Alberta Dental Authority Should Refund Patients Harmed by Over-treatment

EDMONTON, Alberta - June 14, 2023 - PRLog -- A retired former council member from the Alberta dental authority, Michael Y Zuk DDS says the dental complaint system is a complete failure leaving most patients abused a second time by the process itself. Zuk says, "the public would be shocked to learn one of the career tribunal committee members- the lead juror in dental complaint hearings- likely pocketed more than the total refunds ever ordered by dental tribunals in Alberta's history. In just one case he was paid almost ten times what the patient's treatment complaint was about...and I think in the end the patient didn't even get a dime."

The whistle-blower claims his research includes interviews with many dental patients and dentists who have been disappointed by the dental investigations and hearing system. This inspired him to write various books about abusive dentistry and corruption of the dentist seminar business, for which he was cited for misconduct charges for 'harming the integrity of the dental profession.' The Alberta dental authority went so far as to insist he cease publication of his book 'Confessions of a Former Cosmetic Dentist' but complying with the order did not stop their disciplinary attack on him.

While attempting to defend his right to free speech he found the dental authority legal team insisting to the courts that his case 'had no relevance to the public interest.' The retired dentist says the authority's attack on him inspired even more research into the problem of over-treatment on an international level. Zuk claims he found the Alberta authority and even the dental school had connections to a dentist seminar linked to many malpractice cases and FDA investigations.

The dentist says he dropped off evidence at the new Health Minister's local office this week that shows the Alberta dental authority published an internal document that warned dentists about misinformation at dental courses and 'overtreatment of unsuspecting dental patients.' The authority warning to Alberta dentists was published 3 years prior to his book on the same subject. The authority refused multiple requests to provide a copy of their publication and the dentist only found one following multiple appeals to his misconduct case. Zuk says, 'It was a lynching to try to keep me quiet. It didn't work.'

According to Zuk, "The only way to get an accurate measure of the cost efficiency of the dental complaint system is for their to be an outside independent audit. Honorable Minister LeGrange can simply look at how many refunds were ordered by the system over the past 12 years and compare it to the costs and dues collected from Alberta dentists. If you follow the money over 99% will flow into the accounts of insiders and not to dental victims of guilty dentists. Of the very few patients who do get refunds they typically seem to wait 5 years or more. If I'm proven wrong on my estimates I will drift off into retirement and live with my misconduct record. If I'm right I'd like whistle-blower protection and compensation from the College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta for the victims who did not have their rights to refunds as detailed in the Health Professions Act respected."

Some related concerns include:

• Rights to access to public members on dental council.
• Term limits on dentist jurors and public members
• Conflicts of interest with the dental system
• Lack of dental knowledge in the complaint investigation team
• Questionable decisions in expert witnesses
• Shocking comments to dental victims alleged made by authority representatives

Dr. Zuk may be reached directly for an interview on this subject. Links to recent FDA and legal cases related to harmful dental procedures may be found at http://www.ConfessionsofaFormerCosmeticDentist.com.