Complaint Process

If you are not satisfied with the explanation you receive from your dentist, you may lodge a complaint with the New Brunswick Dental Society. As the body responsible for regulating Dentists and Dental Assistants and protecting the public in matters related to dentistry, the New Brunswick Dental Society will investigate your complaint as required in our legislation and explained below.

Note: The New Brunswick Dental Society does not regulate hygienists and if there are formal complaints against dental hygienists, they can be addressed to the College of Dental Hygiene at 1-506-872-3133.

Further the New Brunswick Dental Society has no jurisdiction to address billing disputes and does not award compensation to patients in the same manner as the courts. Patients are advised to seek legal counsel to assist in determining rights with respect to billing disputes and civil actions.

How would I make a Complaint?

We recommend that you discuss your concerns with the Registrar prior to filing a formal complaint so that you fully understand our processes. Please call: (506) 452-8575 or email: registrar@nbdent.ca. In any event, should you wish to proceed with a complaint our legislation requires that a written, signed and dated complaint must be submitted by mail to:

New Brunswick Dental Society
570 Queen Street, Suite 504
P.O. Box 488 Station “A”
Fredericton, NB
E3B 6Z6

Further We Suggest You Include:

  • Your name, address and telephone number
  • The name and address of the dentist involved
  • The issues of your complaint (including dates where possible)
  • The name and address of any and all other dentists you consulted
  • Any dental records you may have in your possession
  • A resolution you would consider appropriate

Written complaints are acknowledged in writing.

How will my Complaint be handled?

Once a written complaint is received, the Registrar forwards a copy to the dentist who is provided the opportunity to reply. The complaint and any reply from the dentist is forwarded to a local Mediation Panel, composed of three dentists.

Mediation

The Mediation Panel has 60 days to consider the complaint and to make a written recommendation to you and the dentist. The panel’s role is to suggest a manner to resolve the complaint and its recommendations are non-binding.

Complaints

If either you or the dentist disagrees with the Mediation Panel’s recommendations, the complaint will be forwarded to Complaints Committee for further investigation. The Mediation Panel may also forward the complaint to the Complaints Committee at any time in its discretion.

The Complaints Committee consists of two dentists and a member of the public. This Committee will only consider written evidence but may request additional information in writing from you to assist it in its deliberations. The Committee makes a recommendation to either refer the matter to the Discipline Committee, or to dismiss the complaint.

Appeal of Complaints Committee Decision

If dissatisfied with the decision of the Complaints Committee, you have 30 days to appeal any its decision to the Board of Directors of the New Brunswick Dental Society.

Discipline Committee

The Discipline Committee is composed of 2 dentists and a public member. These are individuals not otherwise involved in the Society process or the Board. The hearings themselves are conducted much like a trial, with evidence taken under oath, full disclosure of
documents and full cross-examination of witnesses.

The Committee may determine matters of professional misconduct or incompetence and determine penalties or other measures which may include one or more of the following: revocation of license, suspension of license, fine, or reprimand. Various conditions may also be imposed. Both you and the dentist have the right to appeal any decision of the Discipline Committee to the Board of
Directors within 30 days.

For greater clarity the Discipline Committee has no authority to award damages to you, for example pain and suffering, and is only concerned with determining if your complaint constitutes professional misconduct or incompetence and how that will be remedied. Awards of damages are within the jurisdiction of the Courts.

Disciplinary Actions

The following are brief summaries of formal actions taken against members:

Dr. Mike Ramey

The Discipline committee met on May 27, 2022 to review two complaints:

The committee found the conduct of Dr Michael Ramey constitutes ‘conduct unbecoming a member, or conduct demonstrating that the Member is incapable, unfit or unsafe to practice dentistry’.

The committee has ordered that his membership and registration to practice dentistry is revoked. The register shall reflect that the Member is not eligible for registration.

The committee also found in a separate complaint that Dr Ramey’s ‘conduct constitutes sexual abuse and professional misconduct and conduct unbecoming a member of the dental profession’.

The committee ordered his membership and registration to practice dentistry is revoked. The register shall reflect that the Member is not eligible for registration.

The orders also impose financial costs on Mr Ramey.

NOTICE OF COMPLAINTS

July 19, 2021 – December 31, 2022

Formal Complaint: 1

2022 – 1: Patient X. vs Member – Sexual Matter.

The matter was referred directly to Complaint Committee (Complaint Dismissed – Apr. 28, 2023).

January 1, 2023 – December 31,2023

Formal Complaints: 7

2023 – 1: Patient X. vs Member – Sub-Standard Treatment. Mediation Committee (No Resolution offered by Member – Oct. 26, 2023). Complaint Committee (Dismissed – Jan. 3, 2023).

2023 – 2: Patient X. vs Member – Sub-Standard Treatment. Mediation Committee (Resolution offered was rejected by Complainant – Dec. 11, 2023). Complaint Committee (Dismissed – Feb. 26, 2024).

2023 – 3: Patient X. vs Member – Missing Dental Records. Mediation Committee (Resolution offered was rejected by Complainant. – July 25, 2023). Complaint Committee (Dismissed – Oct. 18, 2023).

2023 – 4: Patient X. vs Certified Dental Assistant. Intimate relations with patient. Standard Review Committee – Dec.15, 2023. (Reprimand for unprofessional misconduct to stay on file for 2 years; suspended license from Jan. 15, 2024, till May 15, 2024; must complete a course on professional ethics at her expense, before May 15, 2024; pay NBDS a fine of $1 000 before May 15, 2025; must provide a copy of this decision to employers; Notice of Decision without names to be sent to NBDS Registered Dental Assistants and published in NBDS Bulletin).

2023 – 5: Patient X. vs Member – Excessive Treatment. Mediation Committee (No resolution offered by Member – Nov. 10, 2023). Complaint Committee (Dismissed – Jan. 3, 2024). –

2023 – 6: Patient X. vs Member – Confidential Information Disclosure. Mediation Committee (Resolution offered was rejected by Complainant – Oct. 10, 2023). Complaint Committee (Moved to Discipline Committee – Dec. 7, 2023). Discipline Committee – Feb.9, 2024. (Reprimand for conduct; reprimand to stay on file for 1 year; complete a course on communicating with clients/social media or comparable professional ethic course within 120 days; pay $500 to cover portion of cost within 120 days; Notice of Decision to be published without names in NBDS Newsletter).

2023 – 7: Patient X. vs Member – Uncompleted Dental Treatment. Mediation Committee (Resolved – Feb. 2, 2024).

January 1, 2024 – October 30, 2024

Formal Complaints: 3

2024 – 1: Patient X. vs Member – Uncompleted Dental Treatment. Mediation Committee (Resolution offered was rejected by complainant). Complaints Committee (Dismissed May 29, 2024)

2024 – 2: Patient X. vs Member – Improper Dismissal of Patient. Mediation Committee (Resolved September 17, 2024).

2024 – 3: Member vs Member – Unprofessional Conduct. This matter was referred directly to Complaints Committee (July 17, 2024). This matter was sent to the Discipline Committee (Notice of Discipline: September 20, 2024).

Notice of Discipline Committee Decision

The Discipline Committee (the “Committee”) by a Decision dated September 20, 2024, found that (i) the Member’s conduct in writing unprofessional emails to the Complainant on several occasions, (ii) the Member’s conduct in interactions at the Complainant’s dental practice with the Complainant and staff in full view of patients, and resulting in the police to be called to attend, and (iii) the Member’s admissions with respect to their physical and mental health constituted:

(a)        conduct unbecoming a member of the dental profession; and

(b)        conduct demonstrating that the Member is incapable to practise dentistry.

The Committee ordered that:

  1. the Member is hereby reprimanded for their conduct;
  2. the reprimand shall be recorded in the registration records of the Member for a period of two (2) years;
  3. the revocation of the Member’s membership and registration to practise dentistry for failure to maintain professional liability insurance is continued;
  4. the Member pay a fine in the amount of $500 to the Society;
  5. the Member pay to the Society a portion of the costs respecting the Complaint in the amount of $1,500; and
  6. the Member shall not be eligible for registration and membership with the Society unless and until, the Member, at their own expense, provides to the Registrar satisfactory evidence of a physical health evaluation and mental health evaluation confirming the Member’s fitness to practice as a dentist, and the Member has paid the fine and the costs ordered.