ID :
196262
Thu, 07/21/2011 - 12:47
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/196262
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Dentists should stop unnecessary overtreatment
SEOUL, July 21 (Yonhap) -- Individual dental practitioners and dental clinics affiliated with franchise networks have been exposing each other's illegal activities and overtreatment cases.
There had been speculation in the past of ubiquitous overtreatment and violations of medical laws in dental clinics, but the speculation had remained as rumors. But now the dentists themselves are confirming such rumors as truth.
A consultative body of individual practitioners alleged Thursday that dentists affiliated with franchise networks have tried to charge higher treatment fees by suggesting that patients need to have their teeth extracted and get implant operations even when such treatments are not necessary.
The individual practitioners also accused the franchised dentists of violating medical laws by allowing unqualified employees to treat decayed teeth.
Some dentists even used gold that had already been used to treat other patients, the individual practitioners claimed.
Another association of individual practitioners also lodged fierce complaints about franchised clinics, claiming the clinics get windfall profits from patients by overtreating tooth problems, often charging millions of won as treatment fees.
The franchised dental clinics are making counterattacks, saying that such illegal activities and overtreatment were also performed by individual practitioners. A member of a franchise network which garners more than 100 affiliated clinics claimed to have videotaped evidence of about 1,700 illegal cases involving individual practitioners.
The franchised and individual dentists responded to the allegations by their rival dentists by saying their treatments were long-standing customs.
There is no use of wrangling over who is better and who is worse. What will shock us is if the rumors of illegal activities and overtreatment being rampant in franchised and individual dental clinics turn out to be true.
Another problem is that the health ministry is standing idly, saying that it would be difficult to crack down on every illegal case due to a shortage in manpower.
We urge all dentists, whether they work for individual clinics or are affiliated with franchise networks, to stop such overtreatment and illegal activities. The health ministry, which is in charge of the people's health and well-being, should keep strict eyes on such illegal practices.
If long-standing customs harm people's health and well-being, they should be removed quickly and thoroughly.
There had been speculation in the past of ubiquitous overtreatment and violations of medical laws in dental clinics, but the speculation had remained as rumors. But now the dentists themselves are confirming such rumors as truth.
A consultative body of individual practitioners alleged Thursday that dentists affiliated with franchise networks have tried to charge higher treatment fees by suggesting that patients need to have their teeth extracted and get implant operations even when such treatments are not necessary.
The individual practitioners also accused the franchised dentists of violating medical laws by allowing unqualified employees to treat decayed teeth.
Some dentists even used gold that had already been used to treat other patients, the individual practitioners claimed.
Another association of individual practitioners also lodged fierce complaints about franchised clinics, claiming the clinics get windfall profits from patients by overtreating tooth problems, often charging millions of won as treatment fees.
The franchised dental clinics are making counterattacks, saying that such illegal activities and overtreatment were also performed by individual practitioners. A member of a franchise network which garners more than 100 affiliated clinics claimed to have videotaped evidence of about 1,700 illegal cases involving individual practitioners.
The franchised and individual dentists responded to the allegations by their rival dentists by saying their treatments were long-standing customs.
There is no use of wrangling over who is better and who is worse. What will shock us is if the rumors of illegal activities and overtreatment being rampant in franchised and individual dental clinics turn out to be true.
Another problem is that the health ministry is standing idly, saying that it would be difficult to crack down on every illegal case due to a shortage in manpower.
We urge all dentists, whether they work for individual clinics or are affiliated with franchise networks, to stop such overtreatment and illegal activities. The health ministry, which is in charge of the people's health and well-being, should keep strict eyes on such illegal practices.
If long-standing customs harm people's health and well-being, they should be removed quickly and thoroughly.
