The Denturist Association of Ontario (DAO) unequivocally supports the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care’s decision to appoint a Supervisor to the College of Denturists of Ontario (CDO) to ensure the College fulfills its mandate to serve and protect the public interest in a fair and accountable manner. The CDO is the professional regulatory body for the denturism profession in Ontario under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 and the Denturism Act, 1991. Minister Matthews announced the appointment of a Supervisor to the CDO yesterday.
“We completely agree that the appointment of a Supervisor is the correct action for the Minister to take to restore the public’s, the government’s and the profession’s confidence.” said Nancy Tomkins, DAO President and a denturist who practises in Brantford Ontario. “The DAO will assist the Supervisor in whatever way we can to get the College back on track and to return the College to normal operations.”
Tomkins went on to say that she is pleased that the Minister repeatedly expresses her faith in the denturism profession and confirms that the problems with the College in no way reflect on denturists. “We are confident that the problems at the College are solvable and can be addressed quickly.”
Tomkins further commented on how difficult the situation at the CDO has been for the profession. “The DAO has essentially been at loggerheads with the College for the last eighteen months. The DAO initiated legal action against the College over the CDO’s attempt to impose its own professional liability insurance scheme without consultation and without passing the necessary by-law. We approached the Council and requested that it reconsider. Ultimately legal action became our only option. ” states Tomkins. “Even after the Minister told the CDO to stop pursuing its insurance program pending her receipt of the audit and review report, the DAO remained concerned that the CDO seemed to still be doing so. The CDO finally changed the by-law that offended the Minister’s Requirement only several days ago — more than a year after the Minister’s Requirement was issued. The DAO has also raised concerns that the CDO has gone beyond its legal authority and not treated some members fairly in a number of other ways, but we have not been able to resolve our differences with the CDO.”
Tomkins concluded, “We congratulate the Minister for this initiative and look forward to better days ahead.”
There are approximately 600 denturists registered to practise in Ontario. The DAO is the voluntary professional association for denturists in Ontario since 1972 and currently has well over 500 members.
CONTACT:
Nancy Tomkins, DAO President
(519) 754-3366
