VICTORIA — The College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia says it will demonstrate commitment to protecting the public and working on behalf of patients and the public following the release of a performance inquiry report.
The dental college says in a statement it will meet a 30-day deadline directive from Health Minister Adrian Dix for an accountability implementation plan after a review by an international regulatory expert made 21 recommendations.
Dental college officials were not available Friday to comment further on their statement.
Dix said Thursday he 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.
Regulatory expert Harry Cayton was appointed last year to conduct the inquiry and concluded the dental college was meeting 17 of 28 international standards for good governance, which he described as not disastrous, but "a serious flaw."
Cayton's inquiry recommended improvements to the college's performance management after finding the college board and its committees focus on protecting the interests of dentists rather than the public.
"Minister Dix has provided a clear directive and we commit to meeting his expectations to demonstrate that we are protecting the public and working on behalf of patients and the public," says the statement by Board President Dr. Peter Lobb and Dr. Chris Hacker, registrar and chief executive officer.
The two say work will begin "immediately," to produce the implementation plan within the time frame set by Dix.