Prescription of Dental R

[John Brand]

        Reply to:   RE>Prescription of Dental Radiographs

This is amazing!  The American dentists think that they can provide any
service that  a OMRadiologist can and refuse to recognize our specialty.  The
Canadian dentists feel overqualified and wish to delegate it to auxiliaries.
Why not give the hygienists a little more training and let them do the
restorative dentistry too, just as long as they let us collect the fee.  At
the base of this discussion is the fundament lack of understanding of
selection criteria or the triumph of profit over principle.  The practitioner
has forgotten why he went to school for four years or forgotten what he
learned in those four years.  We are surrounded by dental barbers and
carpenters!

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Date: 11/26/97 1:47 AM
To: John Brand
From: Oral Radiology Discussion Grou
There is a little controversy going on here in BC, Canada, concerning
whether dental hygienists should prescribe radiographs.  It is the position
of the recently established BC College of Dental Hygienists that the
training and experience of hygienists is sufficient to enable them to do
this.  Some of us believe that it is the responsibility of whomever
prescribes radiographs (or any other form of investigation) to undertake
the direction of the consequent patient care.  Only a dental course would
provide the background knowledge for this prescription.

I am seeking information about the extent to which hygienists in other
parts of the world are allowed to prescribe radiographs.

                Colin.