Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 17, 1993 TAG: 9309170034
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-14 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
The inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services urged that states strengthen their dental boards and give them more resources to investigate problems in the profession.
Rep. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who asked for the report, said that with a few exceptions, "these dental boards seem to be sitting on their hands and doing very little."
The inspector general said that just 29 of the 48 boards that responded to a survey had laws requiring third-party reports on dentists' violations.
Just 23 of the boards had requested information from a clearinghouse on disciplinary actions kept by the American Association of Dental Examiners, and only 19 had made inquiries at the National Practitioner Data Bank, it said.
"They aren't even willing to use the tools easily at their disposal," complained Wyden, who is trying to give the public access to the disciplinary and malpractice records kept in the National Practitioner Data Bank.
But Dr. John S. Zapp, executive director of the American Dental Association, took strong exception to Wyden's criticisms.
"The dental profession is a highly self-disciplining profession. They want to maintain the high level of credibility that they have," said Zapp.
But the self-policing is done primarily by local peer review groups, not the state boards, he said. The inspector general's report "missed the majority of the activity, which takes place at the local level."
"We have a very aggressive code of ethics" that requires dentists to report to a reviewing agency any gross or faulty treatment by a fellow dentist, he said.
The inspector general said, "Given the relative lack of reporting laws and the fact that the great majority of dentists practice alone, it can be quite difficult for state dental boards to identify dentists responsible for poor practice or some wrongdoing."
It said board oversight was even more important for dentists than physicians because the dentists were "less likely to be subject to oversight" by hospitals, health maintenance organizations, insurers and others.
Paul Hanson, a Wyden staffer, said the report does not list the weaknesses of individual state boards, so it does not contain comparative information on the Virginia Board of Dentistry.
"Our board takes a very aggressive stance against [unlawful] practitioners," said state board Executive Director Marcia Miller. These dentists are given due process, but "the main objective, of course, is always to protect the public."
The Virginia board licenses 4,722 dentists, according to Wayne Farrar, spokesman for the state Department of Health Professionals.
Last year, he said, the board closed out 192 cases of alleged misconduct by dentists and confirmed violations in 28 of the cases. Two dentists' licenses were revoked, 10 were put in probation, 12 were fined and 12 were given warnings or reprimands.
Farrar said the dentistry board has access to the National Practitioner Data Bank. Miller said that all settled malpractice cases also are brought to the board's attention.
Under a state law that took effect July 1, Farrar said, any Virginia health professional who loses a license in another state automatically loses his or her Virginia license without a hearing.
The public can learn of past violations by a Virginia dentist by calling the board at (804) 662-9906, or by writing to Miller at the Virginia Board of Dentistry, 6606 W. Broad St., 4th Floor, Richmond 23230-1717.
To report misconduct by a Virginia dentist or any other licensed health worker, call the department's toll-free hot line: (800) 533-1560.
Staff writer Mary Bishop provided information for this story.
by CNB