The grouping of dental laboratories of Quebec (RLDQ) fears a breakdown in service if the government does not adopt a regulation to allow laboratory assistants to continue to work under the supervision of a technologist in prostheses and dental appliances.

The RLDQ, which represents 50 dental laboratories and 850 people, fears that a rigorous interpretation and application of the Act to amend the Professional Code and other provisions, particularly in the oral field, will upset their activities.

Technologists are used to working with multiple auxiliaries and supervising them to get the job done. This collaboration is likely to be a thing of the past, according to what the RLDQ said in a press release on Tuesday.

"The College told the labs that they would be aggressively audited under a misinterpretation of the law, which says anyone involved in the design, manufacture and repair of dental prostheses and appliances must be a member technologist in good standing. It will therefore no longer be possible for an auxiliary to work in a dental laboratory in Quebec,” two RLDQ spokespersons, Vincent Morisset and Steve Morissette, jointly declared.

They fear the closure of certain establishments and the loss of several qualified professionals if the Office des professions du Québec does not act quickly in this file.

“We are asking the Office to act now, failing which we are relying on the political parties vying for the next Quebec election to put an end to this situation,” said the two spokespersons for the RLDQ.