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The College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia has 30 days to brush up on its accountability to the public following the release of a performance inquiry report.
Health Minister Adrian Dix says he’s accepted the inquiry’s 21 recommendations to ensure the college, which registers, certifies and regulates B.C.’s dentists and dental assistants, acts in the public’s best interests.
Harry Cayton, a regulatory administrative expert, was appointed to conduct the inquiry and concluded the dental college was meeting 17 of 28 international standards for good governance, which is about 60 per cent.
Cayton’s report says the college board and its committees are more focused on protecting the interests of dentists instead of the public and the college has not been effective in ensuring the safety of patients.
Dix launched a review into the college’s administrative and operational practices in March 2018 following concerns about governance and performance.
The minister says an all-party committee was also appointed to examine plans to modernize the regulatory framework for all of B.C.’s health professions, which currently include 20 professional colleges.
The Canadian Press
