The Patient Ombudsman has looked into one company offering orthodontic treatment using overlays. According to the investigation, patients were qualified for treatment without examinations, diagnosis and an individualized treatment plan. Such practices put patients' health at risk and violate their rights.
Orthodontic treatment? Only with a complete diagnosis and treatment plan
Published May 6, 2025 08:47
More and more people are opting for bite correction - not only for aesthetic reasons, but also for health reasons. In response to this growing demand, a number of providers are appearing on the medical market offering orthodontic treatment, including the increasingly popular bite-correcting overlays. However, the Patient Ombudsman reminds that this type of treatment must be carried out under the supervision of appropriately qualified doctors - in accordance with current standards for diagnosis and medical documentation.
In the course of a recent intervention, Patient Ombudsman Bartlomiej Chmielowiec examined the activities of one of the leading providers of orthodontic treatment. The results of the inspection were disturbing. Patients were being qualified for treatment without first having a diagnosis, treatment plan and basic diagnostic tests performed.
As shown, the services were provided by dentists without specialization in orthodontics. Medical records were incomplete and schematic - they lacked key information, such as diagnosis, treatment plan and patient consent for procedures. The treatment plans were almost identical for all patients, indicating the use of a single template, without taking individual needs into account.
The Ombudsman's position was confirmed by the provincial consultant in orthodontics, who stressed that proper qualification for orthodontic treatment must be based on a complete diagnosis - medical history, oral examination, X-rays and models or scans of the dental arches. X-rays alone cannot be the only basis for initiating treatment.
As a result of the irregularities, the Ombudsman issued a decision on the violation of patients' collective rights and ordered an end to the illegal practices.
While orthodontic overlay treatment in itself is not objectionable, it must be carried out in accordance with the principles of medical science, with due diligence and full medical documentation. The patient's health must not be put at risk due to simplistic procedures or insufficiently qualified personnel.
Source: MPC
