Dental Assistant Fired for Unlicensed Practice, Not as Retaliation

A Registered Dental Assistant claimed she was fired as a reprisal for telling his boss to provide workers who take x-rays a dosimeter to protect their safety. The employer contended she was fired for carrying out operations RDAs aren’t licensed to perform, namely, using a high-speed dental device in a patient’s mouth, an operation that an RDA. The OHS officer sided with the employer. The RDA appealed, but to no avail. The Alberta OHS tribunal found the RDA’s evidence of having raised the concern about the dosimeter unconvincing, especially since the employer had a complete dosimeter x-ray safety program. And 2 witnesses testified that she had, in fact, performed unlicensed operations [Jingpei Duan v Pro Grace Dentistry, File No. OHS2019-11, April 22, 2021].