Who Enforces Dental Regulatory Compliance In Ontario?

I have received many questions from dentists regarding the regulatory processes for the dental profession. In this blog, I will briefly discuss the bodies responsible for monitoring dental practices and what dentists can expect during an investigation.

The Ontario Ministry of Labour (MoL) is responsible for enforcing, among other things, the Occupational Health & Safety Act. As listed on the MoL’s website, “[t]he main purpose of the Act is to protect workers from health and safety hazards on the job. It sets out duties for all workplace parties and rights for workers.” MoL inspectors can drop-in on a workplace randomly or may respond to complaints filed with the Ministry. Inspectors are responsible for assessing workplaces, issuing orders to correct contraventions of the Act, investigating accidents, and recommending prosecution where warranted.

The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) is the governing body for dentists in Ontario. The college’s mandate is to protect the publics’ right to quality dental care by providing leadership to the dental profession. The RCDSO’s authority is derived from the Regulated Health Professionals Act, the Health Professions Procedural Code, and the Dentistry Act. The college maintains professional standards for dental practitioners by setting educational minimums, administering quality assurance programs, developing professional and ethical standards, and providing complaint investigation/resolution processes.

I hope you found this brief overview useful. My motto has always been an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Investing a little time and money up front to ensure your practice is as compliant as possible will save you a great deal of stress and financial hardship down the road should your practice ever be subject to investigation.

Paul Roberts, PCP, Hons. BA

SAJE: Dental Compliance Program

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