Results of a peer review process: the distribution of codes by examining dentists in the Republic of Ireland 2006-2007.

UNLABELLED The Health Service Executive (HSE) appointed 20 examining dentists in April 2006 under contract for one year as part of a probity assurance initiative by peer review in the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) in the Republic of Ireland. AIM The aim of the study was to analyse the distribution of codes assigned to the reports drawn up by the examining dentists. METHODS At the end of the year's contract, each examining dentist forwarded an end of contract report of their activity, including the distribution of codes issued, to the HSE. These were correlated into a national summary of examining dentist activity, from which the data used in the study was extracted. A total of 11 different codes were used, varying from an indication of agreement between the examining dentist and the contracting dentist (code A) to a significant disagreement (code D). RESULTS The vast majority (94.5%) of reports on the clinical examination of patients, drawn up by examining dentists, were in broad agreement with the treatment or estimate of the responsible contracting dentists. A total of 622 contracting dentists received such reports. The small minority of reports (4.8%) where there was a significant disagreement related to a small number of dentists (47 dentists). CONCLUSIONS The study provides evidence that most contracting dentists were not a probity risk. The author suggests that any future probity assurance initiative should focus on areas of high risk rather than random selection of patients/contracting dentists. An enhanced advisory role for the examining dentist is recommended.