> To you out there in the Dental Profession here is a story as well as a
> question for you! I would like to know the input from Dentist, especially!
I
> have been in the dental field for almost 15 years, I am an RDA and I have
> attended many lectures as well as on hands training. Well the other day a
> situation came up which in all my years  I was not sure what the legal or
> correct answer to.... This is the story, Last week we had a father bring
his
> son in for a N//PT exam and prophy flo.  The son was 12 1/2 yrs old and he
> had been by the week before by himself to take the paper work home for his
> dad to fill out, he had road his bike to the office and said he would see
us
> the following week. Bingo at the appointment where his son was examinated,
> dad was at the appointment. We have a consent to treat minors form, dad
> signed it and dated it. After the boy was released we informed the father
> what was needed, composite fillings. I made the appointment for the
> following day because he was on Easter break and we had a cancellation  in
> our scd. The father was going to be doing things at home and I told the
> father he could bring him and drop him off and we would do some fillings
and
> he could pick him up after we were done. Dad did. Anyway me and my
employer
> the Dentist were approached at lunch by the front office girl that this
was
> against the law, that a parent has to be in the office at all times. We
just
> looked puzzled.  A few hours later I called to ck on the patient which I
> always try to do, especially for new ones.  Dad started telling me that we
> were working on him illegally and he didn't appreciate it, I asked him sir
> what are you talking about, he said the front office girl called and told
> him it was illegal to work on his son with him not there, and he said my
> boss was breaking the law and they might not be back because he said if my
> boss breaks laws he doesn't feel comfortable. I nicely approached the
front
> office lady and she said that's not what she told him but admitted
something
> to that matter might of been mentioned, like the pt has our lunches wired
or
> what, if you get my point, she did it, it's only plain as day, how else
> would this have arose?????? My question is, if a parent signs a consent
and
> chooses not to be at the office but we know where to reach him  is it
> illegal, minus the child is not on any nitrous or sedatives.????? Also do
> you feel like the front office is wrong, she made us look bad and
employees
> should be at work with the dentist and be supportive and never made to
look
> bad, even so, confused on this issue.....PS Good thing I wasn't the
dentist,
> I would of fired the person up front because those kind employees are
> trouble, it tends to turn the patients away and makes the doctor who is
> wonderful look very bad unfairly.....................................RDA
> California.....Please respond....

> To you out there in the Dental Profession here is a story as well as a
> question for you! I would like to know the input from Dentist, especially!
I
> have been in the dental field for almost 15 years, I am an RDA and I have
> attended many lectures as well as on hands training. Well the other day a
> situation came up which in all my years  I was not sure what the legal or
> correct answer to.... This is the story, Last week we had a father bring
his
> son in for a N//PT exam and prophy flo.  The son was 12 1/2 yrs old and he
> had been by the week before by himself to take the paper work home for his
> dad to fill out, he had road his bike to the office and said he would see
us
> the following week. Bingo at the appointment where his son was examinated,
> dad was at the appointment. We have a consent to treat minors form, dad
> signed it and dated it. After the boy was released we informed the father
> what was needed, composite fillings. I made the appointment for the
> following day because he was on Easter break and we had a cancellation  in
> our scd. The father was going to be doing things at home and I told the
> father he could bring him and drop him off and we would do some fillings
and
> he could pick him up after we were done. Dad did. Anyway me and my
employer
> the Dentist were approached at lunch by the front office girl that this
was
> against the law, that a parent has to be in the office at all times. We
just
> looked puzzled.  A few hours later I called to ck on the patient which I
> always try to do, especially for new ones.  Dad started telling me that we
> were working on him illegally and he didn't appreciate it, I asked him sir
> what are you talking about, he said the front office girl called and told
> him it was illegal to work on his son with him not there, and he said my
> boss was breaking the law and they might not be back because he said if my
> boss breaks laws he doesn't feel comfortable. I nicely approached the
front
> office lady and she said that's not what she told him but admitted
something
> to that matter might of been mentioned, like the pt has our lunches wired
or
> what, if you get my point, she did it, it's only plain as day, how else
> would this have arose?????? My question is, if a parent signs a consent
and
> chooses not to be at the office but we know where to reach him  is it
> illegal, minus the child is not on any nitrous or sedatives.????? Also do
> you feel like the front office is wrong, she made us look bad and
employees
> should be at work with the dentist and be supportive and never made to
look
> bad, even so, confused on this issue.....PS Good thing I wasn't the
dentist,
> I would of fired the person up front because those kind employees are
> trouble, it tends to turn the patients away and makes the doctor who is
> wonderful look very bad unfairly.....................................RDA
> California.....Please respond....