ADAQ Dental Mirror - Autumn 2023

MEET YOUR 2023 ADAQ COUNCIL

A DENTIST'S GUIDE TO EMBRACING SOCIAL MEDIA

DEFAMATION IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND WHAT CONSTITUTES SERIOUS REPUTABLE HARM

DENTISTRY IN THE S CIAL MEDIA ERA

Shaping smiles: how social media is influencing the profession

EDITOR

Dr Kelly

EDITORIAL

Dr Jay Hsing

Dr Gary Smith

Ms Lisa Rusten

Ms Melissa Kruger PRODUCTION

CONTACT

24

Bowen Hills Qld 4006

PO Box 611, Albion Qld 4010

Phone: 07 3252 9866

Email:

Website:

Information

ADAQ

ADAQ COUNCILLORS

PRESIDENT

Dr Jay Hsing

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

Dr Kelly Hennessy

JUNIOR VICE PRESIDENT

Dr Keith Willis

COUNCILLORS

Dr Kevin Ang (Peninsula)

Dr Paul Dever (Burnett)

Assoc Prof Alex Forrest (Moreton)

Dr Jayarna Hartland (Gold Coast)

FEDERAL COUNCILLORS

Dr Peter Jorgensen (Sunshine Coast)

Dr Kaye Kendall (Moreton)

Dr Oleg Pushkarev (Western)

Dr Jiten Rao (Northern)

Dr Norah Ayah Dr Martin Webb

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

Dr Matthew Nangle

ADAQ SUB-BRANCHES

Bundaberg

Dr Paul Dever

Ipswich

Dr Andrew Wong

Kingaroy

Dr Man Chun (Simon) Lee

Cairns

Dr Brian James

ADAQ COMMITTEES

Policy, Advocacy and Advisory Committee Chair

Convener: Dr Norah Ayad

Conduct and Honours Committee

Convener: Dr Jay Hsing

Mackay Dr Peter Monckton

Sunshine Coast Dr Peter Jorgensen

Gladstone Dr Patrick Dohring

Mr Andrew Waltho (Skills-based)

Recent Graduates and Students Committee

Toowoomba Dr Phoebe Fernando

Gold Coast Dr Norah Ayad

Rockhampton Dr Kelly Hennessy

Convener: Dr Phillip Nguyen

Volunteering in Dentistry Committee

Convener: Dr Jay Hsing

FROM THE PRESIDENT

DR JAY HSING

I hope this message finds you well. I am honoured to lead this organisation and to work with each of you to achieve our collective goals. Together, we can make a meaningful impact on the lives of those we serve and help shape the future of our profession.

DENTISTRY IN THE COMMUNITY

As dentists, our primary goal is to improve the oral health of our patients and the wider community. We are not just working in silos, but rather, we are an integral part of a team of medical and allied health professionals providing primary care in the community. Our work touches the lives of countless individuals, and our impact extends far beyond the walls of our practices.

The public is inherently involved in the work that we do, and it is our responsibility to engage with them and educate them about the importance of oral health. We can do this by participating in community events, speaking at schools, and working with local organisations to spread awareness about the dangers of oral diseases and the importance of proper oral care.

I believe that for our organisation to grow and thrive we need to recognise the important role the community plays in dentistry. Some may feel that taking such a path walks away from member support. It does not, and in a post COVID world, this will never be truer.

In the 2021 Roy Morgan Image of Professions Survey, nurses were the highest regarded (rated ‘very high or ‘high’ by 88% of Australians), followed by doctors (82%), pharmacists (76%) and dentists (71%). Only school teachers (74%) prevented a clean sweep at the top for health-related professionals. However, it has been over 30 years (in 1989) since dentists were last rated above any other health profession.

I dream of the ADA brand becoming a quality indicator for the public. This may be a larger project than ADAQ but, to the extent we can, we should be leading the way in Queensland. I dream that being a member of ADAQ translates into a benefit seen, understood and supported by the community.

Recently, ADAQ submitted its application for registration with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC). Approval of this registration will bring numerous benefits. Not only will it enhance the public reputation and image of the organisation and its members, it will also offer administrative advantages and open up new opportunities for funding and potential partnerships with public health projects, further enhancing the important role ADAQ plays in the community as a leader in dental health.

ADAQ CPD PROGRAM

ADAQ's Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program is a prime example of how member feedback can drive meaningful change. I extend my gratitude to all members who participated in

past CPD member surveys which have helped shape the program into what it is today.

To ensure that the program remained responsive to the needs of our members, Council approved the appointment of a CPD Manager in early 2020. As a result, the CPD program has undergone significant growth and improvement. There is now a diverse range of CPD offerings with a notable increase in the number of courses and speakers available. This is testament to the commitment to providing members with opportunities to further their skills and knowledge.

With the beginning of a new three-year CPD cycle, now is the perfect opportunity to invest in our professional growth. I highly recommend visiting the events page on the ADAQ website at www.adaq.org.au/cpd for exciting and enriching CPD opportunities.

SUPPORTING OUR PROFESSION

In a matter of months, membership renewals will be upon us and it is worth mentioning that for the seventh consecutive year, there will be no increase in membership fees. The highly popular 10% early bird discount will also be offered again.

As members, we also have access to competitive Professional Indemnity Insurance and the support of the knowledgeable and experienced ADAQ Assist team of clinical and compliance professionals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we were kept up-to-date with all the latest developments and our queries were answered through an extremely high number of calls. We can look forward to this excellent level of support no matter what is around the corner.

The introduction of Dental Team Access has allowed our non-dentist team members to easily access information and resources, including e-Newsletters, at no cost. ADAQ members are often members of ADAQ-affiliated study clubs and specialist societies. The first steps to revitalising relationships between those clubs/societies and ADAQ have been taken and I am dedicated to strengthening those relationships. To support those groups and our members, both financial and a variety of non-financial support services, including promotion of events are offered. It is also my desire to promote our profession’s specialty societies more.

In February, I had the pleasure of attending the Cairns Sub-Branch meeting. In addition to its business meeting, the Sub-Branch had organised a CPD component and a sit-down dinner. It was both an educational and collegial evening. Many attendees drove for around an hour from Mareeba or close to an hour and a half from Atherton to be there. I enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with old friends and to make new ones.

Being from Brisbane where I am a member of several study clubs with regular meetings, I was struck by the difference in the lack of similar opportunities for our regional colleagues. I believe that Sub-Branch meetings present an excellent opportunity for our regional members to foster collegiality and to take part in CPD activities. ADAQ has already committed to providing more CPD courses away from the southeast corner. Providing additional support for our Sub-Branches is something I am also keen to see happen.

ADAQ MENTORING PROGRAM

The ADAQ Mentoring Program is back for the third consecutive year. This 9-month structured program offers early-career dentists the opportunity to connect with a mentor who can guide them with professional advice and clinical insights. Mentors and mentees in the program can attend monthly webinars and online workshops together. These resources facilitate an exchange of knowledge and prompt meaningful conversations.

It is an opportunity for experienced dental professionals to give back and share their experience. This guidance helps emerging professionals build their confidence and establish clear career goals. For those of us passionate about mentoring and the future of the profession, this program is excellent.

RECENT GRADUATE CPD BUNDLE

To further support those entering the profession, the Recent Graduate CPD Bundle designed to help build confidence in essential theoretical and practical skills at a discounted rate, will again be offered. The bundle lets new graduates select from a range of hands-on courses and lectures in oral surgery, endodontics, restorative dentistry and the foundations of anxiety control, treatment planning and prescribing medicines.

QSCRIPT

Despite QScript being in place for over 12 months, Queensland Health revealed that, as at 1 December 2022, only 38% of dental practitioners had registered for it. This number is significantly lower than the 69% of relevant health practitioners in Queensland who had already registered. Active monitoring of QScript compliance began on 1 January 2023.

I want to share with you a story of how QScript helps us fulfil our responsibilities as health professionals, even for those who don’t usually prescribe monitored medicines. A dentist was asked by a patient to prescribe Valium for their dental appointment. The dentist didn’t feel it was appropriate to grant the patient’s request but decided to check QScript just in case. Upon checking, it was discovered that the patient had been prescribed Valium by five different prescribers (GPs and dentists) in the past month. The other prescribers were contacted and advised of the situation, one of which admitted they believed the patient may have had an addiction. The patient was counselled and referred for treatment. QScript provides factual information in real time regarding patients’ history of monitored medicine use instead of relying on our intuition. It can also inform us if a patient is already on an Opioid Treatment Program. With QScript, the days of us wondering whether the patient we just saw is a drug seeker is over. If you haven’t registered for QScript, please take action today.

In my monthly e-News updates, I had the pleasure of inviting you to a free webinar on 1 March featuring Dr Bill Loveday, the Director of Monitored Medicines at Queensland Health, who shared valuable insights about QScript that were relevant to us. I am pleased to report that the webinar had an outstanding turnout. In fact, there hadn’t been such a high attendance for a webinar since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It's heartening to see such a strong interest in our educational events, and we will continue to provide informative webinars that benefit us all.

DENTAL ASSISTANTS RECOGNITION WEEK

This year, the American Dental Assistants Association designated March 5 to 11 as the week to acknowledge and celebrate the vital role played by our dental assistants. However, we can and should express our gratitude to the hardworking members of our team every week of the year.

As I mentioned in my previous address, it's the small habits we cultivate every day that have a significant impact, rather than a singular event. While we may all feel appreciation for our dental assistants and practice managers, the busy nature of our practice can cause us to forget to express our gratitude. Therefore, I urge everyone to make it a habit to let our team members know how much we value their contributions.

FINAL THOUGHT

As President, I strongly encourage you to share your thoughts and ideas. Your feedback is invaluable and essential in shaping the future direction of our association. Council is committed to listening to members and working together to create an organisation that remains strong and vibrant and able to provide the support, services and resources members need.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions, concerns, or ideas you may have at president@adaq.com.au

MEET YOUR ADAQ COUNCIL

ADAQ Councillors are elected representatives from across Queensland. Council Members serve as the link between you and your Association. Their role is to advocate for the needs and interests of the dental community and help guide the Association’s strategy, establish policies, and make decisions that will support the profession and advance the oral health of Queenslanders.

Images ADAQ Council Meeting February 2023.

DR KELLY HENNESSY SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT k kelly.hennessy@adaq.com.au

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT ROLE?

Senior Lecturer (Bachelor of Oral Health) at CQUniversity.

WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR CAREER?

I still love being able to help patients with their concerns. In my teaching role, I love helping students to understand challenging concepts.

CAN YOU SHARE A PIECE OF ADVICE FOR DENTAL STUDENTS?

Keep up with your workload each week. Have a network of friends to study with.

WHY DID YOU JOIN THE ADAQ COUNCIL AND BECOME INVOLVED IN THE GOVERNANCE SIDE OF THE ASSOCIATION?

I’ve spent most of my life and career living in regional Australia. I wanted to get involved with ADAQ to represent regional dentists. I also generally have an interest in governance, and so was interested in how ADAQ worked.

WHY SHOULD SOMEONE GET INVOLVED WITH THE ADAQ COUNCIL?

It’s a great way to meet people. I also like discussing issues that concern dentistry, but are not directly clinical. It think being on council gives a broader perspective of what dentistry is.

ARE YOU INVOLVED IN ANY COMMITTEES OR DENTAL STUDY GROUPS?

I’m on the Asset Management Committee (ADAQ), Remuneration Committee (ADAQ). I am the President of the ADAQ Sub-Branch Rockhampton. I’m also on the College of Oral Health Academics Association Executive Committee –a group of professionals who teach into Oral Health Therapy Programs around Australia, NZ and Fiji.

WHY DID YOU BECOME AN ADAQ MEMBER?

I think it’s important to be part of your professional Association. It’s a bit like a union – they represent our interests and are there to help in times of need. There are also fantastic supportive resources for everyday practice.

WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF DENTISTRY?

Spending time with family, cooking, camping, reading.

DR ALEX FORREST PAST PRESIDENT & MORETON COUNCILLOR  k alex.forrest@adaq.com.au

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT ROLE AND WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR CAREER?

I am Director of Forensic Odontology at Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services. I find it incredibly rewarding being able to give a deceased person back their identity and connect them back with their families and friends. Also having helped to create the recognised dental speciality of Forensic Odontology.

WHY DID YOU PURSUE A CAREER IN DENTISTRY?

I enjoyed the idea of doing something productive which involved providing personal help to people. Although nowadays it’s to dead people…

DO YOU HAVE ANY MENTORS?

My first mentor was Dr Kon Romaniuk, a senior lecturer at the University of Queensland Dental School in Oral Pathology. Dr Walter Wood, also from UQ, was my mentor in anatomy, and I owe them both a huge debt of gratitude.

CAN YOU SHARE A PIECE OF ADVICE FOR DENTAL STUDENTS?

Remember you’re there for the patients, they’re not there for you! Everybody deserves respect.

WHY DO YOU VALUE YOUR ADAQ MEMBERSHIP?

ADAQ has always been the peak body in Dentistry and its current direction resonates very well with me. ADAQ is a body which gives me every bit as much as I think I give to it. It’s a beautiful organisation that genuinely works for the betterment of its members, dentistry, and the public. While its achievements are often understated, they have helped shape the profession as it exists today. The actual quantifiable things I get from ADAQ include excellent CPD, excellent networking and a chance to contribute to the future of dentistry.

WHY DID YOU JOIN THE ADAQ COUNCIL AND BECOME INVOLVED IN THE GOVERNANCE SIDE OF THE ASSOCIATION?

Honestly, I was naïve enough not to know what a Councillor was, and as I developed a little spare time, I decided to find out by experience!

WHY SHOULD SOMEONE GET INVOLVED WITH THE ADAQ COUNCIL?

You will be informed about and contribute not only to ADAQ’s governance, but to its future direction. You will have the opportunity to contribute to debate about responses to significant issues in dentistry. Above all, you will have the chance to support the organisation in its work. The networking opportunities are unparalleled, and you can put something significant and recognised throughout dentistry on your CV.

DR PAUL DEVER BURNETT COUNCILLOR k paul.dever@adaq.com.au

WHY DID YOU PURSUE A CAREER IN DENTISTRY?

I had a really nice orthodontist when I was an adolescent and wanted to be just like him!

WHERE DID YOU STUDY?

I studied post-graduate dentistry in Sydney and completed my orthodontic specialisation in Melbourne.

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT ROLE?

Private practice orthodontist in Bundaberg. I’m also quietly working on a side hustle that was a part of an Executive MBA that I have just completed.

WHAT DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST AND LEAST ABOUT STUDYING DENTISTRY?

Working with colleagues from other countries and backgrounds. Hardest part was Endo – urgh! (sorry to those who like endo).

CAN YOU SHARE A PIECE OF ADVICE FOR EARLY-CAREER DENTISTS?

Find a good mentor early in your career (even when you are still a student).

WHY DID YOU BECOME AN ADAQ MEMBER AND WHAT VALUE DO YOU FIND IN YOUR MEMBERSHIP?

Initially for the support as a new grad. The insurance and support services that ADAQ offered if I had a patient complaint was very reassuring.

As a practice owner there are so many resources and services available. From HR support to practice accreditation, CPD and infection control – I see a massive amount of value in these services.

WHY DID YOU JOIN THE ADAQ COUNCIL?

If I’m 100% honest, no one in our division was putting their hand up to be a Councillor. I felt that the Wide Bay – Burnett region is too large and important to not have representation at a state level.

The strength of any organisation is mirrored by the depth and diversity of skills and opinions of its leadership team. We need Councillors from different backgrounds to drive robust discussion and steer the future direction of ADAQ.

WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF DENTISTRY?

Spending time with my young family and going on adventures with them. Four-wheel driving.

I would like to expand my knowledge of leadership and management, especially in healthcare settings.

JAYARNA HARTLAND

GOLD COAST COUNCILLOR

k jayarna.hartland@adaq.com.au

WHAT DREW YOU TO DENTISTRY?

I wanted a career in healthcare that was hands-on and provided the opportunity to build relationships with others. Dentistry ticked these boxes as well as offered a large variety of specialities and a flexible work-life balance. I believe you can carve your own career path as a dentist, whether it’s the procedures you do, the working hours you choose, or the potential of creating a business - the opportunities are endless, and the learning never stops.

DO YOU HAVE ANY CURRENT CAREER GOALS, OR ANYTHING YOU ARE WORKING TOWARDS?

Admittedly I am still trying to find my feet as a new graduate dentist. So, my immediate career goals are to keep learning and improving my clinical skills and knowledge each and every day. I am hoping to learn more about everything!

AS A RECENT GRADUATE YOURSELF, CAN YOU SHARE ANY ADVICE FOR DENTAL STUDENTS?

Learn as much as you can while you’re in dental school, whether it’s in clinic, lectures or even when networking with others. And remind yourself when things are getting tough (which will inevitably happen), that there can’t be growth without challenge. You’ve got this!

WHY DID YOU BECOME AN ADAQ MEMBER, AND THEN LATER JOIN THE COUNCIL?

I was an ADAQ Member as a student and have easily transferred my membership as a dentist. I choose to be part of ADAQ to be included in the wider dental community as well as to keep up to date with CPD courses.

I value the opportunity of attending professional networking days and the CPD courses facilitated by ADAQ, as well as the opportunity to be involved in the ADAQ Mentoring Program.

I joined Council to be a voice and provide the perspective of students and new graduate dentists, as well as broaden my professional network and learn about non-clinical dentistry.

WHY SHOULD SOMEONE GET INVOLVED WITH THE ADAQ COUNCIL?

To be surrounded with like-minded professionals, contribute towards maintaining and improving the association, as well as incorporate variety into your schedule.

WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR CAREER?

Seeing a patient genuinely happy with the result of their treatment and feeling empowered that they are taking control of their oral health.

DR KEVIN ANG PENINSULA COUNCILLOR

k kevin.ang@adaq.com.au

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT ROLE AND WHY DID YOU PURSUE DENTISTRY?

The choice was easy. Dentistry is a perfect meld of Medicine and Art, to help people be healthier and have a great smile. I’m a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Dentistry at James Cook University.

CAN YOU SHARE A PIECE OF ADVICE FOR DENTAL STUDENTS?

Never stop learning and keep healthy.

WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR CAREER?

Teaching the next generation of the profession, being a part of the passing on of knowledge and philosophy.

DO YOU HAVE ANY MENTORS? WHO INSPIRES YOU?

My late uncle, Foo Siang Khoo. Professionally, the list is large, and the top of it is Profs Laurie Walsh and Ian Meyers.

WHY DO YOU VALUE YOUR ADAQ MEMBERSHIP?

The ability to tap into a professional brains-trust and to know someone’s got my back. The Member value is multifaceted and to have a professional network watching out for you is priceless.

WHY DID YOU JOIN THE ADAQ COUNCIL AND BECOME INVOLVED IN THE GOVERNANCE SIDE OF THE ASSOCIATION?

An opportunity arose to be able to offer insight from my perspective, to give back and to learn more about the background machinations of this great organisation.

WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF DENTISTRY?

Photography, videography/ editing, making biochar, novice gardener, online console gaming.

REVIEWING YOUR DENTAL PRACTICE’S SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

DAVINA BARKER | ADAQ TRAINING AND PRACTICE SERVICES ADVISOR

An online presence is essential for growing your business, promoting your services, and connecting with patients. It is commonplace for practices to run a website or social media account. The start of the new year is a great time to review your practice policies and alert your team to any updates. ADA Federal offer a suite of templates on the HR HUB to assist your practice, including an increasingly important Social Media Policy.

PRACTICE STAFF AND SOCIAL MEDIA

These days most of your employees and colleagues have a personal social media account. As an employer, it is essential to have a Social Media Policy in place to set clear guidelines on the appropriate use of social media in the workplace. A formal policy and staff training can help prevent legal and reputational risks for your practice.

Staff behaviour reflects your practice, and this extends to online activities. There are countless examples of employees posting online or creating groups that show their workplace in a negative light. Imagine if a patient, stakeholder, or potential future staff member viewed unprofessional posts and how that could reflect on your practice. For example, if an employee were to post a photo in your dental surgery wearing their clinic uniform stating they have, “nothing to do at work”, how would that reflect on your workplace?

Conversations with your staff following an inappropriate post is something you want to avoid. Misuse of social media can result in disciplinary action or in extreme cases, termination of employment. It is the practice management's duty to ensure all staff are aware of their responsibilities in maintaining professional standards and values..

Requesting staff sign a document outlining what constitutes responsible social media use is a preferred method to inform staff of the consequences of any inappropriate actions or statements regarding you, your patients, your practice, or your colleagues. Alternatively, have a verbal conversation with staff and perhaps block access to social media websites at the workplace. These expectations should be discussed during the onboarding process, along with other workplace agreements.

Tip: We recommend creating a separate account for your personal and business connections. This is a safer way to maintain your professional identity online. Be aware however, that profiles can be recommended or found, so consider privacy settings for your personal accounts.

DOWNLOAD THE ADA SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY TEMPLATE:

ADA POLICY STATEMENT .24

SOCIAL MEDIA AND DENTISTRY

m 1300 232 462 k hrhotline@ada.org.au

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REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS WHEN ADVERTISING YOUR DENTAL PRACTICE

CHELSEY MAHADY & EDWARD GRIFFIN

ADAQ COMPLIANCE & ADVISORY SERVICES TEAM

Dental health care providers have a responsibility to comply with advertising regulations set in place to safeguard the public and ensure healthcare services are represented accurately and honestly. This article provides a comprehensive guide on navigating advertising compliance for dental professionals.

AHPRA ADVERTISING GUIDELINES

The National Law developed the Guidelines for advertising a regulated health service to help registered health practitioners understand and meet their obligations.

Section 133 of the National Law outlines your advertising requirements and constitutes a breach including:

1. Advertising that is false, misleading or deceptive, or likely to be misleading or deceptive.

2. Advertising that offers gifts, discounts or other inducements to attract customers, unless the ad also states the terms and conditions of the offer.

3. Advertising that uses testimonials or purported testimonials about the service or treatment.

4. Advertising that creates an unreasonable expectation of beneficial treatment.

5. Advertising that directly or indirectly encourages the indiscriminate or unnecessary use of regulated health services.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON’T COMPLY WITH THE AHPRA ADVERTISING GUIDELINES?

Advertising breaches of the National Law may be prosecuted, and a court may order advertisers to pay a penalty for each offence which breaches the National Law:

• An individual a maximum of $5000 per offence

• A body corporate maximum penalty of $10,000 per offence

If an advertising breach involves unlawful use of a protected title this is also an offence under the National Law for which penalties can apply:

• An individual a maximum of $60,000 per offence, imprisonment for up to three years per offence or both

• A body corporate a maximum of $120,000 per offence.

When Ahpra receives a complaint about advertising they review the advertising, complete a risk assessment and take appropriate action to protect the public. The first step is usually to encourage voluntary compliance.

All advertising breaches are managed on a case-by-case basis; however, most cases start with Ahpra writing to the advertiser to let them know their advertising breaches the National Law, and to review and correct it within 30 days.

A National Board, such as the Dental Board, may also further decide if these breaches raise concern about the practitioner’s conduct and take action which may include placing conditions on a health practitioners’ registration.

WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFORMATION?

Ahpra provide more information on penalties, handling of complaints and advertising requirements here:

The ADAQ Compliance and Advisory Services team can also provide general advice and assist with queries around advertising requirements and complaints: assist@adaq.com.au

COMPLIANT VS. NON-COMPLIANT ADVERTISING:

ADVERTISING TYPE COMPLIANT NON-COMPLIANT

False, misleading or deceptive

9 Sell your professional services on their merits.

9 Be honest about what you do and say in relation to your business practices.

9 Identify when published material falls under the definition of advertising.

9 Regularly check and maintain compliance of all your advertising.

9 Look at the overall impression of your advertising and consider who the audience is. What is the advertisement likely to say to them and how easy is it for your audience to navigate and understand it.

´ Providing incorrect statements about your professional services.

´ Provides partial information that omits important details.

´ Uses scientific information that is inaccurate or unbalanced.

´ Suggests a practitioner is registered, holds a specialty or qualifications that they do not.

´ Minimises or under-represents the potential risk of a procedure.

Gifts, discounts or other inducements

9 Offering discounts to specific groups such as pensioners or HCC users.

9 Refer a friend discounts.

9 Offering bulk purchase discounts.

9 However, the terms and conditions must be clearly stated, and the ad must not encourage people to have treatment that is not clinically indicated, necessary or therapeutic

´ gifts, discounts and other inducements that don't include detailed terms and conditions, and that can be seen to encourage indiscriminate or unnecessary use of a regulated health service.

´ Advertising in breach when you fail to include terms and conditions or where the terms and conditions could be misleading.

´ The public generally consider the word ‘free’ to mean ‘absolutely free.’ When the costs of a ‘free offer’ are recouped through a price rise elsewhere or through other sources such as Medicare, the offer is not actually free.

Testimonials or purported testimonials

9 Ratings from consumer organisations.

9 Patients sharing information, expressing their views online or posting reviews on review platforms.

´ Any comments about clinical aspects of a regulated health service.

´ Allowing patient’s testimonials to remain on your own Facebook page.

´ Editing reviews to make them positive.

Creating an unreasonable expectation of beneficial treatment

Directly or indirectly encouraging the indiscriminate or unnecessary use of a regulated health service

9 Credentials (e.g., Master of Public Health).

9 Experience (e.g., ‘10 years in implants’)

9 NOT using phrases such as:

9 ‘Don’t delay, act now before it’s too late, don’t miss out, time is running out or for a limited time only.’

´ ‘safe’, ‘effective’, ‘risk-free’, ‘pain-free’ without also acknowledging possible negative consequences

´ Using images or photos of unrealistic outcomes

´ Creating an impression or sense of urgency that is linked to a person’s health suffering if they do not use a regulated health service where there is no clinical indication to support this.

´ Use incentives such as prizes, discounts, bonuses, gifts that would encourage people to use services regardless of clinical need or therapeutic benefit.

BREACH OF ADVERTISING GUIDELINES

RESULTS IN UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT – CASE EXAMPLES

Unprofessional conduct is defined under the National Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 as;

Unprofessional conduct, of a registered health practitioner, means professional conduct that is of a lesser standard than that which might reasonably be expected of the health practitioner by the public or the health practitioners’ professional peers.

Below are some examples of cases where a practitioner has breached the advertising guidelines and advice for how this could have been avoided:

CASE STUDY 1

Two Thirty Dental was advertising on their website a ‘refer a friend promotion’ and get $399 off your treatment when they book in for their treatment

Jemma was already a patient of the dental practice and referred her friend, Brittany, to book in for treatment.

Brittany, not knowing if she needed the treatment, saw Dr Hurty who developed her a treatment plan. Brittany was surprised at the cost of the treatment plan, as she was not even sure that the treatment was required and decided not to proceed. Brittany then had to pay for the consultation and Jemma did not receive her refer a friend promotional money.

A complaint was then made to the Office of Health Ombudsman (OHO) regarding the practice’s advertising encouraging the unnecessary use of a regulated health service.

HOW TO AVOID THIS FROM OCCURRING?

s per the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 s133 Advertising:

A person must not advertise a regulated health service, or a business that provides a regulated health service, in a way that;

Offers a gift, discount or other inducement to attract a person to use the service or the business, unless the advertisement also states the terms and conditions of the offer.

You must provide a detailed list of terms and conditions if you are offering gifts, discounts or inducements. ADAQ Compliance and Advisory Team are able to review and assist with terms and conditions enquiries for their members.

CASE STUDY 2

On the Cusp Dental was advertising on their website about their dental team. They had an about me page which listed each dentist and a couple of paragraphs about them. One of the dentists was described as “specialising in dental implants,” however he was a general dentist and did not hold registration as a specialist.

Another practitioner saw this on the website and recognised that this was a general dentist making these claims and made a complaint to Ahpra for investigation.

HOW TO AVOID THIS FROM OCCURRING?

9 This kind of advertising is one that can seem quite innocent, however is a breach of the advertising guidelines. You must not make claims of specialising if you do not have the qualification and are registered accordingly.

9 This is a breach of section 133 (1)(a) of the National Law in that it makes claims regarding specialist registration or specialising that are false, misleading or deceptive or likely to be misleading or deceptive.

9 The National Law protects endorsements and recognised specialist titles. A specialist title indicates that a practitioner holds specialist registration in one of the recognised specialties for certain professions. An endorsement on a practitioner’s registration indicates that the practitioner is qualified to practice in an approved area of practice.

9 To avoid this breach of advertising you need to consider the choice of wording used. Instead of using “specialises in” consider using has an “interest in” dental implants. You are still conveying to patients that you perform and have an interest in dental implants, however not in such a way as to breach advertising guidelines.

CASE STUDY 3

George attended Chattering Teeth Dental for the extraction of a wisdom tooth. The patient was happy with the service and treatment he received and decided to leave a review on the practices Facebook page. The review read:

‘Dr Molar pulled out a wisdom tooth with him and his assistant doing a brilliant job. I felt nothing and no, to this moment, bleeding. I know dentistry has come a long way, but if you are nervous or worried, give the practice a go.’

Section 133(1)(c) of the National Law specifically prohibits advertising a regulated health service in a way that uses testimonials or purported testimonials, such as for example, patient stories and experiences, success stories, or fake testimonials. The risk of harm posed by using testimonials in advertising is greatest where it:

• Creates an unreasonable expectation of beneficial treatment

• Encourages the unnecessary use of regulated health services and/or

• Is false, misleading or deceptive or likely to be misleading or deceptive, including testimonials that are:

• Selectively published or edited, or

• Fake

Ahpra defines testimonial as meaning “a positive statement about a person or thing.”

Social media accounts such as Facebook and Instagram allow you to have control over your business reviews and you are expected to monitor the pages to ensure compliance.

Not all comments made about a regulated health service are considered testimonials. It is acceptable to have comments about customer service or communication style that do not have a reference to clinical aspects.

Clinical testimonials are not accepted and exist if one of the following are expressed:

• Symptom – the specific symptom or the reason for seeking treatment

• Diagnosis or treatment – the specific diagnosis or treatment provided by the practitioner

If you require any assistance with advertising complaints or have enquiries regarding advertising compliance, please contact ADAQ Compliance and Advisory Team at assist@adaq.com.au

• Outcome – the specific outcome or the skills or experience of the practitioner either directly or via comparison.

HOW TO AVOID THIS FROM OCCURRING?

9 Practice owners need to monitor their social media pages very closely to ensure that patient reviews are compliant and not inclusive of the above clinical aspects.

9 You have the ability to turn off reviews on social media pages which can be a way to ensure that you avoid missing any patient reviews that are not compliant.

The ADAQ Compliance and Advisory Services team understands the profession and can support you with regulatory and compliance matters.

9 Ahpra & OHO notifications and responses

9 Patient complaints

9 Insurance claims

9 Health fund audits

9 Updates on the profession

9 Compliance guidelines and news

9 and more…

Contact ADAQ when you need support assist@adaq.com.au

BREATHING SPACE

FROM OUR PARTNER - BOQ SPECIALIST

Thanks to COVID lockdowns, equipment shortages and long delivery times are still causing headaches. Fortunately, BOQ Specialist can help relieve some of the financial pressure involved.

The pandemic after-effects are still being felt in the equipment supply world, despite emerging from lockdowns and resuming ‘business-as-usual’. Interruptions to international supply chains, ongoing lockdowns in major manufacturing centres, staff and materials shortages have impacted many industries, creating supply bottlenecks. While these problems will eventually resolve, the memory of uncertainty from the pandemic has lingered, slowing the entire process of equipment purchases.

BOQ Specialist’s Melinda Goddard says,

“A lot of dental equipment has experienced delays, because the majority of these items come from China and overseas. COVID has had a massive impact on that.”

Melinda also points out that most clients must pay a deposit up front which may be as high as 20 per cent. On an $80,000 dental unit that may be affordable, but a greater drain on cashflow if you’re purchasing a $300,000 dental chair.

“In the past, when purchasing equipment, we may have said, ‘if your cashflow allows, pay your deposit and we’ll reimburse on delivery.’ Most clients were fine with that. Post-COVID, nobody has the cash reserves they thought they might have, from keeping money in the bank in case they needed to lock down again. Even if we’re past lockdowns, people still want to keep emergency cash reserves. It’s important to preserve cashflow without having the burden of paying for equipment not yet in your practice to generate income from.”

TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF

In the past, such a transaction was called an escrow facility. Now it’s more commonly referred to as a drawdown facility, Melinda says, and is a short-term line of credit which is ideal for transactions like capital equipment.

That’s why BOQ Specialist offers a drawdown facility which transfers the hassle of managing payments from the practitioner to the bank. “It essentially involves signing two sets of documents,” Melinda explains.

“There's a drawdown set of documents, which is a temporary agreement, whereby we pay for invoices as they come in. Then, once we've paid for all goods or all goods are received, and all tax invoices are in place, that's when we convert the drawdown agreement into a chattel mortgage or lease. This means that clients don’t have to make repayments on their purchases until the goods are received and in use, providing a little breathing

space with current supply chain issues.”

As delivery times remain stretched or uncertain, this financial product makes a lot of sense for dental professionals wanting to keep an eye on their cashflow. While many finance providers will offer such a facility, Melinda points out that the difference with BOQ Specialist is that they require minimal or no security to start a drawdown facility. This gives the practitioner peace of mind that they don’t need to start repayments on the equipment until it’s installed in their practice and earning income for them.

In the meantime, she says, dental professionals appear to have adapted to the ‘new-normal’ of delays, waiting for equipment to arrive. “It’s like getting a new car now,” she says. “In the past it took six months to arrive, now it may take up to 12 months. I think clients have adapted to the idea if they want to purchase new equipment, they need to plan ahead..”

SAVE THE DATE

NEW EVENT

ANNUAL CLINIC DAY 2023

FRIDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2023

ROYAL INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE

Fulfill regulatory obligations. ELEVATE

Support career growth.

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Discover the latest techniques and technology.

Provide better patient outcomes.

Learn from experts in the profession.

CPD IMAGE GALLERY

FATIGUED FRAGILE & FRACTURED TEETH

16th Nov 2022

An excellent lecture with clinically relevant information and techniques. Prof Meyers showed his class as a presenter displaying vast knowledge and experience.

Practical, relevant course to everyday practice.

This was an excellent course with clinically relevant information and techniques. Prof Meyers again showed his vast knowledge and experience.

PROSTHODONTIC POTPOURRI

2 DAY COURSE

DATE:

10th & 11th June 2023

SPEAKERS:

Dr Miles Cone, Dr Bharat Agrawal, Cornelia Cone

EVENT SUPPORTER:

GC Australasia

ORAL SURGERY MODULE 1

1-3rd Feb 2023

Fantastic course for those new to the profession as well as those wishing to either begin attempting more difficult cases or that simply are seeking a refresher. Anthony and Chris take the time to ensure you get what you need from the course if you ask, they deliver the content in an engaging manner, and most general dentists are likely to get enough useful information to easily justify the cost even if already confident in low to moderate difficulty oral surgery cases.

The Oral Surg Mod 1 course is a great day involving minor surgical procedures, suturing techniques and tips, anatomy, medically compromised patients (amongst other things) as well as access to some brilliant and approachable specialists

A wonderful course that will boost your confidence in oral surgery!

Excellent course, hands on, supportive environment.

ORAL SURGERY MODULE 3

11th Nov 2022

Very good. Definitely helpful to decide which wisdom teeth to remove, and assess your capabilities.

Great overview to wisdom teeth removal!

Great hands-on learning experience of the difficulty, traps and pitfalls of wisdom teeth removal.

Excellent course for those who aren’t confident in surgical extractions. This is one course that I’ve learned a lot and enjoyed as well. Also, I refer to it for my everyday work. I’m very happy about all 4 modules (haven’t done mod 4 yet, however, very excited) .

CONNECT WITH ADAQ FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE LATEST NEWS, EVENTS AND UPDATES.

TAGGED

A 3-DAY MASTERCLASS WITH

D R J A S O N S M I T H S O N

16-21 MAY 2023 |

SYDNEY | BRISBANE

EMULATING NATURES MORPHOLOGY: APPROACHING THE ADVANCED DIRECT RESIN CASE

3 DAY MASTERCLASS

1 DAY LECTURE

2 DAY HANDS-ON WORKSHOP

CASE STUDY - AESTHETICS FOR A PATIENT WITH TOOTH SURFACE LOSS WITH UNDETERMINED CAUSE

FROM OUR PARTNER – KULZER | JASON SMITHSON

SMOOTH, HARMONIOUS FUNCTION WITH EXCELLENT AESTHETICS

A 31 year old female patient presented with aesthetic concerns about her anterior teeth. She had obvious buccal tooth surface loss (TSL) with exposed dentine [Figures 1-3]. She also complained of pain in the lower right posterior quadrant, in addition to right masseter pain.

The possible reasons for the damage were investigated. The patient's diet was discussed and no issues were found to explain the TSL. The patient also consulted a gastroenterologist, who found no abnormalities. Since the patient is a vet, environmental issues, such as anaesthetic gases, were checked but were ruled out as causes. There was some evidence of night-time parafunction.

TREATMENT PLANNING

I was reluctant to recommend the option of restoring this case with ceramic indirect restorations since the cause of the TSL had not been determined. Should the wear continue, replacing crowns could very expensive, in terms of finance and tooth structure. I recommended restoring the teeth with composite resin, as this would be relatively simple and, if necessary, inexpensive to repair. The patient agreed to this treatment plan and pre-treatment images were taken. These included a cross-polarised image for shade matching [Figure 4].

Before restoration of the anterior teeth, the issue of the pain in the lower right quadrant was addressed. An anterior midpoint stop appliance (AMPSA) was fabricated to de-programme the muscles of mastication and to determine centric relation (CR), which was the stable, reproducible treatment position [Figure 5]. The patient wore the AMPSA nightly for several weeks until a verified CR position, using archived jaw records, was reached [Figure 6]. A resolution of muscular pain and a reduction in sensitivity was noted with use of the AMPSA.

OCCLUSAL EQUILIBRATION AND ANTERIOR COUPLING

When CR was achieved and verified, models were produced and examined. This highlighted a premature contact, with slide, on the lower right second molar [Figure 7], where the patient had been experiencing pain and sensitivity. After informed consent, I elected to carry out an occlusal equilibration in an attempt to reduce the sensitivity. Initially, I carried out a trial equilibration on a set of articulated duplicate models. I concluded that only minimal adjustments were required in order to make CR and maximum intercuspation position (MIP) co-incident. The adjustments to

the models were made with a scalpel blade [Figure 8]. These adjustments were then duplicated in the patient's mouth and verified with a review. She reported complete cessation of muscular pain and a significant reduction in sensitivity.

Figure 1 - 3

The patient had obvious buccal tooth surface loss (TSL) with exposed dentine

Figure 4

A cross-polarised image was taken for shade matching CASE

However, the equilibration resulted in the loss of anterior coupling [Figure 9]. I elected to add composite to the palatal surfaces of the upper teeth to re-establish the occlusal scheme. The Dahl Method is often used to achieve this, but it can be timeconsuming and require many adjustments, due to the lack of predictability. An alternate approach is to fabricate a wax mockup on the model [Figure 10] and a clear matrix to transfer this accurately to the mouth.

CREATING A SMOOTH AND HARMONIOUS FUNCTION

The upper teeth were isolated with rubber dam. Plastic clamps were used to ensure the patient did not experience any pain [Figure 11]. The treatment process did not involve any preparation with rotary instruments or local anaesthetic. Particle abrasion was used to remove staining and aprismatic enamel, improving bond strengths.

A fourth generation dentine bonding agent was used to etch, prime and bond the teeth. Alternate teeth were treated simultaneously to improve efficiency, without the risk of bonding the teeth together [Figure 12].

PTFE was utilised to protect the completed restorations [Figure 13]. For the palatal surfaces, I used Kulzer Venus® Diamond, as it is hard wearing and less viscous when heated [Figure 14]. Initially, this was placed on the tooth, not in the matrix, to prevent voids between the tooth and the composite, surface voids being more easily repaired. The restorations were light cured in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

A small adjustment to the Upper Right 1 was needed to correct the protrusive guidance [Figure 15]. The tooth was air abraded, reetched, primed and bonded, before more composite was added [Figure 16]. At this stage, I had equilibrated the teeth, relieving the sensitivity and had corrected the anterior guidance. The net result was a smooth and harmonious function. However, the aesthetics had not yet been addressed. The function was trialled for four weeks before the patient returned for restoration of the facial surfaces of the anterior teeth.

DURABLE AESTHETIC OUTCOME

At the second treatment appointment, the teeth were again isolated with rubber dam. They were then particle abraded, etched, primed and bonded. The palatal shell was formed with Kulzer Venus® Pearl Clear (CL) shade [Figure 17]. I used Venus Pearl because of its high polishability and superb aesthetics. The Opaque Light Chromatic (OLC) shade was used to replace the dentine and mask the margins [Figure 18]. Finally, the A2 and CL enamel shades were added. Each layer was light cured after application.

After a few weeks, the patient returned for her final appointment. The line angles were marked [Figure 19] and Kulzer Venus® Supra was used to polish the restorations. I was not happy with the white streaks on the incisal edges [Figure 20], so I made some minor corrections [Figure 21].

The six month review images show the durability of the outcome, achieved with the great strength and excellent aesthetics of Venus Pearl and Venus Diamond [Figures 22 and 23]. This was a relatively inexpensive, minimally invasive and accurate treatment. It was both time and cost efficient. The result was a very happy patient. She recently attended for the two-year review and no adjustments or further polishing were required.

An anterior midpoint stop appliance (AMPSA) was produced to deprogramme the muscles of mastication and to determine centric relation (CR). The patient wore the AMPSA nightly for several weeks until a verified CR position, using archived jaw records, was reached

When CR was achieved and verified, models were produced and examined. This highlighted a premature contact, with slide, on the lower right second molar. The adjustments to the models were made with a scalpel blade

teeth were isolated with rubber dam. Plastic clamps were used to ensure the patient did not experience any pain. Alternate teeth were treated simultaneously to improve efficiency, without the risk of bonding the teeth together

Figure 5 & 6

Figure 7 & 8

Figure 9 & 10

The equilibration resulted in the loss of anterior coupling. An alternate approach to the Dahl Method is to fabricate a ax mock-up on the model and a clear matrix to transfer this accurately to the mouth

Figure 11 & 12

The upper

Figure 13

PTFE was utilised to cover and protect the completed restorations

DR JASON SMITHSON PURE DENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING

Jason Smithson has a special interest in direct composite resin artistry and minimally invasive all-ceramic restorations. He lectures worldwide and has written numerous articles. Jason practises at Pure Dental Health and Wellbeing, Truro.

Figure 14

For the palatal surfaces, I used Kulzer Venus® Diamond, as it is hard wearing and more malleable when heated

Figure 15

The Upper Right 1 was needed adjustment to correct the protrusive guidance

Figure 20

I was not happy with the white streaks on the incisal edges

Figure 16

The tooth was air abraded, re-etched, primed and bonded, before more composite was added

Figure 21

I made some minor corrections

Figure 17

The palatal shell was formed with Kulzer Venus® Pearl Clear (CL) shade

Figure 22 & 23

The six month review shows the durability of the outcome, achieved with the great strength and excellent aesthetics of Venus Pearl and Venus Diamond

Figure 18

The Opaque Light Chromatic (OLC) shade was used to replace the dentine and mask the margins

Figure 19

The line angles were marked

#ITSFAKE! - DEFAMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND WHAT CONSTITUTES SERIOUS

REPUTATIONAL HARM

FROM OUR PARTNER – HALL & WILCOX | TAMMY TANG

The internet and social media are useful marketing platforms for dental practices to advertise their business and patients to share their feedback on treatment experiences, but they may also open doors for the dissemination of negative and possibly defamatory statements.  This article outlines what is defamation, who is considered a ‘publisher’ of defamatory material, cases involving health and medical practitioners, and what to do if you think you have been defamed or a person accuses you of defamation.

WHAT IS DEFAMATION?

Defamation is the publication of an imputation concerning a person where that person’s reputation is injured, or that person is ridiculed, shunned or avoided.  The publication (which may be written, oral or by conduct) must be made to a third person, the size of the audience is irrelevant.

In Queensland, there have been recent significant reform to the Defamation Act 2005 (Qld) (Act), which aims to reduce meritless and trivial claims before the Courts.  Since 1 July 2021, any individual wishing to bring a defamation claim must prove that the publication has caused, or is likely to cause, ‘serious harm’ to the individual’s reputation.  The Act does not define what ‘serious harm’ means, but factors such as the extent of the publication and gravity of the allegations will be relevant considerations.  Any trivial reputational harm caused by a defamatory publication will no longer give rise to a cause of action in defamation.

A claim by an ‘excluded corporation’, which is a corporation with less than 10 employees (including independent contractors) and is not an associated entity of another corporation, must establish that the publication of defamatory matter has caused, or is likely to cause, serious financial loss. This will be particularly applicable to small dental practices who consider they have been defamed.

Prior to starting Court proceedings, the aggrieved person must issue a ‘concerns notice’, which is a formal written notice addressed to the publisher of the defamatory statement, which specifies the location where the subject statement can be accessed (e.g. a webpage link), informs the publisher of the defamatory imputations about the aggrieved person, and informs the publisher that the aggrieved person considers serious harm to their reputation has been caused by the publication.  At this stage, a request is usually made for the material to be removed and an apology given in the aggrieved person’s favour.

A claim for defamation must be brought within 1 year of when the material was first published.

In addition to the existing defences in defamation law (such as defence of contextual truth, defence of an honest opinion), the revised Act also stipulates a defence of scientific or academic peer review.

WHO IS A ‘PUBLISHER’?

The High Court decision in Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd v Voller Nationwide News Pty Limited v Voller Australian News Channel Pty Ltd v Voller [2021] HCA 27 dramatically expanded who will be considered a publisher and liable for defamatory statements. In the case, a company that operated a public Facebook page was liable as the ‘publisher’ of defamatory comments made by an individual Facebook user in the comments section of a post.  The Court held that the mere publishing of defamatory material is enough to make the entity liable as a publisher, even if the entity did not intend to publish the material or did not have knowledge of the defamatory matter on their webpage.

In light of the Voller decision, entities, such as dental practices, that operate social media platforms or other online platforms that allow third party comments could potentially be held liable for comments made by the general public.  For instance, a dental practice’s Facebook page that has permitted a person to make defamatory commentaries about another or competitor dental practitioner, may be liable as a publisher in a defamation claim by the practitioner. Similarly, individuals who operate a dental practitioners community group on Facebook, may be liable as a publisher if any defamatory material is published on the page.

It is therefore important for your dental practice to keep a close eye on any statements or comments made by the public on social media, and if necessary, delete comments that may be regarded as defamatory and block the author.  You may also consider filtering comments and reporting harmful contents to the social media platform (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).

EXAMPLES OF DEFAMATION CASES

BeautyFULL CMC Pty Ltd & Ors v Hayes [2021] QDC 111

A cosmetic surgery clinic and its staff were awarded more than $80,000 in a claim against a former employee for defamation on Instagram story (where the contents are only visible for 24 hours).

The clinic posted a photo on its Instagram account showing various workers in uniform with the caption staff ‘Dr Margaret, Nurse Kate and Nurse Kayleigh serving during COVID-19.’  A former employee of the clinic re-posted the photo on her Instagram story account and made comments that the clinic had lied about the practitioners working on the frontline during the COVID-19.

The Court found that the former employee’s posts were intentionally false, baseless and constituted defamation of each of the plaintiffs by causing them significant distress and hurt.

The clinic was capable of being defamed as it was an ‘excluded corporation’, as it employed less than 10 staff.

Despite that the transitory nature of Instagram stories, and that the clinic and former employee only had a modest number of Instagram followers, the Court was prepared to award the plaintiffs with substantial damages.

Dean v Puleio [2021] VCC 848

A dentist, Dr Dean was successful in a defamation claim against a patient who posted various negative Google reviews about his business.  The patient’s Google reviews accused Dr Dean and her practice with providing ‘unprofessional and undermining service’, that they were unethical and refused to treat her when she was in urgent need of treatment.

The Court found that the publications contained untrue and defamatory statements (with the sole purpose of harming the dentist’s reputation), and had a ‘grapevine effect’ of being spread to around 100,000 people.  The Court accepted that the publications had damaged Dr Dean’s reputation amongst her peers and in the eyes of the broader community.  The Court also regarded evidence of the impact of the publication on Dr Dean’s wellbeing and how it aggravated the injury.  It noted that the patient refused to apologise and remove the Google review, refused to participate in the Court process, had revised the Google review to inaccurately reflect the content of negotiations, threatened to report the dentist to authorities and accused the dentist of blackmail and unethical conduct.

Dr Dean was awarded with $170,000 plus legal costs.

Colagrande v Kim [2022] FCA 409

A cosmetic doctor, Dr Colagrande practising on the Gold Coast was awarded around $450,000 for his claim in defamation.  In 2017, Dr Colagrande was convicted of indecent assault of a patient, which was ultimately quashed on appeal and the prosecution dropped the charge in mid-2018.  Dr Colagrande has an account on RateMD and saw that an anonymous person posted a review on the website in December 2018 stating ‘After what he did to me, I can’t believe he’s still practicing.  Just read the article [with a link to a news article regarding the original charges]’. The review also left a 1 out of 5 stars rating with scathing comments.

Dr Colagrande requested RateMD to remove the review, but they refused.  Ultimately, relevant IP address of the RateMD review was released, and the account holders were identified as another

cosmetic doctor who practised on the Gold Coast, and his wife.  Dr Colagrande was subsequently diagnosed with a range of mental health conditions including PTSD and anxiety.

Dr Colagrande’s RateMD profile had 70,000 to 180,000 page reviews per month.

The Court held that the defendants had a malicious intent of damaging the character, personal and professional reputation and livelihood of a commercial competitor, and had continually denied responsibility and refused to apologise.  The Court found that the anonymity of the false review on RateMD was intended to infer the victim of the alleged sexual assault was the writer which reflected the unjustifiable conduct of the defendants.

The Court awarded Dr Colagrande with around $450,000 plus legal costs, and ordered the defendants to be permanently restrained from publishing or re-publishing the false review and matter to the same or similar effect.

KEY TAKEAWAY

While the threshold for commencing a defamation claim is high, aggrieved practitioners can pursue a claim for damages in circumstances where their reputation has been or is likely to have been seriously harmed by a publication that contains false contents (especially if one can establish the author’s malicious intent and conduct in publishing the material).  Practitioners are encouraged to monitor feedbacks about them closely on their (or their practice’s) social media and/or other online forums that permit users to post reviews and ratings, and consider what the best action is in addressing materials that may be considered defamatory.

Practitioners should also be mindful themselves of engaging in discussions on social media and online forums about other practitioners conduct and patients as negative comments, may be defamatory.

If you think you have been defamed, you should contact ADAQ for assistance and seek independent legal advice.  If you are being accused of making defamatory statements, enquire with ADAQ into whether there is cover under your insurance policy to respond to the claim.

HALL & WILCOX HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH DEFAMATION CLAIMS AND CAN ASSIST WITH ANY QUERIES IN THAT RESPECT.

ON THE ETHICS OF ADVERTISING IN DENTISTRY: HISTORICAL RECORDS OF VIOLATIONS AND DISPUTES

ALESSANDRA BOI | MUSEUM OF DENTISTRY

What constituted unethical advertising for early professional dentists in Queensland? How different is it from today, except of course the available media choices?

Let’s look at some notable cases of members as reported in the ADAQ Minutes, for which we have been able to trace some details of the original ‘offence’.

Image

Professor Sheffran, from London. Dentist – Teeth extracted without pain, at the lowest prices. Shaving and haircutting after the best style; Shampooning after the American system. Corns cut and cured. [Queen Street].

The Courier, Sat 18 October 1862. Source: trove.nla.gov.au

In his 1934 memories of early Queensland dentistry, an elderly Edmund F Hughes, founding father of the ADAQ, commented with irony about the old-fashioned way of advertising dental work. Mentioning the above advert from Shreffran, he muses:

“Why a man of such diverse attainments should have buried himself in Brisbane in those days, is beyond one’s comprehension”. (Queensland Dental Magazine. 1934. ADAQ Archives).

At the time Hughes wrote his articles, advertising was an especially heinous offence against the ethics of the newly established health profession.

The Dental Act 1902 established the Dental Board of Queensland, tasked with policing the rights and duties of qualified dentists.

From its beginnings, the Board was mostly under the control of the same senior élite in charge at the Odontological Society of Queensland (1905-1926) and later, ADAQ. Once the issues of establishing formal registration and scope of practice were ironed out, the Board turned its eye onto pursuing illegal practices, which included most advertising.

A bitter fight against shameful advertising of most extravagant and unethical claims ensued. Some dentists argued that advertising may be useful to patients who could not go to a dentist and pay ordinary fees. However, they were ostracised by an influential group who found it unsafe, undignified, and

immoral to advertise surgical procedures as commodities open for bartering.

The Council of the National Dental Association of Australia 1912 Code of Ethics stated that the dentist:

“…shall not exhibit or permit the display in connection with his name or practice in any window, shop or show case open to public inspection, any dental specimen, appliance, apparatus or professional card.” Furthermore: “He shall not allow his name to appear on dentifrices, toothbrushes, or proprietary articles”.

The NDA of Australia had representations from all dental societies in Australia, including the Queensland Odontological Society. This copy was pasted on the 1914 Minute book.

The core of these prohibitions bound professional dentists until after WWII.

In its early years, the Dental Board had left matters of ethics, including advertising, to the care of the Odontological Society. However, as the Great War and the onset of the Depression restricted income for many, an all-out campaign commenced.

In 1928, the new ADA Queensland Ethical Code, in line with other branches’ and with the policing activities of the Board, was designed to restrict chances of unfair advantage as much as possible. After all, most members practiced in direct competition with each other, especially in the Brisbane area. In fact, the entire Code almost entirely deals with advertising and promotion matters.

In 1931-2, the Dental Board issued new Bylaws that regulated the advertising matter. The Bylaws attempted to balance the need to maintain fees affordability and a professional enterprise. Showcases were prohibited, signage size on streets and newspapers further restricted (Thomis, 2002, p.65).

Thomis mentions the famous case of Stewart and Porter, whose practice was within McWhirters Emporium, making it too commercial to pass through the Board’s comb.

Another notable case was of multiple offender Mr Mallan, who was one of the first to purchase a neon sign for his business. Examples of his offences include a claim to do ‘[denture] repairs in three hours’. The Board also objected to Mallan’s 1934 candid claim to: “teeth you can chew with”.

Controlling advertising soon became the Board’s main pursuit in the years before WWII, and new forms of publicity had emerged. Thomis further reports that in 1938:

“Dr W F Murphy had delivered a broadcast talk on 4BC [radio] relative to dental matters, and it was feared that his name had been mentioned on air, but the company was able to assure the Board that the speaker had been introduced as the Chairman of the Dental Health Committee of the ADA, which put minds to rest”. (Thomis, 2002, p.86)

The ADAQ Council discussions in the 1930s show a considerable concern for the public ‘deceived by unscrupulous advertisers’ into paying lower fees for bad plates, and losing more teeth than needed. The ADAQ resolved to combat these claims with ‘layman’ propaganda and strengthening advocacy with the Board.

The attitude and restraint of these modern professional dentists, “well trained, nurtured in lofty ideals”, as Hughes described them in 1934, were especially laudable, considering the ‘economic stringency’ they experienced during the Depression.

ADAQ established its own Conduct Committee, tasked to investigate any reported breach and share information with the Board for formal action. The ADAQ and the Board had a reciprocal arrangement that meant the Association acted as ‘informant’ to the Board. In turn, ADAQ was allowed to ‘co-operate’ by keeping dentists in line. The essence of this cooperation was dealing internally with its own members, and ‘facilitating’, even influencing, the Board’s interventions (Thomis, 2002, p.87).

Breach cases were regularly discussed at Council meetings: members did not hesitate to report their colleagues openly. A peer-to-peer talk or warning was often enough, but in some cases the association members would be required to decide for or against ceasing the offender’s membership.

Traditional advertising ethics remained strong in Queensland until the early 1990s. By then the Board had started to lean towards deregulation and competition, supported by the new health consumer representative groups. Only in 1997, with much ado by the ADAQ, were dentists finally allowed to advertise their name and place of practice, as long as they didn’t make any false, misleading, deceptive, disparaging, or potentially harmful claims (Thomis, 2002, p. 180).

REFERENCE:

1. Thomis, MI. (2002). A century of regulation: the Dental Board of Queensland, 1902-2002. Qld: Boolarong Press.

ODONTOLOGICAL TIT FOR TAT

In 1912, the Odontological Society minutes inform us that Mr Lacaze (not present at the meeting) is suspected to have advertised his services unethically in the South Brisbane Herald.

Image

ODONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY QLD MINUTES – JULY 1912

Mr Gibson drew the attention of members to an advertisement by Mr Lacaze in the South Brisbane Herald, after some discussion it was resolved that the Secretary see Mr Lacaze and draw his attention to the matter with a view to getting the advert withdrawn or altered. Mr Coughlin drew attention to articles and an advertisement in a Townsville paper relating to Les C Horton, a candidate for admission to this Society, Resolved that matter go before general meeting with Mr Horton’s application. Meeting terminated.

Lacaze gets a slap in the wrist and has to change his advert to a standard paper notice, similar to this one in the Brisbane Courier.

Image

The Brisbane Courier, 14 March 1912. Source: trove.nla.gov.au

We found poor Mr Lacaze advertised regularly in the Brisbane Courier with the same standard wording, so we can assume he was quite taken aback that his creative South Brisbane Herald stint caught the eye of his Society friends.

In November the following year, Mr Lacaze attends the Society meeting, and makes a point to mention a colleague ‘had plates at hotels announcing dates of his visits’. We can imagine Mr Lacaze revelling in this display of professional tit for tat.

ODONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY QLD MINUTES – NOVEMBER 1913

Dr Lacaze said he saw when in several towns that Wainwright had plates [signage] at hotels announcing dates of his visits.

We could not verify whether or not these two examples were submitted to the Board’s judgement.

ATTRACTIVE FITTINGS

In the above newspaper excerpt, note that many other dentists all advertise in the same restrained way: this means no mention of services, fees, or surgery perks. No long form descriptions.

Contrast these adverts with the longer notices by Miss Eva Ethel Sanderson in 1916. which describe the attractive fittings of her rooms, and refer to her reputation several times.

Image

Catholic Press, Sydney. 30 November 1916, p.38.

Eva Ethel registered with the Board in 1909, after being knocked back for years, due to lack of certifications. Her correspondence with the Board can be accessed through the Queensland Archives digitised files. She does not appear to have been pursued for her many advertisements: perhaps as a woman dentist, working in country towns, she was not considered to be too much competition by her peers?

We have her ornate brass plate at the ADAQ MoD.

CALL ME MAYBE

In February 1930, under the heading ETHICS, the ADAQ minutes mention the appearance of a group of dentists in the Greater Brisbane Classified Directory, a precursor of the Yellow Pages. The Secretary was instructed to write to the members and request the withdrawal of the advertisement.

Further about this case, the following month some members advocated on behalf of the Classified group, pointing out that their names had appeared without authority and without payment. Mr Thompson undertook to attempt to have the members’ names removed from future publications:

Later in 1934, the ADAQ Council ruled that the insertion of the word ‘dentist’ in a telephone directory, in large type after a member’s name, would not constitute a breach of the Code of Ethics.

GO FOR THE GOLD

In 1930, we’re also informed that the matter of the continued use by CGH Barnes of the words GOLD MEDALLIST was referred to the Conduct Committee for necessary action.

Image

The Brisbane Courier, Fri 05 March 1920. Source: trove.nla.gov.au

Barnes liked to advertise in quite an old-fashioned style: the expression gold medallist referred to a profession, was often used in the mid- to late 1800s papers:

Image

Sydney Evening News 28 November 1883. Source: trove.nla.gov.au

BRIGHT IDEAS SHUT DOWN

Imagine you are a 1934 Brisbane dentist, and your wife shows you an interesting article she read in her April Australian Women’s Weekly, and says: look, isn’t this young dentist’s idea great? You’re fuming, and contact the Conduct Committee. Here’s the article, cut and pasted on the minute book:

In June 1934, Mr Reginald F Scott’s case is deemed by the ADAQ of ‘sufficient gravity to warrant a further investigation by the Council’. Scott was invited to attend a general meeting and given the opportunity to explain his conduct. A legal counsel was engaged to advise in the matter.

Scott’s explanation is not reported in the minutes. The President moved:

That a ballot be taken as to whether the members approve or disapprove of Mr Scott’s conduct and that the result of that ballot be deemed to constitute a decision under Rule 6.

The ballot paper was as follows:

I decide/ I do not decide - against the member’s conduct

The result: two thirds of the members present, and voting, did NOT decide against, and therefore Mr Scott maintained his membership of the Association. For now...

Fast forward to 1941, Mr Scott was at it again. The Dental Board bought to ADAQ’s attention that Scott issued a pamphlet in lieu of a 1940 Christmas Greetings Card. This was contrary to the Bylaws, and to clauses 6 and 7 of the ADAQ Code of Ethics.

Judge the pamphlet yourself:

In February 1941, Mr Scott was advised of his cessation of membership under Rule 6, and refunded his subscription for the year.

We have a copy of the circular notice sent to members for voting on this case.

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PAYROLL TAX –ARE YOU AWARE OF

THE RISKS?

FROM OUR PARTNER – WILLIAM BUCK | ANGELA JEFFREY

In December 2022, the Queensland Revenue Office published a payroll tax ruling specifically dealing with the application of payroll tax to medical centres. Importantly, the Ruling clearly notes that the concept of a medical centre extends to dental clinics, physiotherapy practices, radiology centres and similar healthcare providers who engage medical, dental, and other health practitioners or their entities to provide patients with access to the services of practitioners.

How does this affect you as the owner of the dental clinic?

Medical centres such as dental clinics often rely on independent contractors to provide dental services to their patients. As part of this arrangement, dental practices usually collect patient fees on behalf of the dentist and remit these monies (after deduction of lab fees and service fees) to the dentist.

The main question here is whether the dentist is providing services to the dental clinic under a relevant contract and if so, whether the payment (net payment) to the dentist should be subject to payroll tax.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Some of the key considerations are:

• If a contract provides that a dentist is engaged to supply services to the medical centre by serving patients for or on behalf of the centre, the contract will be a relevant contract and as such payroll tax will apply.

• Payroll tax is likely to be payable on net payments from a dental practice to the dentists under a service fee or facilities fee agreement. These agreements may be seen as ‘relevant contracts’ for the dentists.

• The amounts paid by the medical centre to the health practitioner are taken to be taxable wages for the payroll tax purposes.

• Even if the dentist is engaged through a related entity, a payroll tax liability will exist.

• The contractor exemptions may be able to apply to some payments.

• The dentist provides services to the public.

• The dentist works no more than 90 days in a financial year.

• The services provided are performed by two or more people.

• The dentist must engage at least one other person to assist them with delivering the service under the relevant contract.

• The services delivered by the second person must be work that’s required to be performed.

WHERE TO NEXT?

While the Queensland Government has extended an amnesty to GP practices to 30 June 2025, this unfortunately does not apply to dental practices. We therefore recommend that all the payroll tax exposure is calculated by a payroll tax specialist and all your service agreements are reviewed to assess and determine the payroll risk and potential application of exemptions.

OUR MEDICAL SPECIALIST TEAM HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN THIS AREA

Please contact us to determine your risk and assist with your service agreements.

OBITUARY

VALE: MICHAEL PATRICK JOSEPH ‘PAT’ JACKMAN

25 Nov 1942 - 2 Nov 2022 | ADAQ President 1997

THE FINAL JOURNEY

The prelude to Pat’s final journey involved Father Nigel Sequeira, the Parish Priest at Our Lady of Dolours (Mitchelton), conducting a traditional requiem mass. The church was full. The themes were the Australian Defence Force, Catholicism, dentistry, family, humanitarianism, humour and professionalism. Pat attended in an oak-veneered coffin (when appropriate, Pat preferred veneers), attired inter alia in his favourite Hawaiian shirt. He was ostensibly smiling. The ceremony included Words of Remembrance, Lily Weatherby’s emotional rendition of ‘I’ll Never find Another You’, Words of Honour, the Laying of Poppies, the Last Post, One Minute Silence, Taps and the Ode. For the finale, the musicians belted out the recessional hymn: ‘When the Saints Go Marching In.’

Father Nigel initiated the honour guard. Two White Ladies bookended the coffin, with Pat and Jo’s five daughters (MaryEllen, Johanna, Norah, Katherine and Julie) and Pat’s sister Carmel being pallbearers. Jo and her sister, Trish (England), followed. Strained and pale faces, but no tears. Other family members, most notably many grandchildren, who ‘Poppa loved dearly’, colleagues, friends, parishioners and at least one former BDH patient followed. Prior administrative, clinical, nursing and technical staff from The Palace and the RBWH, three former ADAQ Presidents, one former ADA President, one past AMAQ President and ex- and current servicemen and servicewomen were obvious attendees. After what was a penetrating expression of Catholic, collegial, familial and institutional solidarity, Pat began his final journey.

CONQUERING EARLY ADVERSITY

Brisbane-born, with a penchant to resolving issues the hard way, Pat ‘decided’ to appear at birth with a bilateral cleft involving the lip and palate. The 1942 context warrants explanation. This was wartime involving European, Asian and Pacific theatres. The Japanese had bombed and shelled Australia and occupied territory stretching from Burma to Rabaul and the Solomon Islands. There was no commercially available penicillin. Resources and personnel were scant. The 1940s and 1950s were an era of no Medicare and no Cleft Lip and Palate Scheme. Bone augmentation and grafts and dental implants, plastic surgeons, maxillo-facial surgeons and orthodontists, as known today, did not exist. The treatment outcome was, at best, an altered facial profile, partial anodontia, a high and asymmetric lip line, nasal resonance when speaking, a partial denture and facial scarring. These experiences arguably contributed to Pat’s later empathy and connection with special needs patients.

ENTER JO

Necessity is the mother of invention. Pat ‘elected to be born’ with wonderful parents and supportive siblings, namely Tony, Terry, Carmel and Kevin. A traditional Catholic education was the family norm. Secondary schooling involved St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace, where Pat was a solid, but not outstanding, student and sportsperson. He enrolled in Dentistry at the University of Queensland for 1962, was awarded a Royal Australian Air Force scholarship and graduated in 1966, whereupon he served at Amberley (1966), Bankstown (1967) and at Butterworth in Malaysia (1967-1968). The absence of dental specialists at the last base meant exposure to complicated treatment plans, including dentoalveolar surgery. More importantly, after some discreet reconnaissance and covert international manoeuvres, Pat married Johanna (Jo) Farrelly, then an English Nursing Sister serving in the Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing Service.

CAREER

In 1969, Pat and Jo went to ‘bash the Nash in the Old Country’. On returning to Brisbane in 1971, apart from introducing Jo, MaryEllen and Johanna to his parents, Pat began a fifteen-year fulltime career with the Royal Australian Army Dental Corps, which included postings to Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney and five years in Papua New Guinea. The PNG placement, via the beckoning of a Head and Neck Surgeon, implicated Pat in pre- and post-operative management of patients afflicted with oral cancer and cleft lip and palate. In 1986, Pat bought a dental practice at Strathpine, which friend and associate and former Australian Army Dental Officer, Richard Outridge, fully acquired in 2000. After spending one year on Norfolk Island as a ‘Government’ Dental Officer, Queensland Health appointed Pat as an itinerant locum (2001, Blackall, Boulia, Caboolture, Charters Towers, Rockhampton, Tambo and Winton) and subsequently at the Brisbane Dental Hospital (2002-2014) to pursue a special needs career involving head and neck cancer and bone marrow transplant patients. Within this period of service, Pat and Jo volunteered to work in ‘remote’ parts of the Northern Territory (2012) and Pat briefly supervised students (2013) at James Cook University, Cairns.

ADAQ SERVICE

Pat served as the ADAQ President (1997), a Councillor (19931998) and, in the 1990s, within the ADAQ Education, Goddard Oration and Patient Liaison Committees and as the Convenor for the Dental Auxiliaries, Media Liaison, Members Services, Newsletter and Social and Sports Committees. Each ADAQ President embraces diverse and onerous responsibilities. Pat, through no fault of the ADAQ, inherited the presidential year from ‘Hell’. A Brisbane City Council Lord Mayoral candidate, without consultation, announced a decision to fluoridate the Brisbane water supply. The political setting for debate within both the state government and the BCC was hostile. Pat, against the odds, became another understated but pivotal member in the cast of fluoride advocates across Queensland.

There was, however, one very sweet Presidential moment: a triumphant seizure of the AMAQ-ADAQ Golf Cup from the medicos who held it from 1992-1996. The ‘donor’ was Dr Rob Brown, AMAQ President 1997, former Regimental Medical Officer in the 2nd Pacific Islands Regiment and Pat’s brother-in-law.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

• Vice-President UQDA (now UQDSA), 1966.

• Graduated BDSc, 1966.

• Married Jo.

• Jo and Pat raised five daughters.

• Walked the Kokoda Trail in 4.5 days, 1974.

• Fellowship RACDS, 1978, with five children aged under six years.

• Ran at least three marathons, 1980-1982.

• Fellowship International College of Dentists, 2008.

• First dental clinician to serve on Queensland Health’s Clinical Senate, 2010-2012.

• ADAQ Life Membership, 2014.

• Welfare Officer for the Defence Force Welfare Association, 2014-2022.

• Either authored or co-authored:

• Dissenting Report to Final Report of Lord Mayor's Taskforce on Fluoridation.

• A Paralysis in Public Health Policy: Water Fluoridation in Queensland (1996-2006).

• Dental Implications of Commonly Prescribed Medications.

• At least ten brochures for special needs patients.

Pat and Jo travelled to China, the USA, England and Europe and, in 2014, hiked the Camino de Santiago Trail (Spain) and cruised on the rivers of Europe. After several years of battling Alzheimer’s, Pat suffered a significant stroke on 25th October 2022. There is a price for principles. Pat stepped up to the plate and paid the premium. Thank you for your humour, memories, professionalism and your passionate advocacy of prevention. To Jo and family, the words and melody of the Rodgers and Hammerstein song come to mind: ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.

DR RON BLAKE, IN A PRESIDENTIAL LETTER OF COMMENDATION, 10 SEPTEMBER 2014, WRITES:

Every profession has a small number of members who are motivated to improve the circumstances in which they operate... You are one of those rare individuals... The Association acknowledges your leadership of the profession during your term as President... We acknowledge your outstanding personal efforts in campaigning for water fluoridation in the face of substantial unscientific and emotive opposition, particularly at the political level, and we also acknowledge your more recent excellent efforts with the clinical dental treatment of most seriously ill patients...

PAT’S IDIOMS

A dental drill just makes a bigger hole; it does not ‘treat’ the tooth... Hi, I’m Pat Jackman, how can I help?... Preventistry... It’s in MIMS. Look it up!... You yourself cannot control your cancer destiny; but you can control your dental destiny... If you have a problem, and there is a solution - that you apply - you haven’t got that problem... Cancer surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy treatment is a medical marathon; and a lot of people finish it well...

View details of the programme on our website and register now. world-dental-congress.org

MEET OUR HIGHLIGHTED SPEAKERS

Introducing six of our sought-after speakers, hand-picked from across Australia and around the world. Offering four full days of unparalleled professional learning, our world-class programme features an extensive range of dental topics, with something for everyone.

Prof. Ove Peters Brisbane, Australia

Dr Filippo Cardinali Ancona, Italy

Prof. Jonathan Clark Sydney, Australia

Dr Georgios Romanos New York, USA

Prof. Tara Renton London, UK

Prof. Bill Scarfe Louisville, USA

MARKING OVER 45 YEARS OF DENTISTRY UTILISING GENERAL ANAESTHESIA IN BRISBANE

Dr Anthony Speed, in association with anaesthetists from the Wesley Anaesthetic Group, wishes to advise that he can facilitate treatment for patients requiring general anaesthesia in our outpatient facility at Holland Park. This is particularly useful for patients who have no private hospital insurance. With an extensive range of experience, the team is willing to undertake wisdom tooth removal, implant placement and perform routine restorative dentistry on all age groups including children aged 3 and above. Anxiety sufferers, local anaesthetic problems,

severe gag reflex sufferers, special needs patients, and dementia sufferers have all been successfully treated over the years. Additionally, we are now able to offer Cerec single visit crowns so that the patient does not have to return for subsequent cementation. Patients who are medically compromised can be treated at St Andrew’s Private Hospital by arrangement.

CONTACT

If this service can be of assistance to some of your patients, please phone the reception staff on 3397 1339 for further information. Referral booklets are available on request

Now is the time to ask us how before the Temporary Full

If you’re considering upgrading your car or practice equipment, now may be the perfect time to make that purchase.

The Temporary Full Expensing Scheme ends on 30 June 2023, and to be eligible to claim an immediate deduction, one qualifying condition is that your car or equipment must be delivered and installed by this date – not just purchased. With the current lengthy wait times, be sure to make your purchase today to take advantage of this attractive incentive

We’ve been tailoring flexible asset finance solutions for dental professionals for over 30 years. Now let us help you make the most of this opportunity.

Visit boqspecialist.com.au/eoy to find out more, or speak to your local finance specialist on 1300 160 160.