Would a dentist make a good Complaints Director for the law society? Of course not simply because the field of study is completely different. So why should the CD of the Alberta Dental Association & College be a non-dentist lawyer?
Dentists who have been reported by jealous competitors about their marketing, and patients upset about something rather routine often start a cascade of events that turn a mole hill into a mountain. ADA&C law firms are profiting more than ever and they are taking advantage of the dentists caught up in this mess, and patients are not benefiting one cent. Why do 90% of dentists surveyed recommend a dentist as Complaints Director? It just makes common sense.
Dear ADA&C
While it may have seemed like a good idea at the time, having a non-dentist as Complaints Director has been nothing short of a disaster. It is long overdue for you to re-allocate the current director to another position unrelated to dealing directly with patients or dentists.
ADA&C lawyers are taking advantage of the situation and driving the expenses of investigations through the roof. No one is benefiting from the complaints process except the lawyers and investigation costs need to be capped or limited to reasonable levels. Dentists found incompetent need to be rehabilitated and re-trained and not driven into bankruptcy.
Let the dentists of Alberta vote for the next CD, as appointing from counsel who are pleased with the current system will not make a difference.
