Lesson 1.4 · 5 min
What the 2017–2021 quality report shows
Open in the coursewith narrated slides, a checklist to tick off and a quiz
At a glance
- 5,107 evaluations. From 2017 to 2021, 5,107 practices across Austria were evaluated, with 52 questions. Every no counted as a deficiency at first and was looked into.
- 1.94 per cent negative. 99 evaluations were negative at first. Two thirds of those were misunderstandings, most often about complaint management.
- 120 practices. Of 120 practices drawn at random, four had deficiencies. One of them closed.
- What three practices lacked. An X-ray log, a door contact switch, device files, an electrical inspection report, the practice's own emergency kit, wrapped instruments, posted opening hours.
- Seven for missed deadlines. All seven reports to the disciplinary board concerned practices that hadn't returned the evaluation in time.
In detail
Where the numbers come from
The quality assurance institution gives the health ministry and the Dental Chamber an anonymised quality report § 10 QSV. The latest published report covers 2017 to 2021 (quality report 2017–2021).
The evaluation
- On 31 December 2021 there were 3,854 dentists in private practice at 4,176 practice locations.
- 5,107 practices were evaluated, 83% online and 17% by fax, with a questionnaire of 52 questions, answered "yes", "no" or, for some, "not applicable". A "no" counted as a quality deficiency and was looked into.
- 99 evaluations (1.94%) were negative at first. 65 of those turned out to be mistakes or misunderstandings, most often about complaint management: usually there was a clear instruction to pass complaints straight to the practice management, but it wasn't recognised as a "set procedure"; and "Beschwerden" was often read as toothache or pain. 34 were given orders to fix deficiencies, and all were completed.
- There were 7 reports to the disciplinary board, all for an evaluation not returned in time. In 2 cases the practices' entries were then deleted; the other 5 practices were evaluated positively.
The visits
120 practices were drawn at random and visited. At 116 everything stated was correct; at four (3.3%) deficiencies were found. One of those four "in no way met the required standards any more" and closed after two months. At the other three, according to the report's annex, the following was missing:
| Area | Deficiency found |
|---|---|
| X-ray | no X-ray log; no door contact switch on the X-ray unit |
| Devices | no device files; an electrical inspection report had to be renewed |
| Worker protection | no risk assessment documents under worker protection law |
| Emergency | the emergency kit was only borrowed; another time there was none |
| Hygiene | some surgical instruments unwrapped; trays stored open; clean and dirty not labelled |
| Other | patients informed only orally; opening hours not posted |
Ten practices were visited for cause; deficiencies were found and fixed in three of them.
What follows from this
At the three practices the deficiencies were fixed: records supplied, labels added, an emergency kit bought; documenting the information given to patients in writing was strongly recommended. Validation took three years in the last cycle; the report sets at most twelve months as the target for the next. The lessons in sections 2 to 5 go through each of these points.
Checklist
- Our rule for patient complaints, such as "always straight to the management", is set down in writing.
- The X-ray log and the device file exist and are current.
- The electrical inspection report hasn't expired.
- The emergency kit belongs to the practice and is complete.
- Surgical instruments are wrapped, trays stored protected, clean and dirty labelled.
Quiz
Why were most evaluations that were negative at first in 2017–2021 not real deficiencies at all?
- Because the chamber extended the deadline
- Because the questions were changed afterwards
- Because of technical faults with the fax
- Because of misunderstandings, above all about complaint management
Show the answer
The answer is D: Because of misunderstandings, above all about complaint management. 65 of the 99 negative evaluations turned out to be mistakes or misunderstandings, most often about the complaint management criterion: an existing rule for complaints was often not recognised as a set procedure (quality report 2017–2021).
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.