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DENTAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA
NEWS
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Wed, 09 Aug 2006
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| DENIS THE MENACE |
It has come to my attention that many medical
schemes are providing a poor package of dental
benefits to their clients, which even falls short
of the public sector provision of services
regarding basic dentistry for all people in South
Africa. The minimum basic services for the public
sector as prescribed by the Hon. Mantoshabalala
Msimang Minister of Health, in the White Paper
on the transformation of oral health care in
South Africa clearly describes a minimum basic
dental package that is in line with global
preventative measures regarding dental care where
individuals may have the provision of primary
dental care which include fillings, scaling and
polishing, dental x-rays and extractions as well
as the application of fluoride and preventative
agents .
a) Minimum package of oral health care
A defined minimum package of oral health care
should be provided to the priority groups listed
above. This package should consist of
examinations, bitewing radiographs, cleaning of
teeth, simple 1-3 surface fillings, fissure
sealants and emergency relief of pain and
infection control.
Oral diseases, especially dental caries and
periodontal diseases, are among the most common
diseases affecting South African society. More
than 90% of adults in South Africa suffer from
dental caries, and 93,5% from periodontal
diseases. It is worth noting that oral diseases
are increasing among major sections of the
population, especially the disadvantaged and
urbanized groups.
Excerpt - White Paper for the Transformation of
the Health System in South Africa Department of
Health April 1997
I must commend the minister in taking such a step
toward the fight against the two most prevalent
conditions in our country, dental caries (+-92%)
and periodontal disease (+-95%), by adequately
providing these services that are direly needed
by all South Africans to ensure good oral
health .As dental practitioners in the country,
it is becoming frustrating in dealing with the
vast playing fields that are being created by
schemes with no consideration for the primary
dental care needs of their members ( our
patients ) . Each scheme seems to ignore the
industry standards that were initially set out by
the Board of Healthcare Funders and are on a
quest to minimize patient benefits in order to
maximize profitability or sustainability of the
scheme itself. Basic Conservative Dentistry is
not an auxiliary service, it is a basic health
right of all South Africans which must be made
part of the prescribed minimum benefit (PMB)for
all patients.
If the state can afford to provide these basic
dental services for South Africans, surely the
private sector should be able to for their
members, who may, as a result of the current
systems, become a burden to the public health
sector these schemes then become a
contradiction to private healthcare and their
existence.
Our second and principal concern however, is the
blatant discrimination of our profession in terms
of benefit structure allocation.
The blatant expulsion of Dental Therapists from
the consultative process, web site, information
brochures, benefit guides, smile programme,
dental literature and every other activity at
DENIS (dental information systems) and associated
schemes, shows disrespect of the profession as
well as autonomous decision making by executives
and advisors at DENIS that are wholly dentist
managed and owned there is no representation of
Dental Therapy, no consultation with our
association or notification of guidelines for
Dental Therapists. DENTASA Dental Therapists
Association of South Africa, on behalf of all
dental therapists would not tolerate such obvious
and bold dictatorship from DENIS. As an example
DENIS pays dentists twice the NRPL consultation
rate whilst excluding, limiting and reducing NRPL
rates for Dental Therapists. Dentists
are allowed to perform fillings per patient
without limitations whilst Dental Therapists may
not do more than three fillings for a patient and
not more than ten per year for a family. It is
quite apparent that DENIS is looking after the
economic interests of Dentists at the expense of
benefit allocations to Dental Therapists and our
patients.
This sort of unethical business practice is
undesirable and constitutes professional
discrimination to which DENIS and the schemes
associated are liable and accountable.
The conservative dental category is a scope that
spans both professions. It is unethical for DENIS
to choose which profession to grant more freedoms
to practice whilst limiting another. Our
patients, and not a dental administrator, must
make the decision on whom to visit for
conservative dental treatment. This
anticompetitive behaviour is in contravention of
the competitions council and constitutes unfair
and unethical business practice. Both a dentist
and dental therapist are able to perform the same
end result and function in conservative
dentistry.
(SCALING & POLISHING, XRAYS, RESTORATIONS,
EXTRACTIONS ETC.)
It is a routine with DENIS that a Dental
Therapist must submit x-rays for every patient
since every patient needs motivation, this does
not apply to Dentists. Yet our requests are never
taken seriously with 80% of them being denied
procedures, for essential fillings to save
teeth. Denis excludes vital codes for the
practice of Dental Therapy such as the provision
of sterilised instruments (are we to use
unsterile) , indirect pulp therapies, three or
more surface restorations, abcess drainage, oral
health instructions and others
- these vital
procedures are excluded for Dental Therapists, as
a result our patients are either not charged for
(provided free to patients) or patients then have
to pay for these exclusions. As a result of this
discrimination many of our patients are visiting
Dentists where their bills are promptly settle by
Denis.
We have requested a set of rules in writing from
DENIS on several occasions but were denied this,
as they do not give such information in writing.
We have also tried on several occasions to speak
to the dental advisor whom the operators inform
is Dr. Dunn as well as addressed these concerns
to the executive directors (Dr Gareth Hayton) but
these individuals refuse to take our & our
members calls. Moreover, numerous formal requests
to engage DENTASA in resolving the matter has
fallen on deaf ears copies of correspondence
sent to DENIS EXECUTIVE is attached.
DENTASA on behalf of its members hereby submit
that:-
1) In terms of section 61 of the Act, the
Registrar has the ability, with the concurrence
of the Council and the Minister, to declare a
business practice as undesirable for all or a
particular category of medical schemes, or all or
a particular category of persons who render
contractual, administrative or intermediary
services.
2) It is undesirable to discriminate between
the providers of health care services on an
arbitrary and contrived basis, and to limit a
patients freedom of choice in respect of his or
her preferred health care provider.
3) It is undesirable to permit the
perpetuation of a practice, which artificially
and unjustifiably manipulates the market for
health care services, where no rational
explanation exists in order to justify either the
distinction or the prejudice caused to both
Dental Therapists and their patients.
Medical Schemes Act, Act No. 131 of 1998 (the
Act).
Furthermore the schemes / Denis advises our
patients to see dentists as their accounts would
then be settled as dentists can do more for them
as per the discriminatory regulations set out by
DENIS. This discrimination as well as unethical
behaviour of DENIS needs to be addressed as we as
Dental Therapists in South Africa feel
prejudiced. The Dentist to Dental Therapist ratio
in SA is 10:1.
This discrimination, that is negatively impacting
our business as private practitioners is not
tolerated and is regarded as an unfair business
practice by the competitions council. Dental
Therapists are wholly black practitioners that
are being discriminated against by a majority
white controlled DENIS and other schemes, from
our inquiries we found only one black executive
member who is a clinical auditor in the executive
at DENIS.
This sort of discrimination is clearly against
policies for black economic empowerment as it
places black Dental Therapists in an
anticompetitive environment through market
controlled tactics by medical schemes. Most
Dental Therapists currently service rural and
outlaying regions that Dentists seem to ignore,
as they are mostly located in lucrative dense
urban regions. The aggressive limitations poised
by DENIS and schemes against Dental Therapists
are ultimately relating to a disparity in
benefits for majority of black patients in rural
areas that are mostly affected. This racial
demography is characteristic of historical
Apartheid. We as Dental Therapists must provide
our patients with quality and service they come
to expect and simply cannot ensure our business
survival through such blatant and compromising
pricing structures promulgated by DENIS and
associated schemes.
Whilst we are faced with such irritate
discrimination and oppression from your scheme,
we must state that no other scheme in the country
has these discriminatory attitudes to our
profession.
We hereby call on the executive board at your
scheme to;
1. Supply reasons why discrimination exists for
Dental Therapists
2. Put an end to professional discrimination
and anti-constitutional corporate behaviour
3. To comply with the medical schemes council,
bhf and competitions council rules and
regulations regarding ethical business operations
and anti discriminatory regulations.
4. Engage DENTASA on consultation and
involvement in the pricing/ regulation process.
6. Representation at DENIS and your scheme as a
stakeholder profession & clinical advisors in
dentistry for Dental Therapy.
7. Observe the Dental Therapy profession as a
sovereign profession not a stepchild of
DENTISTRY and Dentists.
8. To settle our accounts timeously and end the
professional bigotry.
Should you wish to engage in further deliberation
regarding this issue, Feel free to contact
DENTASA by email - denticare@vodamail.co.za.
Yours for Equality in Dentistry
Lesley Sebastian Naidoo
(B.Dent.Th), (Pg.Dip.Pub.Adm.) (MBA)
Dental Therapist
Chairman
DENTASA
Po box 561646 Chatsworth 4030 KZN
denticare@vodamail.co.za
telefax: 031 - 7085797
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Posted 15:06
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Tue, 25 Jul 2006
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| DENTAL THERAPY DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA - LATEST DEVELOPMENTS |
Every person develops through their lifetime
growing through the phases of their existence and
in doing so contribute to humanity either by
becoming an asset to the collective or a
liability of sorts. In our nation, we are still
growing and establishing the foundations of a new
era in society one that is democratic and just,
built on the foundations of the freedom charter
and a sound constitution protecting basic human
rights, abolishing discrimination in all sectors
of society.
Dentistry shares a significant part of the social
well being of all South Africans. More
essentially, Dental Therapy is a fundamental
profession in the health sector providing
preventative, primary and secondary oral
healthcare. According to recent needs analysis
surveys, oral health indices which isolate two of
the most common oral disease in the world
affecting all human beings are dental caries and
gum disease these disease patterns have been
reported not only to cause localized infection
and disease but has been linked as precursors to
other general medical conditions Periodontal
Disease and Dental Caries have accounted for (+-
95%) and (92%) respectively in South Africa.
The Dental Therapy profession is uniquely
designed to effectively and efficiently deal with
these conditions as recognized by the Minister of
Health in the white paper on the transformation
of Oral Health in South Africa, where she has
concurrently stated that one dentist post can be
changed to two dental therapist posts to
effectively distribute much needed services cost
effectively and specifically. Currently there are
approximately 500 registered dental therapists in
the country and the state has plans for
increasing the number of dental therapists to be
recruited.
One issue that has not been addressed is the
nature of the Dental Therapy profession. A Dental
Therapist spends three years studying at a
tertiary institution and studies many subjects
crammed into each year with little or no student
life on campus compared to other undergraduates
who spend each year completing at least four
subjects while dental therapists push through
some seven to eight courses a year. Dentists
spend two more years in tertiary institutions.
The cost of training a dental therapist is half
of that of a dentist (ministry of health).
The cost of employing a dental therapist is half
of that of a dentist and forms a strategic fit
with the provision of a basic package of dental
care service in the public sector. The workload
in the public sector involves primarily the
delivery of the basic minimum package of dental
care as prescribed by the minister of health,
which encapsulates the dental therapy profession
wholly and specifically.
The specificity to which the profession deals
with the oral health package is undeniably
profound, as it covers the need vs. deployment
issue 100%. Are Dentists redundant? Absolutely
not. All oral health professions form part of the
oral health team including specialists, nurses
and assistants.
The fundamental problem lies in the obvious
dominance of one profession over others. This
dominance exists due to the age of the dental
profession as well as apartheid policies that
restricted dental therapy enrolment still
evident today. While policy asks for a greater
ratio of dental therapists to dentists, the
current state is that for every one dental
therapist (480) there are about 12 dentists (+-
4500). Dental Therapists form a 10% ratio to that
of dentists and 50% ratio to that of oral
hygienists(1:2).
Why is the much-needed profession dwindling in
numbers?
Some of these issues relate to;
1. No concerted effort to develop the
profession. Dentists, SADA and the dental gurus
(DENTIST BASED) committee of dental deans lead
the dental profession in South Africa these
people have no interest in dental therapy, they
exist only to propagate and protect the
profession of the dentist and their existing
structures. These grandfathers of Dentistry in
South Africa have come to a dead end regarding
the dental therapy profession as they refuse to
credit the profession they created for vertical
or horizontal progression.
2. Barriers to expansion and academic
development by other threatened professions viz;
dentists (South African Dental Association SADA
and its influence on dental deans who have shown
anti-dental therapy symptoms.)
3. Entrapment efforts by so called dental
gurus and leaders to stifle and subdue dental
therapists wanting to progress by not recognizing
the profession and also not crediting dental
therapists for prior learning (contradictory
stance to the recognition of prior learning and
Skills Development Act).
4. Alienation tactics, to eliminate the
profession by excluding it from social
recognition absence of marketing by dental
traders regarding dental therapists in branding
presence or oral health initiatives eg. Smile
programme by DENIS (dentist controlled Dental
Information Systems multiple medical aid scheme
administrator refusing to pay for services
rendered by dental therapists and allocating
unfair advantages to fellow dentist colleagues -
excludes dental therapists in preventative oral
health campaigns.)
The lists of these discriminatory individuals are
endless for whatever exclusionary reasons,
profoundly in the private sector.
5. Dental Therapists are unorganized due to
a non-active association which is currently
being reorganized.
6. Dental Therapists pay structures are not
in line with pay structures for other health care
providers in the same level in the public
service, Scarce skills allowances as well as pay
progressions for senior dental therapists and
those in management posts are not paid
equitably .The discriminatory fee schedule for
the national price reference list for dental
services are hugely unjust for dental therapists
providing same services in the private sector as
dentists.
7. The Fact that nobody seems to be doing
anything constructive about these pertinent
issues leaves dental therapists feeling depressed
and remorseful about their profession as they
lose self esteem and pride in their profession
many either leave the profession, practice with
dentists who train dental therapists to provide
services beyond their scope as quoted by
executive director Dr Neil Campbell _ SADA
they blend in with dentists SADJ 2001, many
therapists continue with the struggle
8. Poor education planning and no effort for
post graduate development courses neither
horizontal nor vertical progression makes being a
dental therapist quite challenging for those
people wanting to progress from dental therapy in
the dental profession.
9. Inadequate leadership in dental therapy
as well as poor professional infrastructure
causes a widening gap between existence and
survival.
10. Dental Therapy has been abandoned by the
family of dental professions in South Africa.
There is no team effort in Dentistry in South
Africa.
Dental Therapy is a black profession in South
Africa, one that has been ostracized and
ridiculed yet it is the profession that continues
to provide specific cost effective answers for
South Africas greatest oral epidemics.
DENTAL THERAPY EMPOWERMENT STRATEGY
Dental Therapists in South Africa , in light of
the HR plan for health 2006 , call for
1. An urgent restructuring of the profession
to include as every other profession, horizontal
and vertical academic progression to the existing
three-year degree programme. This would include
outcome based course modules in the dental
specialties, healthcare management, and
accreditation of current learning at all South
African education Institutions as per the SAQA
and NQF level recognition.
2. Registration in dental specialties
following appropriate course module completion as
per the fundamentals of Outcomes Based Education.
Presently Dental therapists can perform the basic
and secondary dental services; removal of teeth
under local anesthetics, diagnosis, treatment
planning, dental x-rays, prognosis, referring to
dental specialists, scaling and polishing as well
as all classes of dental restorations.
Specialized outcomes would include outcome based
module courses in several dental specialties such
as prosthodontics, endodontics etc..
3. An end to all forms of professional
discrimination and the use of national
educational framework as a measure of academic
levels (NQF) with reference to PPS (Professional
Provident Society) Found to discriminate
against black dental therapists.
4. To be recognized by the Medicines control
council as a profession that dispenses as all
dental therapists use on a daily basis schedule 4
drugs (injectables) End the contradictory
approach adopted by the Medicines control council.
5. To re-examine the dental therapy scope of
practice and for the National Task Team (NTT) to
make recommendations for change in the
profession.
6. To involve more dental therapists in
educator roles as well as leadership roles in the
profession of dental therapy in Universities that
train Dental Therapists.
7. To establish the sovereignty of the
profession and ensure that the rights of the
profession as well as all its members are
protected by the constitution of South Africa and
eliminate any opposition, bullying or anti-dental
therapy force that would act as a detriment to
the profession or its members. To lobby the
Health Professions Council to recognize the
sovereignty of the profession and gain support
form Dental traders as well as the ministry of
Health in achieving the objectives of the
profession and its association.
The South African Dental Therapy Association
calls for an urgent meeting with the National
Minister of Health to discuss the plight of the
profession and to establish the way forward for
Dental Therapy in South Africa. The barriers to
our progression can only be overcome through
government intervention. We have exhausted our
efforts trying to approach every other avenue and
it seems we now need some intervention from our
Minister.
Are you interested in helping achieve these
objectives - contact lesley chairman of dentasa -
kzn to discuss the way forward - email :
denticare@vodamail.co.za
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Posted 10:14
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Fri, 05 May 2006
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| DENTAL THERAPY TO OVERSHADOW DENTISTS IN 2009 AND BEYOND |
HR PLAN FOR HUMAN RESOURCES FOR HEALTH
Proposed Annual National
Production
DENTISTS
This doubling in production takes into
consideration the challenges faced by the public
health services needing the skills of this
profession.
Reduce to 120 by 2008 - DENTISTS PRODUCTION TO BE
REDUCED FROM 200 PER YR TO 120 PER YEAR
DENTAL THERAPISTS - FROM 25 PER YEAR TO 600
Increase to 600 by 2009
Dental therapists are critical to provision of
PHC (oral health). Current production levels must
be increased and training must occur at every
dental school.
Posts are available in adequate numbers but
career mobility must be improved in the public
health sector.
FOR MORE INFO CHECK OUT THE NEW HR PLAN FOR
HEALTH SECTOR CHAPTER 5 PAGE 59
PLAN FOR A PARADIGM SHIFT IN PREVENTATIVE
APPROACHS TO ORAL DISEASE - THIS IS WHERE PRIMARY
HEALTH CARE BURNS RUBBER AND MEETS THE ROAD TO A
HEALTHY JOURNEY DOWN THE ORAL SECTOR.
LETS SEE HOW SADA BITES THIS ONE !!!
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Posted 17:50
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Sun, 05 Feb 2006
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| DENTASA OBJECTIVES |
1. TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE AND PROFESSIONAL
ASSOCIATION ADOPTING BEST BUSINESS PRACTICE AND
MANAGEMENT AT ALL LEVELS OF THE ASSOCIATION
2. TO ATTAIN FULL MEMBERSHIP OF ALL
REGISTERED DENTAL THERAPISTS IN SOUTH AFRICA BY
OCTOBER 2006
3. TO FACILLITATE THE DEVELOPMENT AND
POGRESSION OF DENTAL THERAPY AND DENTAL
THERAPISTS
4. TO ELIMINATE PROFESSIONAL DISCRIMINATION
AND FOSTER HEALTHIER RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DENTAL
FRATERNITY .
5. TO PROTECT THE INTRESTS OF DENTAL THERAPY
AND DENTAL THERAPISTS IN SOUTH AFRICA
6. TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH DENTAL
COUNCILS ACROSS THE WORLD FOR THE RECOGNITION OF
THE SOUTH AFRICAN DENTAL THERAPY PROFESSION AS AN
INTERNATIONALY ACCREDITED PROFESSION - TO
FACILLITATE INTERNATIONAL ACCREDTITION PROGRAMMES
7. TO FACILLITATE THE PROGRESSION OF DENTAL
THERAPY TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND
EXPANDED FUNCTIONS OF THERAPISTS
8. TO PROTECT DENTAL THERAPISTS FROM UNFAIR
LABOUR PRACTICE AND DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORK
ENVIRONMNT
9. TO PROMOTE DENTAL THERAPY TO ALL ORAL
HEALTHCARE ROLEPLAYERS
10. TO FACILLITATE THE INVOLVEMENT OF DENTAL
THERAPISTS IN COMMUNITY ORAL HEALTHCARE
PROGRAMMES
11. TO FACILLITATE RECOGNITION OF THE
PROFESSION TO FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND PROMOTE
DENTAL THERAPISTS REQUIRING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
OR START UP CAPITAL
12. TO ATTAIN PPS ACCREDITION FOR ALL DENTAL
THERAPISTS
13. TO ENSURE EQUAL PAY FOR PROCEDURES AS
RENDERED BY OTHER DENTAL PROFESSIONALS AND
PREVENT DISCRIMINATION BY MEDICAL FUNDERS .
14 TO BUILD A UNIFIED DENTAL ASSOCIATION IN
SA WITH A GENERAL DENTAL COUNCIL IN THE LONG TERM
15. TO ENCOURAGE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVES IN THE DENTAL THERAPY PROFESSION IN
SOUTH AFRICA
16. TO ENCOURAGE THE RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING
OF MORE DENTAL THERAPISTS AS PER THE WHITE PAPER
ON THE TRANSFORMATION OF HEALTHCARE IN SOUTH
AFRICA
17. TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT SUITABLE FOR
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MEMBERS AND THE
EXECUTIVE OF DENTASA
18. TO EMPOWER DENTAL THERAPISTS AND ASSIST
WHERE NECESSARY MAKING REPRESENTATIONS ON BEHALF
OF MEMBERS AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNANACE , ETHICS
AND BEST PRACTICE
19. TO ENGAGE ALL MEMBERS I N CONTINUED
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CPD . AND STAY AHEAD
WITH THE DEVELOPMENTS IN DENTAL TECHNOLOGY .
20. TO PROVIDE DENTAL SOLUTIONS TO ALL SOUTH
AFRICANS BY CREATING UNIQUE BUSINESS RELATIONS
WITH DENTAL PARTNERS AND MEMBERS IN MAKING
DENTISTRY AFFORDABLE AND DENTAL TREATMENT
ATTAINABLE .
21. TO ESTABLISH THE SOVREIGNITY OF DENTAL
THERAPY IN SOUTH AFRICA
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Posted 18:07
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| GROSS INJUSTICE AND PROFESSIONAL DISCRIMINATION |
I would like to bring to your attention the
gross injustice and discriminations faced by our
profession since the development of independent
practice of dental therapy in our country in
1994, where dental therapists were given their
right to the independent practice of their
profession This fuelled discontent with
dentists as dental therapists entered the dental
fraternity in the private practice context of
dental service delivery. In brief, dental therapy
is a dental profession that provides for basic
and secondary dental care required by all people
in South Africa these services include and are
not limited to;
1. General preventative dental procedures
2. Taking of dental x-rays
3. consultation , diagnosis and prognosis of
dental abnormalities
4. Treatment planning including execution
of procedures such as ;
- restoration (fillings) of teeth all
classes & types
- extractions
- attending to dental emergencies
- pulp therapies
- sutures , treatment of sepsis abcess
excision & drainage
In perspective, dental therapists provide
services which are required by all individuals ,
as well as the oral health care package of
services highlighted by the minister of health in
the white paper on the transformation of oral
healthcare in South Africa , where debate has
loomed in her statements such as ; one dentist
post can be converted to two dental therapy posts
and serve the needs of the people more
efficiently . Although it may appear in many
professional circles that our profession does not
exist , it must be understood by the reader that
dental therapy has been ostracized from the
dental fraternity in South Africa, as the
profession does not enjoy adequate representation
at committees and bodies that determine the
education , continued professional development ,
remuneration by medical schemes ( board of
healthcare funders ) who autonomously, under the
guise of dentists who do not represent dental
therapy ,make unsatisfactory decisions and
contribute to the degradation of the profession .
DENTASA Dental Therapy Association Of South
Africa is the sole organ that represents dental
therapists in South Africa . The antagonistic and
condescending approach adopted by dentists toward
the profession is blatantly visible in their
position paper published in the South African
Dental Journal SADA South African Dental
Association ( association of dentists ) that
calls for a closure of the profession and to end
the training of dental therapists Since this
position paper was published, the committee of
dental deans ( so called gurus of dentistry - who
are all dentists members of SADA ) together with
SADA lobbied for the closure of the profession
and refused to credit any dental therapist
wanting to progress to become a dentist , and
treating such person as a matriculant ( totally
contradictory to the skills development act and
the recognition of prior learning )
However their appeal for closure of
dental therapy was unsuccessful due to the
responsibility of government and the ministry of
health to scientifically approach the matter ,
where it was found through studies and research
conducted in the needs analysis for dentistry in
South Africa that dental therapists are direly
needed and training and recruitment of dental
therapists need to be increased .
Though there are many struggles that the
association is dealing with at present, and with
hope that I have put you in perspective of our
dilemma , there is one issue that your office
would be able to intervene in .
This includes the following ;
1. Inequality in dentistry services pricing
structures
2. Professional Discrimination by medical
schemes
3. No representation at medical schemes
1.
A) PRICING - NRPL
Dental Therapy is a historically black profession
and as a result has suffered many restrictions
and discriminations in the past, most of its
freedoms were only realized since 1994 .
In the true spirit of free and fare trade and
black economic empowerment , DENTASA requests
the reader to facilitate the abolishing of
pricing structures(NPRL DENTAL THERAPY)
autonomously set out for dental therapy by the
Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) - influenced
by dentists , and initiate a consultative
process with DENTASA to set pricing and
guidelines for the practice of our profession .
As an example among many, dentists provide the
same procedures that dental therapists do
dental consultation, treatment planning,
restorations, extractions, x-rays etc
however
dental pricing as per NRPL for dental local
anesthetics is R 8.70 for dental therapists
whilst at R32.00 for a dentist this is but one
code that represents the blatant disregard for a
consultative process that the BHF needs to
implement and to regard dental therapy as a
sovereign profession. Dental Therapists have the
same clinical overheads, costs of service
provision and maintenance as dentists in the
formulae used to provide pricing for dental
services.
At this point DENTASA has agreed for a level
charge for all procedures provided to match the
NRPL used for dentists. This is seen as first
step in eliminating inequality of service
provision.
2.
B) PROFESSIONAL DISCRIMINATION
As a matter of urgency, DENTASA hereby
prioritizes the current discrimination being
experienced by - DENIS DENTAL INFORMATION
SYSTEMS who have currently taken overt the
management of dental claims from seven or more
schemes that they represent. Denis is a PTY LTD
that was founded by two dentists and governed by
a committee made up of dentists exclusively; they
do have oral hygienists (8) that man their call
centers.
Dental therapists are discriminated against as
follows;
1. No consultative process
2. No representation from the association /
the board of dental therapy
3. Autonomous Discriminatory rules and
regulations enforced without notification, solely
influenced by dentists who are clearly anti
dental therapy.
4. Limitations to the provision of fillings,
x-rays and other procedures are more for dentists
than that for dental therapists eg; - a dental
therapist may not provide more than three
fillings for a patient at any visit and no more
than ten for a year per family where a DENTIST
CAN PROVIDE FOR THE SAME PATIENT up to five /
seven fillings in one visit and up to ten or more
fillings for each member of the family per year.
5. Whilst rules and regulations in the
practice of dentistry may be necessary,
discriminatory rules and regulations on the basis
of unjustified findings are unconstitutional and
are unprogressive in creating a healthy
relationship between service providers and
schemes most importantly our patients.
DENTASA hereby appeals to this office to address
this pressing issue as a matter of urgency, our
members have been advised to continue treating
their patients and disregard these discriminatory
rules.
Furthermore Oral Health month August 2005 was
promoted by DENIS who excluded dental therapists
from their Smile Program dental awareness
campaign. Why is DENIS not representative of the
service providers their schemes depend on?
There are other schemes that are being
investigated by DENTASA for having similar
dentist influence and are discriminatory.
It appears that legislation is required for
representation of the profession in the decision
making process that impacts the profession of
dental therapy at medical schemes .
3. REPRESENTATION OF DENTAL THERAPY
The profession of Dental Therapy requires
appropriate representation at all levels of
governance of the profession. The anti democratic
style and non-consultative approach adopted by
many schemes need to change urgently. Dentists do
not represent the profession or dental
therapists. DENTASA is the official and sole body
to liaise with and would not tolerate any
discrimination of its members or the profession.
DENTASA hereby appeals to this office to;
- Set / enforce regulations that ensures
adequate representation of dental therapists with
regards to dental advisors and dental committees
in medical schemes.
- Every scheme should consult with and have
representation of dental therapists in matters
concerning dental therapy .
- The board of healthcare funders need to
consult with and may require appropriate dental
therapy representation for decision-making
purposes.
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Posted 18:06
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