Lesson 1.2 · 5 min

Practice visits and fixing deficiencies

Open in the coursewith narrated slides, a checklist to tick off and a quiz

At a glance

At least three per cent. What you state in the self-evaluation is checked by visits. Practices are drawn at random, at least three per cent of them.
More than three arbitrations. A practice is also visited if it is in patient arbitration unusually often, in any case with more than three cases a year.
Two months. The date is agreed with you. If no visit happens for two months because of how you act, that is a breach of professional duty.
A deadline to fix. A deficiency comes with a reasonable deadline to fix it. You report that it is fixed, and a check visit may follow.
Disciplinary board and authority. If no positive evaluation is reached, that is a breach of professional duty. Serious deficiencies go straight to the district authority.

In detail

Who gets visited

There are practice visits in three cases § 9(1) QSV:

Sample: what the self-evaluation states is checked by random visits. Practices are drawn electronically at random, and the sample may not be smaller than 3% § 8 QSV.
Checking that a deficiency was fixed § 11(3) QSV.
For cause: in particular when a dentist is a party to patient arbitration unusually often, and in any case with more than three cases a year § 9(2) QSV.

How the visit works

The date is agreed with you. If, despite serious efforts, no visit happens within two months because of how you act, that is a breach of professional duty under § 55(1) no. 2 ZÄKG. When there is cause, a visit may take place during opening hours without an appointment § 9(3) QSV.

Visits are made by quality assurance officers (QSB): dentists in private practice with at least five years' experience and recognised training in quality management, nominated by the regional dental chamber § 3 no. 10 QSV. They may not be close to you, and they report in writing within 14 days § 9(4)–(6) QSV.

When a deficiency is found

Step	Basis
An order to fix it, with a deadline suited to the deficiency	§ 11(1) QSV
You fix it within the deadline and report that	§ 11(2) QSV
The institution decides whether a check visit is needed; the regional chamber helps	§ 11(3), (4) QSV
At your request another chamber member attends	§ 11(5) QSV
No positive evaluation despite all this: a breach of professional duty	§ 11(7) QSV
Especially serious deficiencies or imminent danger: an immediate report to the district authority	§ 11(8) QSV

What a breach of professional duty costs

A breach of professional duty is a disciplinary offence § 55(1) no. 2 ZÄKG. Disciplinary penalties range from a written reprimand through a fine of up to €40,000 and a temporary ban on practising to removal from the register of dentists § 58(1) ZÄKG.

The second inspection: the public health officer

Separately from quality assurance, the district authority's public health officer inspects, together with a representative of the regional dental chamber, when circumstances suggest that the practice doesn't meet the hygiene requirements. Deficiencies must be fixed within a reasonable deadline; if patients' life or health is at risk, the practice is closed until they are fixed § 36(2)–(4) ZÄG.

Checklist

We know that a random visit can come to any practice.
When asked for a visit, we agree a date quickly.
The records for the 15 criteria are kept where we can show them on a visit.
With an order to fix something, we note the deadline and report the fix.
We know that with hygiene deficiencies the public health officer can also inspect and close the practice.

Quiz

What applies if a practice visit doesn't happen for two months because of how you act?

The practice is closed immediately
Nothing, the visit is dropped
It is a breach of professional duty
The evaluation automatically counts as positive

Show the answer

The answer is C: It is a breach of professional duty. If, despite serious efforts, no visit happens within two months because of how the dentist acts, that is a breach of professional duty (§ 9(3) ÖZÄK-QSV 2022).

Sources

This lesson's statements rest on:

Not legal advice. What counts is the acts and regulations in the Federal Legal Information System and the Austrian Dental Chamber's regulations (read on 7 October 2026). The health minister's regulation with the criteria from 2028 (§ 9b(2) GQG) had not been issued on that day. Not covered are insurer contracts, billing, data protection in detail and the employer's duties under the Worker Protection Act in detail; there is a separate course on those at aschg.globalapps.top. Not an offer of the Austrian Dental Chamber, a regional dental chamber, the BIQG or the Chamber of Commerce.