GDC gives Aberdeen Dental School a poor report
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- Published: Tuesday, 24 February 2015 07:22
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Inspectors from the GDC have raised concerns about a visit to the Aberdeen Dental School in April 2014. They found that twelve patients suffered poor treatment at a the school. This included damage to an adjacent tooth after work was carried out and tissue damage caused by hypochlorite. Some endodontic patients ended up with perforations, the over preparation of teeth and the wrong tooth being worked on.
The General Dental Council report said: "Inspectors were concerned that a number of patients had been harmed and disappointed that the significant threats to the programme were not identified earlier by the school. While it was accepted that the graduating cohort's exposure to the full range of procedures had been negatively impacted by the situation with patient supply, what was seen on occasions were examples of the lowest level of care expected of a safe beginner."
An Aberdeen University spokeswoman said: "We welcome these inspections as an opportunity for benchmarking our performance, and providing areas for learning, so that we continually improve in training student dentists for clinical practice. Feedback from postgraduate trainers details the very positive contribution and safe practice of previous Aberdeen graduates as they begin their careers as practising dentists."
The university stated that students had been working on patients under the supervision of an experienced senior dental clinician when the "adverse events" had happened. The spokeswoman added: "The patients involved were made immediately aware of any concern with their treatment and the problems were promptly addressed. There were no complaints from the patients, and all processes within the school were reviewed and further improved."
Jane Pierce, head of education and quality assurance at the General Dental Council, said: "Ensuring patient safety is the core function of the GDC and we are working closely with Aberdeen Dental School to ensure that the issues identified by our inspectors are addressed urgently. A further re-inspection will take place in the current academic year."
The report found a third of the 22-strong cohort failed to graduate last year and final year students had become “increasingly anxious” about meeting their requirements. A series of clinical tests, to be completed before final exams, was reintroduced in February last year after an earlier recommendation by the GDC was “misinterpreted” by school chiefs, the report found. As a result of the changes, the senior year of 2014 revolted and lodged a collective complaint to school bosses.
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