In Portugal, more than fifty dental laboratories providing services illegally. The Jornal de Notícias (JN) visited some and found a dangerous scenario threat to public health and the right to the image.
Medical devices and prostheses molds with rust, syringes stored in bottles of Coca-Cola, technical whipping the oral cavity without gloves and non sterile objects, cleaners to assist dentists offices operating in private villas, old facilities and decrepit toilets, garbage separation, camcorders (not authorized by the National Commission for Data Protection, confirmed JN) at the door and in the waiting room of the doctor's offices, dental technicians doing odd jobs in offices of dentists and dentists to extract teeth in private homes, prosthetic that anesthetize, pull teeth and remove implants. In two weeks we have traveled the country, making us spend per customer, witnessed unusual situations such as unthinkable for the XXI century.
Even more incredible is that almost all laboratories visited continue to work normally, without fearing inspections, despite the complaint made and published by the Dental Association (OMD) in May, the Inspector - General of Health Activities, Central Administration health System, and Infarmed Ministry of health, entities who sent a long list of laboratories that provide healthcare directly to users, which is not allowed by law.
In Espinho, there is a dental laboratory that without fears, post, in the street, a placard with the hours of service to the public and announces the emergency room, knowing that the intervention in the oral cavity is the sole responsibility of the dentist or dentist and in some cases the dentist.
The reporter JN entered the said premises, waiting in the waiting room by the output of another patient. When his turn came, he told the doctor your medical history: I want an implant removed and replaced with a prosthesis. Make this service? The offering and how much they charge?
To remove the implant, suggest a dentist of our confidence. Everything else we do. We charge 250 euros per tooth, replied, quite naturally, the doctor.
Before that, since the JN had visited another laboratory, the adjoining building. In the waiting room, common to other services on the same floor, we asked if there was that drew teeth and dentures placed. An elderly hastened to answer bluntly: It is here, yes, but this is crush. It's cheaper, but not as good as others in the building next door. This takes more money but has more quality and fame.
Still in Espinho, visited another prosthetist, who tell the same story clinic. The coach, who served us in the waiting room without gloves or a minute needed to make the diagnosis: Go to a dentist to remove the implant and come here to do and put the prosthesis.
In Castro Daire, who visited the lab is a mess. The technician took it, was not lacking in there tool, and even extraction implants would. To this end, he suggested, as almost all prosthetic, a trip to a doctor friend - immediately pulled out a pack of cards, which was right there at hand, with the name (interestingly, both with the same last name) and contact the dentist - and clarified: will there that it extracts and then implant the prosthesis covered here. He is young guy, but he begins to have experience. I also own there will sometimes help. Three hundred euros for a skeletal prosthesis and 1200 euros for five teeth in a fixed prosthesis was as we asked.
In Viseu, in an old building, something scary, the prosthetist assistant, in his absence, ensures that the service provided to patients there is of excellent quality, is skeletal prosthesis, acrylic, or fixed orthodontics. You know, Mr. MC has a lot of experience dealing with the mouth of the patient, explains.
In Valongo, visited the office works in a modest dwelling, with video surveillance at the door. A dental assistant is the cleaner that very diligent, explains JN ever attended any patient there - and have been many guarantees - had reason to complain. If you need to extract a tooth, here comes home every Wednesday afternoon, a dentist, you can do this job. If you prefer to be treated at the Porto, by Mr. FS, he also has an office there, clarified the auxiliary medical action, providing a card with addresses medical.
In Marinha Grande, center integrated oral health - just announced at the door of a dwelling - has a well-known coach in the land, which also has office in Leiria. We have entered in your office, we sat down in the dentist chair and prosthetic saw the mouth of the reporter JN, made the diagnosis, pointed at a pricing of prostheses and gave good news: If you want to remove the implant that has the mouth, to impose a prosthesis made by me, I do it without problems and without costs. As for the prosthesis, if three teeth, stop 160 euros (acrylic) or 340 euros (skeletal).
In Leiria, the clinic visited by JN, whose waiting room has video surveillance - an illegal situation, ensures the CNDP - assumes applying all types of prostheses and fixed and removable appliances. Just do not do tooth extractions and surgeries. Here, we recommend a dentist down the street here, said a technique, a quick conversation, since there someone waiting for you. And when the reporter left the premises JN four seniors entered the building and questioned us about the location of the dentist, who puts prostheses.
The most luxurious of the laboratories visited by JN, operating a modern and imposing building services, is located in Leiria, next to a dentist. In the waiting room, a patient confides to the reporter who was sent there by a doctor in a hospital. Had an operation and left me a plate. Assumed that paid me a new and told to come here, that after they made accounts with this lab, said. When the journalist asks: But it comes only to the mold or is here that you also apply the plate and settle down '. Answer: No, the technicians here do everything. Then, the hospital pays them. In fact, the reporter, minutes later, just to confirm that's right, inside, sitting in a dentist chair. In the presence of a prosthesis, and promised that the observed skeletal apply a prosthesis with three teeth, for 380 euros, and already has the necessary prior removal of an implant. Then you can still make a attention in the price promised.
Here, as in many other laboratories visited by JN, the cards have a space to mark the day and time of the consultation. It is further proof that serve patients, which is illegal, says the president of the OMD which finds no explanation for the fact that some laboratories - in Espinho, for example - announced agreements with health subsystems.
In Matosinhos, the only place visited by JN employees whose speech had a more defensive - a flashy video surveillance system at the door, moreover, leaves soon transpire a certain fear with uninvited guests - the service also illegal, but that the whole neighborhood know there exists, relates to the application of corrective dental appliances to children. When questioned about apply prosthetics, sent, ready for a trusted dentist in Porto, and, as in almost all other laboratories visited were right there to hand a card to offer.
If we find that there is some relationship between illegal or objectionable dentists and prosthetists, we will take all legal steps to denounce and punish offenders, assured, JN, Orlando Monteiro da Silva, who, in the last instance, the case threatens to deliver the prosecutor.
JN - It's cool to a technician directly contact customers dentures ?
Orlando
Monteiro da Silva - The prosthetists are solely responsible for the
manufacture of medical devices that are prescribed by dentists . Direct contact with the patient or the placement of the device in the oral cavity may not occur.
JN - What are the crimes in question ?
Orlando Monteiro da Silva - offenses against physical integrity , usurpation of functions , fraud , among others .
JN - From what we saw in illegal clinics visited , the prices are lower than in legal clinics , with dentists . This apparent increase in illegal provision of health care is a result of the economic crisis ?
Orlando Monteiro da Silva - There is a logic that can be established. But to think that it is cheaper is a mistake . If someone can not practice health acts , because they do not know how it is supposed to do a safe practice , it is not cheap . It is much more expensive . People who suffer with less happy results realize how much more expensive to repair injury and damage resulting possible.
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The statements of the president of OMD are clarificadoras little to solve the problem. After all who is forming the prosthetic? Who were the instructors and national institutions that formed technicians causing bodily harm, usurp functions, scams, etc..? Then yes, President of OMD, should have identified each of these instructors and institutions ...
