Steps to Retirement from the Practice of Dentistry

The Provincial Dental Board has the following recommendations for dentists retiring from practice:

Patient Records

You should retain your patient records or see to it that they are retained by the practitioner who is assuming your practice. You will need your records if a patient lodges a complaint or starts a legal action concerning treatment which you have provided.
Based on the current wording of the Nova Scotia Limitation Act, a legal action can be commenced 30 years after the date on which care is provided to a patient, although the 30 year period does not start to run against a minor plaintiff until he or she reaches the age of majority. This 30 year “ultimate limitation” period can also be lengthened or extended in certain cases.

The foregoing is intended to be for general information only and should not be relied on, as the law involving limitation periods is complex and could be affected by a number of different factors in individual cases. In developing a policy for storage and retention of patient records, members of the Provincial Dental Board should obtain their own legal advice.

Malpractice Insurance

In order to ensure your professional liability insurance is maintained, at no cost to you, please contact:

Canadian Dental Service Plans, Inc.
(CDSPI)
155 Lesmill Road
Toronto, Ontario, M3B 2T8
phone: 1-800-561-9401
fax: 1-866-337-3389
email: insurance@cdspi.com
website: www.cdspi.com

The date that the Provincial Dental Board will confirm to CDSPI as the date on which you have retired, is the date you formally advised the Board that you have voluntarily relinquished your licence to practise. You must provide written notice to the Registrar.

Retirement

When the Provincial Dental Board is formally advised of your retirement from the practice of dentistry in Nova Scotia, you will cease to be registered as a dentist in Nova Scotia.