Regulation at work protecting patients

Australia's health regulators are working in partnership to enforce infection control standards in dental practice and take action to manage risk to patients.

Today, the NSW Dental Council revealed it has restricted the registration of 12 registered dentists in NSW, all of whom have been involved in dental practices in inner western Sydney at the centre of a public health alert.

The Dental Council suspended six practitioners and imposed conditions on another six to manage risk to patients, after identifying serious breaches of infection control procedures and sub-standard hygiene at the clinics. NSW Health has announced a look-back of patients who have attended the clinics. Read more on the NSW Health website.

On 15 June 2015, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) announced it had executed four search warrants in Melbourne's northern suburbs and removed equipment to stop unregistered individuals allegedly providing dental treatment to patients.

AHPRA today renewed its call for people who have been treated by unregistered individuals in Melbourne's northern suburbs to come forward, amid concerns about sub-standard dental care and poor infection control. The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services is asking anyone treated at the premises to call 1800 356 061 for advice on potential public health risks.

AHPRA has charged one practitioner with a series of statutory offences and is investigating issues raised at the other three premises in Meadow Heights and Roxburgh Park. The case against Mr Muhammet Velipasaoglu has been listed for a mention hearing on 14 August 2015 in the Magistrates Court at Broadmeadows.

The Dental Board of Australia sets the standards for infection control and the professional conduct of all registered dental practitioners, including those practising in NSW. This includes Guidelines in infection control and the Code of conduct.

In partnership, the Board and the Dental Council of NSW hold all registered dental practitioners in Australia to account against these national standards. Registered dental practitioners must also meet a range of state and territory based laws to practise.

Regulation is focused on managing risk to the public, by making sure only people who are qualified and skilled to provide safe care, are registered to practice. People who are not registered health practitioners, do not have to meet minimum standards.

You can check online if your practitioner is registered at www.ahpra.gov.au. The register is the only reliable and up to date source of information about the current registration status of all Australia's 620,000 registered health practitioners.