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Dental laboratory accreditation
Dental laboratory accreditation GLENN Lake
E. Forest,
JACKSON,
B.A.,
D.D.S.,
M.S.D.*
Ill.
and identification of ethical, high-caliber, law-abiding dental laboratories is incumbent upon the dental profession if proper relations with this important and necessary auxiliary are to be maintained. Marking this need, the House of Delegates of the American Dental Association, at its 1962 annual session, authorized the implementation of a national program for accrediting dental laboratories and directed that the Association participate as a member of the then proposed Joint Commission on Accreditation of Dental Laboratories. The American Association of Orthodontists participated actively as a member of the Joint Commission to make dental laboratory accreditation a reality the following year. The accreditation program was organized to provide a means by which dentists may identify and select dental laboratories whose standards of service meet established requirements. The law-abiding, high-caliber dental laboratories are given deserved recognition with the dental profession and are identified as agreeing to abide by state and federal laws. The program should serve also to show that other means of recognition are unnecessary. A concurrent objective of the accreditation program is to encourage dental laboratories to improve the quality and efficiency of their services to the profession and the industry. To this extent, it is an uplifting program which will stimulate the dental laboratory to bring its work product up to a minimum standard of acceptance. A dental la.boratory achieving this standard is identified as accredited, and dentists will know that the ability to perform work of an acceptable quality has been demonstrated. The accreditation program is purely voluntary with no element of coercion being exerted by the Joint Commission and the dental profession to foster the success of the program. No application for accreditation is sent to a dental laboratory unless that laboratory specifically requests such an application. The dental laboratory may seek accreditation in any one or more of the following categories : complete dentures, removable partial dentures, fixed prosthodontics, ceramics, pedodontics, and orthodontics. If the dental laboratory has an orthodontic department or is an orthodontic laboratory, the laboratory’s competency to perform services in that field will be RECOGNITION
*Chairman,
Dental
Laboratory
Committee,
Council
on Orthodontic
Health
Service.
617
6 18
Jackso~~,
evaluated by orthotlontic faculty members a.t accreclitecl dental schools or 1)~ diplomates of the American Board of Crthodont,ics 01’ other persons considere( 1 qualified by the Board of Commissioners. The orthodontic accreditation will be extended t,o a dental laborator>, or to a department of a dental htboratory only when it performs services for the tielcl of orthodontics. These services would include the fabrication of orthodontic al)pliances, such a.ppliances being defined a,s those designed and fabricated for the regulated and controlled movement of t,eeth, and the provision of orthodontic adjuncts, such as model sculpture, cephalometric tracing and measurement, and tooth-positioning and retention appliances, The production of such simple devices as space maintainers is not t.o be construed as wa.rranting an orthodontic accreditation. Accredited dental laboratories are given formal recognition with the presenta.tion of a certificate and a seal of a.ccreditation which may be displayed on statements, letterheads, invoices, and advertising. In addition, periodic listings of accredited dent,al laboratories are carried in the Journal of the American Dental Association and in state dental journals. Although the Commission is a nonprofit corporation, it is int,ended to be self-supporting. Therefore, the Board of Commissioners has established a fee for the initial accreditation of a dental laboratory. This fee is computed on the basis of $40.00 for the laboratory itself, plus $2.50 for each technician. The maximum See to be charged is set at $115.00. The annual renewal fee is computed on the basis of $15.00 for the accredited dental laboratory, plus $1.50 per technician. The maximum renewal fee is set at $60.00. Cooperative support of the dental profession, including state, and local societies, dental schools, and the laboratory industry, is excellent. Numerous joint meetings between the trade and the profession have been very productive. In addition, support of the individual dentist has been most helpful in the implementation of t,he Commission program. Currently there are 375 accredited dental laboratories in forty-six states, the District of Columbia, a.nd Puerto Rico. Of the accredited laboratories, six are accredited solely in orthodontics and sixty-one are accredited in orthodontics
It means that the dental faboratory which displays it has been accredited by the Joint Commissionon Accreditation of Dental Laboratories. It means that the laboratory has voluntarily so&&t in~on and has met the standards set by tha Joint Commission.
Volume Number
54 8
Dental
laboratory
accreditatbn
6 19
and other classifications. Applications are being processed continually, with the announcement of newly accredited laboratories published at periodic intervals. Accomplishments of the program since its inception cannot be measured only in terms of the dental laboratories which have been accredited. Recognition must be given the many other accomplishments in the development of better dental laboratory relations and programs for the implementation of the accreditation program throughout the United States. One of the very difficult problems to be overcome is that of getting the dental profession to recognize the value of accredited dental laboratories. Much work remains to be done to assure the continuance of this program. A member of the American Association of Orthodontists can support his organization in its role as a member of the Joint Commission by encouraging his laboratory to take an interest in the accreditation program and by providing the laboratory owner with printed material defining the Joint Commission and its objectives. The orthodontist can participate actively in component or constituent workshops or conferences for dental laboratory owners and technicians and, if called upon by the society, serve as a surveyor for a dental laboratory seeking accreditation. Materials on the Commission program may be acquired through the representative of the American Association of Orthodontists to the Joint Commission, Dr. Glenn E. Jackson, 222 Wisconsin Ave., Lake Forest, Illinois 60045, or through the offices of the Director-Secretary, 211 East Chicago Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60611. Since this program is of mutual benefit to the dental profession, the dental industry, and, ultimately, the public, your cooperation and support are welcomed and encouraged.
E. Forest,
JACKSON,
B.A.,
D.D.S.,
M.S.D.*
Ill.
and identification of ethical, high-caliber, law-abiding dental laboratories is incumbent upon the dental profession if proper relations with this important and necessary auxiliary are to be maintained. Marking this need, the House of Delegates of the American Dental Association, at its 1962 annual session, authorized the implementation of a national program for accrediting dental laboratories and directed that the Association participate as a member of the then proposed Joint Commission on Accreditation of Dental Laboratories. The American Association of Orthodontists participated actively as a member of the Joint Commission to make dental laboratory accreditation a reality the following year. The accreditation program was organized to provide a means by which dentists may identify and select dental laboratories whose standards of service meet established requirements. The law-abiding, high-caliber dental laboratories are given deserved recognition with the dental profession and are identified as agreeing to abide by state and federal laws. The program should serve also to show that other means of recognition are unnecessary. A concurrent objective of the accreditation program is to encourage dental laboratories to improve the quality and efficiency of their services to the profession and the industry. To this extent, it is an uplifting program which will stimulate the dental laboratory to bring its work product up to a minimum standard of acceptance. A dental la.boratory achieving this standard is identified as accredited, and dentists will know that the ability to perform work of an acceptable quality has been demonstrated. The accreditation program is purely voluntary with no element of coercion being exerted by the Joint Commission and the dental profession to foster the success of the program. No application for accreditation is sent to a dental laboratory unless that laboratory specifically requests such an application. The dental laboratory may seek accreditation in any one or more of the following categories : complete dentures, removable partial dentures, fixed prosthodontics, ceramics, pedodontics, and orthodontics. If the dental laboratory has an orthodontic department or is an orthodontic laboratory, the laboratory’s competency to perform services in that field will be RECOGNITION
*Chairman,
Dental
Laboratory
Committee,
Council
on Orthodontic
Health
Service.
617
6 18
Jackso~~,
evaluated by orthotlontic faculty members a.t accreclitecl dental schools or 1)~ diplomates of the American Board of Crthodont,ics 01’ other persons considere( 1 qualified by the Board of Commissioners. The orthodontic accreditation will be extended t,o a dental laborator>, or to a department of a dental htboratory only when it performs services for the tielcl of orthodontics. These services would include the fabrication of orthodontic al)pliances, such a.ppliances being defined a,s those designed and fabricated for the regulated and controlled movement of t,eeth, and the provision of orthodontic adjuncts, such as model sculpture, cephalometric tracing and measurement, and tooth-positioning and retention appliances, The production of such simple devices as space maintainers is not t.o be construed as wa.rranting an orthodontic accreditation. Accredited dental laboratories are given formal recognition with the presenta.tion of a certificate and a seal of a.ccreditation which may be displayed on statements, letterheads, invoices, and advertising. In addition, periodic listings of accredited dent,al laboratories are carried in the Journal of the American Dental Association and in state dental journals. Although the Commission is a nonprofit corporation, it is int,ended to be self-supporting. Therefore, the Board of Commissioners has established a fee for the initial accreditation of a dental laboratory. This fee is computed on the basis of $40.00 for the laboratory itself, plus $2.50 for each technician. The maximum See to be charged is set at $115.00. The annual renewal fee is computed on the basis of $15.00 for the accredited dental laboratory, plus $1.50 per technician. The maximum renewal fee is set at $60.00. Cooperative support of the dental profession, including state, and local societies, dental schools, and the laboratory industry, is excellent. Numerous joint meetings between the trade and the profession have been very productive. In addition, support of the individual dentist has been most helpful in the implementation of t,he Commission program. Currently there are 375 accredited dental laboratories in forty-six states, the District of Columbia, a.nd Puerto Rico. Of the accredited laboratories, six are accredited solely in orthodontics and sixty-one are accredited in orthodontics
It means that the dental faboratory which displays it has been accredited by the Joint Commissionon Accreditation of Dental Laboratories. It means that the laboratory has voluntarily so&&t in~on and has met the standards set by tha Joint Commission.
Volume Number
54 8
Dental
laboratory
accreditatbn
6 19
and other classifications. Applications are being processed continually, with the announcement of newly accredited laboratories published at periodic intervals. Accomplishments of the program since its inception cannot be measured only in terms of the dental laboratories which have been accredited. Recognition must be given the many other accomplishments in the development of better dental laboratory relations and programs for the implementation of the accreditation program throughout the United States. One of the very difficult problems to be overcome is that of getting the dental profession to recognize the value of accredited dental laboratories. Much work remains to be done to assure the continuance of this program. A member of the American Association of Orthodontists can support his organization in its role as a member of the Joint Commission by encouraging his laboratory to take an interest in the accreditation program and by providing the laboratory owner with printed material defining the Joint Commission and its objectives. The orthodontist can participate actively in component or constituent workshops or conferences for dental laboratory owners and technicians and, if called upon by the society, serve as a surveyor for a dental laboratory seeking accreditation. Materials on the Commission program may be acquired through the representative of the American Association of Orthodontists to the Joint Commission, Dr. Glenn E. Jackson, 222 Wisconsin Ave., Lake Forest, Illinois 60045, or through the offices of the Director-Secretary, 211 East Chicago Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60611. Since this program is of mutual benefit to the dental profession, the dental industry, and, ultimately, the public, your cooperation and support are welcomed and encouraged.