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A range of important new reforms are making the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency’s notifications process clearer, faster, and less stressful for dentists. By Shane Conroy
For dental practitioners, receiving notice from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) that a patient has registered a concern or complaint against them can feel like a career-ending moment.
This is known as a ‘notification’, and it’s the beginning of the formal process Ahpra must commence when it receives a concern about a practitioner’s performance, conduct, or health. The process has often felt slow and uncertain for dentists and can place a heavy emotional weight on practitioners who fear the outcome might threaten their ability to work.
A new set of reforms by Ahpra is working to change the process after major research into distress experienced by practitioners when involved in a notification. The agency commissioned this research in 2021 and established the Expert Advisory Group (EAG) to examine the impact notifications have on practitioner wellbeing and to identify where the process can be improved. The EAG has since delivered 33 recommended actions, all of which were accepted by Ahpra and the National Boards.
“Thirteen of the 33 recommended actions have now been completed and the remainder will be completed in 2026,” Susan Biggar, Ahpra’s national manager for Regulatory Experience and Engagement, says. “Our aim is to continue to create a clearer, faster, and less stressful experience for practitioners who face a notification.”
What has changed in practice
Biggar explains that health-related notifications once landed in different parts of the organisation, which created inconsistency and confusion for practitioners. A dedicated Health Management Team now oversees them, which has meant a more consistent and timely response.
Another significant change is in the move away from default independent health assessments. Historically, Ahpra directed a practitioner to be examined by a psychiatrist or other health professional as part of the health assessment process. However, this step added unnecessary stress on practitioners, especially when they already had a treating GP, psychologist, or psychiatrist. Under the reforms, Ahpra now seeks information from the practitioner’s treating doctors wherever possible.
“That shift has seen requests from Boards for independent health assessments fall from 207 in 2021/22 to 24 in 2023/24,” Biggar says. “It is one of the factors that has driven the reduction in overall notification closure timeframes from 332 days to 87 days in the same two-year period, where the practitioner’s health is the primary concern.”
Ahpra’s approach to immediate action in health matters has changed as well. Previously, practitioners would more commonly be suspended at the outset of the notification. Biggar says the new approach places greater emphasis on the steps the practitioner is taking toward recovery.
“Practitioners now more often outline the treatment and steps they are taking towards improving their health and sometimes, if necessary, offer an undertaking not to practise. The Board can then assess those plans to understand if there is any ongoing risk to the public.”
Practitioners now more often outline the treatment and steps they are taking towards improving their health and sometimes, if necessary, offer an undertaking not to practise. The Board can then assess those plans to understand if there is any ongoing risk to the public.
Susan Biggar, Ahpra
As a result of this, Ahpra’s data shows a 94 per cent drop between 2021/22 and 2023/24 in immediate actions where the practitioner’s health was the single concern.
“This reflects the shift toward helping practitioners return safely to work rather than treating health concerns in ways that might feel punitive to the practitioner,” Biggar says.
What’s ahead in 2026
The remaining EAG actions will be rolled out through 2026, with some of the focus on improving how practitioners understand the notifications process. This includes addressing myths that discourage dentists from seeking mental health support when they need it due to fears that seeing a psychologist or other mental health practitioner will trigger an Ahpra assessment.
Biggar explains that the threshold for a psychologist or GP to make a mandatory notification about a practitioner’s health is far higher than many assume.
“For a treating GP or psychologist to need to make a mandatory notification, the dentist’s health must constitute a substantial risk of harm to the public,” she says. “Common concerns such as depression or anxiety rarely meet that standard. The number of mandatory notifications Ahpra receives represents only a small proportion of our overall notifications, and many close quickly when the practitioner is already addressing the concerns raised and working towards improving their health.”
As the remaining reforms progress, Biggar says the goal remains steady: “Our aim is to protect the public while supporting practitioners to return to safe practice.”
Why it matters
Ahpra’s reforms speak directly to the pressures dentists experience when they face a notification. Distress has long been part of the reaction because dental practitioners often fear the worst even when the likelihood of a serious outcome is low—last year, only 1.4 per cent of notifications about dental practitioners resulted in a suspension, cancellation or disqualification.
Biggar explains that shame is also a common response, particularly when the concern is related to the practitioner’s health. “Some dentists worry that others will find out even though notifications are not made public,” she says. “That is why the reforms focus on clearer communication, faster assessments, and approaches that acknowledge how vulnerable practitioners may feel when a concern is raised.
“We are committed to protecting the public while considering the wellbeing of practitioners involved in our processes. We hope to create a process that is more humane for everyone and that dispels the fear that a notification will define a practitioner’s future.”
