The second month into the new financial year, more than a month passed the winter solstice, a month since the July school holidays.  Those of you who have seen many of these yearly milestones will relate to my feelings that the years skip by faster and faster.  We mark our years in many ways: membership subscriptions, tax deadlines and regular bills for payment are not the highlights of anyone’s life, but a new ski season, international sporting event, open season or personal challenge or a personal goal are all things which enrich our lives.

Being a member of a profession, as opposed to just “having a job” has its privileges and obligations.  Listening to Jane Walton on the latest Dental Files talk about ethics and the meaning of being professional prompted me to consider the following issues currently under consideration by the ADAVB Council in that light. 

Medicare Chronic Disease Dental Scheme audits
We all received the letter from the Health Department in early July reiterating the need to strictly follow Government protocols when treating a patient who has been referred under this scheme.  There are a few dentists who have not honestly used the scheme to provide good health care to patients, such as claiming for treatment never done.  Another minority group have knowingly agreed to cosmetic improvements for patients, using tax payers’ money to do work with no direct health improvement outcome.  These people deserve to be made to repay and deserve the shame they bring on themselves and our profession.  The blowout in Government estimates for the scheme is chiefly due to the large unmet need for dental care in certain sections of society.  The Medicare Teen Dental Plan has the potential for rorting because it does not care for those most in need.  Despite this experience which emphasises the enormous cost of providing dental care and the ways in which universal access schemes can and will be abused, I doubt that the Government will learn from this experience.  It is much easier to blame dentists and doctors.  Getting bureaucrats to listen to professionals’ considered opinions is very difficult and hugely frustrating, but your State and Federal associations will keep reminding Government of more effective targeted options and policies. 

e-Health
e-Health aims to improve communication between patients’ health care professionals so as to optimise care and minimise risk of misinformation/poor outcomes. However, it will be a challenge to make workable.  Dental health is increasingly being acknowledged as important to general health, and we must promote this message in our communities.  Technical complications, privacy issues and the potential for human error in the day-to-day use of technologies concern us greatly.  The National E-Health Transition Authority has commenced work on e-Health. We are adding to their deliberations with proactive suggestions and pointing out how delivery of dental treatment often differs from other health care.  It is wise to consider how e-Health may impact on our current practising habits in the areas of record keeping and referrals.  Reviewing systems, upgrades, or expanding current use should all be done with the new requirements in mind as it is scheduled to start in 2012. 

Dental Board of Australia (DBA)
The fine tuning of the national board registrations is underway.  Details of the 10 new national boards (medical, pharmacy etc.) are listed on the Australian Health Professions Regulatory Authority (AHPRA) website.  Our Regional Board of the Dental Board of Australia serves Victoria, Tasmania and the ACT. Please check that you are registered as you expect!  All registered dentists can now practice anywhere in Australia.  It will take some time before all the new guidelines are familiar throughout the profession.  The details often seem unclear and each dentist should take responsibility for reviewing the workings of their team and obligations to be met in areas such as advertising and professional indemnity insurance cover.  Dentists should be leading their team’s discussions on scope of practice of team members, depending on qualifications and experience, and the protocols they employ to ensure the best care/ service outcomes for all patients.  This is another area where professional ethics comes into our decision making and work practices.  With more options in the delivery of care, dentists must know who can do what.  If in doubt, review the DBA guidelines  (www.ahpra.gov.au).  I know that as most of us do not have to interact with our regulatory authority, it is all too easy to be unaware of new obligations.  ADAVB will keep members updated through the Newsletter and Branch website. 

New CPD requirements
ADAVB hopes last month’s Convention gave delegates a kick start in the first three year cycle of mandatory CPD as directed by the DBA.  ADAVB reiterates that every approach to the new dental board was approached on behalf of members who had CPD hours accumulated before 1 July, but to no avail.  Keep all records of CPD achieved.  The Federal website provides such a service:  select “Edit my profile” on the left hand menu, then “Manage CPD”. 

With no accreditation of CPD courses, it is a case of “let buyers beware”.  Professionalism is required in this area and we encourage more experienced members to discuss and support junior colleagues in making this mandatory measure effective in their growth and development as dental professionals.  Clinical dentistry changes even more quickly than regulations and we are all obliged to keep up with best practice.  Running our small businesses or organising delivery of public dentistry requires skills other than clinical, hence the need for us to also attend CPD courses which teach us such things.  Hence, 20% of CPD’s 60 hours in the three year cycle can be other than clinical or scientific.

ADAVB suggests that members should aim to start earning CPD hours and maintain a yearly average rather than be obliged to accumulate required hours in haste towards the end of the three year cycle.  Online activities (such as the Clinical Update in this Newsletter) gain valuable credits.  Face-to-face courses are very valuable when often insights into improving patient care are gleaned at coffee or lunch breaks.  ADAVB’s CPD staff and Committee work diligently to provide the best possible learning opportunities in areas identified by members.  Style of program, delivery and outcomes from the perspective of time and money spent by members on CPD is constantly under review and improvement.  The Australian Dental Congress in Brisbane - Wednesday 30 March to Sunday 3 April 2011 - is another opportunity for gaining CPD -see www.adc2011.com 

See you out there
Your newly elected Council had its first meeting last month and we hope to have already met many of you at Dentistry2010. Councillors have been reassigned to the various local and regional Groups for the coming two years.  Do make an effort to attend these local meetings.  Alternatively, contact ADAVB with issues of concerns that have impacted on your professional life.  We need input and feedback which we can then use to best represent the profession in this time of challenging changes.