From the president - May 2021

Since the April report, the Branch has been busy dealing with many matters that come to hand and in maintaining constructive dialogue and positive consultation with our key stakeholders.
This has included meetings with the SA Labor Member for Kaurna, Shadow State Minister for Health and Wellbeing Mr Chris Picton and more recently the Federal Member for Hindmarsh, Opposition Federal Minister for Health and Ageing Hon. Mark Butler. With the support of the ADA Inc. Vice Chief Executive Officer Ms Eithne Irving, the Branch was able to raise and advocate for many important matters related to oral health and this includes Private Health Insurance and the issue of Differential Rebates, Dental Funding and Oral Health Care for the Aged.

Other matters that are being addressed is the Dental Assistants workforce shortage affecting both public and private dentistry in South Australia and nationally. There has been consultation with various relevant parties in relation to this important issue and discussion has involved further consultation, planning of strategies, campaigns, and advocacy to include Dental Assistants in the State Government subsidised Skills/Training List program.

The Dental Assistant work force shortage requires a coordinated and staged approach and to encompass retention strategies aimed at the dentists in the profession and training initiatives for Dental Assistants. Improved articulation of career paths from Certificate III to Certificate IV and other career pathways and ensuring the high quality of Dental Assistant skills and lifelong learning is also an important consideration.

Disposal of Dental Records and Privacy Laws

With an increase in member queries relating to the disposal of Dental Records, I have taken this opportunity to clarify your responsibilities. Dental records consist of a variety of material generated and stored in handwritten and electronic format. Dental Records constitute notes by clinicians and staff, medical history and consent documents, copies of correspondence about and with the patient, notes of telephone calls with the patient, radiographs, tracings and measurements, digital (eg. CADCAM) records, diagnostic images, reports and casts, special test findings, photographs, digital images and videos, financial transaction records and appointment books.

Dentists and all dental practitioners have a responsibility to protect an individual’s right to privacy and confidentiality of sensitive personal health information and comply with all relevant Privacy Laws. Such Privacy Laws include the Privacy Act 1988, and Health Care Act 2008 (SA) and PC012 Information Privacy Principles Instruction (SA) (public sector only).

It is important to remind dental practices of the need to be cautious and attentive in maintaining security of dental records and sensitive patient information and ensure that any such documentation or records is disposed of in the correct and appropriate manner with respect and adherence to the Privacy Laws.

Under Guidelines issued by the Australian Information Commissioner, dental practices must take reasonable steps to protect the personal information they hold from misuse, interference, loss, and unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure.

Dental records should be securely stored and protected from unauthorised access or use. All filing cabinets should be locked and kept in a room which is not accessible to the general public. All computers to be password protected and screen visibility limited to staff members only and should have appropriate and current security software installed.

Dental records can be sent by a method consented to by the patient in accordance with privacy laws and regulations and if a health record is destroyed after the required retention periods, it must be destroyed in a secure manner. In the case of hardcopies then this should be disposed of by confidential shredding services or medical waste disposal services, as appropriate. Electronic records should have security procedures in place such as password only access and there must be adequate computer backup and disaster recovery systems in place including offsite backup. If you delete or dispose of health information, you must keep a record of the name of individual to whom the information related, the period covered by the record and the date it was deleted or disposed of.

Subject to mandatory retention requirements, dentists must take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently destroy or permanently de-identify personal information if it is no longer needed for its primary purpose or for any purpose for which the information may be used or disclosed under privacy laws.

Furthermore, it is advised that dental practices must have a written privacy policy available for information of patients and practice staff on its management of personal information. The dentist must make the document available to anyone who requests it. Please refer to the ADA Policy Statement 5.14 Dentistry and the Legal System and ADA Policy Statement 5.17 Dental Records (Including ADA Guidelines for Dental Records). Finally, on request a dentist must take responsible steps to inform a person, generally the sort of personal information it holds, its purpose and the manner in which it collects, holds, uses and discloses that information.

Dental Board Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements

Members should be informed that the Dental Board has released a news item on its website about its CPD requirements advising that there has been no change to the recognition of CPD activities for dental practitioners. This refers to both its CPD requirements and its approach to CPD recognition.

The Board reminds dental practitioners that it does not specify any mandatory continuing professional development (CPD) activities and expects dental practitioners to engage in a range of CPD activities along with the objectives of CPD. Importantly practitioners should exercise professional judgement and ensure the CPD they carry out is relevant and aligns with their specific learning needs.

It is further highlighted that the Board does not accredit, review or approve CPD courses or CPD course providers. The Board has not appointed, engaged, approved or affiliated with any organisation to accredit CPD courses run by professional associations or other providers.

All dental practitioners must meet the boards continuing professional development registration standard. Please visit the Dental Board of Australia website for more information in relation to this matter including further links to the continuing professional development registration standard and Dental Board CPD resource page such as the reflective practice tool and guidelines on continuing professional development.