Publications
Partners
The Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) can inform you of all the practitioner's registrable (not additional) qualifications and whether he/she is a generalist or specialist.
Web pages are usually brief in South Africa due to the HPCSA's insistence that only minimal information can be posted on the web site. Additional qualifications and practices "confined" to certain areas of dentistry can be used on web sites.
Patients Rights Charter
The Patients Rights Charter (PRC) requires that the dentist inform patients of all possible oral health treatment options (including none), the probable results (prognosis), complications and cost of such treatment and the possible consequences of not undergoing treatment. With rights come responsibilities and there is a responsibility on the patient to inquire about fees, payment options and their ability to pay for advanced treatment.
Ideally a pre-treatment written quotation and treatment plan provided by the dentist and accepted by the patient (by placing their signature on the document) is the ideal way of avoiding problems or misunderstandings. The PRC states that every patient has a right to a second opinion. Records taken by the initial practitioner can be requested by the second practitioner but remain the property of the first.
Record-keeping and confidentiality
The Promotion of Access to Information Act requires that a dentist provides copies of any records or x-rays to patients. They must pay for duplication. The origin records must be retained by the dentist for dento-legal reasons. Patients have an absolute right to confidentiality regarding their health status. However, the HPCSA states that patients who do not pay their dental bills can be listed with a bad debt agency provided only health care professionals list with that agency.
Ironically, patients sign away their rights to confidentiality when joining a medical scheme as by joining they allow lay people to have access to their health records and status. If any employee of a medical scheme spreads such information outside the scheme the patient may initiate legal action.
Complaints
Regarding complaints, dentistry in South Africa is in that a Dental Ombudsman, currently Dr Jeff Michelson, can mediate in matters which are not yet before statutory councils or courts. South Africa is the only country with a dental ombudsperson. Dentistry provided the first ombudsman to deal with health care professionals in South Africa.
Initially the practitioner should be contacted so that he/she is aware of the patient's problem. If he/she does not deal with your issue satisfactorily, please contact the ombudsman. If he is unable to assist, the remaining options are to request action from the Medical and Dental Board of the HPCSA or to brief your attorney to take the matter before the courts. The biggest problem in dentistry is not the complexity of procedures, nor the aesthetic solutions but rather a lack of communication between the dentist and patient and visa versa.
- (Health24)
Source: The South African Dental Association
