title: An analysis of complaints against oral health professionals charged with misconduct at the HPCSA: 2004-2009.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigates the nature, frequency, and outcome of complaints relating to misconduct laid against oral healthcare professionals (OHPs), charged with misconduct in South Africa.
  
  
  METHODS
  Records of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (2004-2009) were analysed and classified using the ethical rules as a reference. "Clinically-related complaints" and "fraud" were added as extra categories. The nature and outcome of the complaints and the penalties were quantified, and the detailed nature of the complaints was qualitatively reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two percent of the registered dentists and 5.5% of the registered dental therapists were charged with misconduct. Clinically related complaints (59%) and fraud (29%) were most prevalent amongst the accused dentists. Fraud (46%), clinically related complaints (19%), advertising (15%), infection control (8%), and creating expectations that could not be met (8%) were the most common complaints against dental therapists.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Substandard dental treatment and fraud were the main reasons for patient dissatisfaction that led to OHPs being charged with misconduct. Both these undesirable practices may be financially motivated. OHPs should take cognisance of these statistics and should adjust their professional approach accordingly in order to reflect acceptable ethical behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Management Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Pretoria, P.O. Box 1266, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa. corne.postma@up.ac.za
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Postma
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: van Wyk
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Heymans
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Prinsloo
mesh_terms: D000329:Advertising / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003727:Dental Auxiliaries / Q000941:ethics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations / Q000941:ethics; D003815:Dentists / Q000941:ethics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004990:Ethics, Dental; D005607:Fraud / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D019552:Infection Control, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008318:Malpractice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D028743:Professional Misconduct / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013019:South Africa