Lawyers for Dentists

As trusted dentist lawyers, we have extensive experience representing dentists, oral surgeons and dental clinics in all regulatory, litigation, clinical and risk issues, including those with the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (the “RCDSO”), insurance companies, the Human Rights Tribunal and the Information and Privacy Commissioner. We help dentists and oral surgeons navigate the legal landscape governing dentistry in Ontario, including the Dentistry Act.

If you have a complaint, investigation or disciplinary matter before the RCDSO, it is important to get legal advice from a dental complaint lawyer or dental discipline lawyer to evaluate your risk and help you manage your response. This is especially important because most forms of remediation ordered by the RCDSO, including a course, practice monitoring or a caution, will remain on a dentist’s public Register indefinitely. We are dental defence lawyers who assist routinely on all types of RCDSO matters, including clinical issues, billing issues, IPAC issues, communication issues, recordkeeping issues and boundary violations/sexual abuse allegations.

We regularly work with the Canadian Dental Protective Association (the “CDPA”) and also routinely represent dentists directly who do not have coverage for regulatory matters. We typically offer our clients the choice of an hourly rate or flat fee for these regulatory matters, especially for dentist complaints. We represent dentists across the province of Ontario, including in Toronto and the GTA, Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener, London, Brampton, Barrie, Kingston and Thunder Bay.

We routinely speak and write on dental-legal issues, including with the CDPA and the Ontario Dentist Journal.

Legal Services for Dentists

  • Responding on behalf of dentists to RCDSO patient complaints before the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (“ICRC”) of the RCDSO, either through the formal complaints process or the Resolution Program;

  • Facilitating proactive courses or Specific Continuing Education or Remediation Programs (“SCERP”) for dentists ordered by the RCDSO;

  • Responding for dentists to RCDSO section 75 investigations before the ICRC;

  • Responding for dentists to RCDSO Quality Assurance Committee (“QAC”) inquiries;

  • Responding to disciplinary matters and allegations of professional misconduct for dentists before the Discipline Committee of the RCDSO;

  • Responding to registration issues for dentists before the Registration Committee of the RCDSO or guiding dentists on their application for licensure in other provinces/countries;

  • Defending dental malpractice lawsuits;

  • Defending allegations for dental students on testing irregularity and cheating made by the National Dental Examining Board of Canada;

  • Responding to appeals and judicial reviews for dentists before the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (“HPARB”), the Divisional Court of Ontario or the Court of Appeal for Ontario;

  • Responding to complaints made against dentists and dental clinics to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario regarding discrimination and human rights violations;

  • Responding to complaints against dentists and dental clinics before the Information and Privacy Commissioner;

  • Responding on behalf of dentists to RCDSO Fitness to Practice matters;

  • Assisting dentists in managing a challenging patient, including terminating the dentist-patient relationship;

  • Responding to insurance company questions, audits or delisting of a dentist;

  • Navigating clinical issues for dentists, including public health inquiries, infection prevention and control (“IPAC”) issues, privacy breaches, dental malpractice allegations, recordkeeping issues and patient demands;

  • Navigating billing issues for dentists, including following the Ontario Dental Association Suggested Fee Guide and use of appropriate codes, as well as responding to allegations of dental billing fraud

  • Navigating compliance with RCDSO standards and guidelines, including marketing guidelines and appropriate use of Google Reviews

  • Assisting dentists in responding to the annual RCDSO report regarding past criminal and regulatory issues; and

  • Conducting workplace investigations for dental clinics.

Need help with any of the above? We are dental attorneys who can assist you, so don’t hesitate to contact John McIntyre for a free consultation at john@mcintyre-szabo.com or through the website here.