Failures in dental care breach Code - 22HDC00620

In a report released today, Deputy Health and Disability Commissioner Deborah James has found a dentist breached the breached the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights (the Code) for inadequate care provided to a patient.

Ms James says in her decision that the care provided by the dentist to the patient fell well below the standard expected of a competent dentist. The dentist did not obtain the patient’s history adequately or conduct an appropriate clinical examination, including taking or reviewing X-ray imaging. Consequently, he failed to identify the correct tooth to be crowned.