examine and diagnose the patient consistent with acceptable current practice and
• failed to maintain adequate records.

Finding

The panel found that all of the allegations were proven and that the practitioner had engaged in unsatisfactory professional performance.

The panel found that the dentist had inappropriately relied on x-rays that were 17 months old and had failed to take proper steps to examine and diagnose the patient’s tooth, contrary to acceptable current practice. The dentist had failed to take x-rays and conduct vitality tests before progressing the tooth for a crown, which may have revealed the true nature of the patient’s condition which was an infection. The panel also found that the practitioner’s records were not of a standard reasonably expected of a registered dentist.

Further, based on the answers the practitioner gave during the hearing, the panel found that the practitioner’s understanding of the appropriate use of antibiotics was possbily inadequate.

Determination

The panel cautioned the practitioner and imposed conditions on their registration requiring them to maintain membership with an approved professional association or body for three years and complete further education and training about the appropriate use of antibiotics within six months, at their own cost.

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