Ensuring professionalism in dental practice

WE refer to the recent spate of reports and comments on illegal dentistry including orthodontics. The Malaysian Dental Association’s (MDA) prime objective is to promote the art and science of dentistry for the benefit of the public. We are always working with all stakeholders to ensure that the public is well served.

To protect the public from unsafe, risky and often painful results of quack dentistry, the association supports fully the action of the courts in meting out heavy fines and imprisonment on quack dentists and hope that this will act as a strong deterrent.

We are deeply concerned that the public do not suffer from such practices which can be painful and risky due to the possibility of being infected with dangerous diseases like hepatitis and eventually cost far more than expected in order to correct the damage.

The following guidelines to identify legitimate licensed dental clinics from illegal ones may be helpful:

> All licensed dental clinics have fixed addresses and each has a licence from the Health Ministry. Illegal dentistry is usually performed without a fixed address in temporary places like hotel rooms, homes, coffee shops and even on the street.

> Any quoted price that seems too low should be immediately suspect and checked thoroughly. The public can always call a local dental clinic or walk into one and make inquiries on prices.

> When in doubt, don’t commit yourselves to uncertainties; get more information first. We do understand that our mouths are very sensitive and personal and we would like to keep it private, but when the stakes are high it is wiser to consult with family and friends who care for and love you.

We also note that besides making comments on unregistered, unqualified quack dentists, which are well justified, there were those who took the opportunity to attack qualified dentists who are practising within their professional training and rights. Quacks and qualified dentists should not be painted with the same brush.

Qualified dentists by international consensus and also by Malaysian law are free to conduct any kind of dental practice including orthodontics responsibly while quacks have no basis at all and no party should irresponsibly equate one with the other.

The MDA wants to assure the public that there are sufficient regulations to ensure that only dentists who are duly qualified and registered by the authorities are allowed to practise any kind of dental practice including orthodontics. Public statements on dentistry by dentists should be made responsibly without being self-promoting and being careful not to afflict upon the public undue fears and negative perceptions of the profession. Any leader of the profession must be especially careful because what they say may be misunderstood or misquoted. DR CHOW KAI FOO President Malaysian Dental Association