Emeritus Prof. Dato’ Dr. Wan Mohamad Nasir Bin Wan Othman

DPPJ, JMN, KMN, AMP, DDS(USU), MHPEd.(UNSW), DPH(Dent)(Syd), Dip.DH(Dublin), Cert.HR(Manchester), FICD, FICCDE

Dr. Wan Mohamad Nasir bin Wan Othman is the Founding Dean, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) and served in this capacity for eight (8) years. He joined USIM in October 2006, soon after mandatory retirement after serving the Ministry of Health for about 30 years. His last post prior to mandatory retirement was Director, Oral Health Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia and Registrar of the Malaysian Dental Council. He was Vice-Chairman, Public Health Section, World Dental Federation (FDI) from 2002 to 2006. Presently, he is a member of Malaysian Dental Council, member of Dental Public Health Sub-Commitee of the National Specialist Register, member of the Joint Technical Committee on Accreditation of Dental Degree Programme, and several other professional bodies. He was conferred Emeritus Professor during the 13th Convocation, USIM in November 2015. He was also conferred Distinguished Fellow of Asia by the International College of Dentists in 2016.  His career in dentistry started in 1976 as a dental officer at a government dental clinic in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. He was later transferred to Dental Training School in Pulau Pinang and some years later became its Director. He also has considerable experience in managing oral health care gained through the posting as Dental Director for the states of Perlis, Negeri Sembilan and Kedah before his transfer to the Ministry of Health Malaysia in 1996. He has written several books, published a number of articles and presented numerous papers at national and international forums on dental education and oral health. His research interest include programme development of oral health, education of health personnel and oral health-related quality of life.

CLINICAL GOVERNANCE IN DENTAL PRACTICE

The escalating cost of health care, including oral health care, led consumers to demand value for money spent. The profession reiterates that it is committed to continual improvement in health care delivery through a system of clinical governance that emphasises accountability in quality outcome of care. The aim of this presentation is to explore the relationship of the elements that form the framework of clinical governance for promoting the attainment of oral health for improved health and enhanced quality of life. The overriding principle of clinical governance is providing health care to benefit the patient. It evolved from the unwritten social contract between the medical-dental profession and the society whereby the former provides the best possible care for the latter’s trust. In the context of clinical governance, responsible health care organisations need to conform to the legislative requirements for patient care. They are also required to comply with the policies and procedures as advocated by the government and professional bodies. The dentist, whose overriding duty is to the patient, is obliged to provide the leadership in providing oral health care based on the concept of patient-centred care and patient safety. Patients as clients are given the opportunity to give feedback on care received. The Client’s Charter that forms the “social pact” between the service provider and consumers is central to an effective clinical governance. This framework of clinical governance underlined the importance of the competence and ability of dental practitioners to manage risks for effective, efficient and accountable oral health services that satisfies their patients. It operates within the context of the ethical principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, justice and autonomy. Dental practitioners and dental organisations are duty-bound to adopt the principles of clinical governance for continual improvement of quality patient care and patient satisfaction.