{"id":31261,"date":"2026-07-24T22:08:40","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T22:08:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/?page_id=31261"},"modified":"2026-07-24T22:11:37","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T22:11:37","slug":"how-to-respond-to-a-mda-complaint","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/how-to-respond-to-a-mda-complaint\/","title":{"rendered":"How to respond to a MDA complaint"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"31261\" class=\"elementor elementor-31261\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6da4b1d e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"6da4b1d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e978ea1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"e978ea1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n<!-- How to respond to a MDA complaint | Elementor Custom HTML fragment -->\r\n<!-- body only, Yoast owns head -->\r\n<link rel=\"preconnect\" href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\">\r\n<link rel=\"preconnect\" href=\"https:\/\/fonts.gstatic.com\" crossorigin>\r\n<link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=DM+Sans:wght@400;500;700&family=Playfair+Display:wght@700;800&display=swap\">\r\n<style>\r\n.hec-canart{--navy:#1A2233;--red:#B01F17;--ink:#22303c;--muted:#5a6b78;--line:#e4e8ec;--paper:#fbfcfd;--cream:#f7f2ec;--gold:#b8843e;\r\n max-width:820px;margin:0 auto;padding:8px 20px 48px;font-family:\"DM Sans\",system-ui,-apple-system,\"Segoe UI\",Arial,sans-serif;\r\n font-size:17px;line-height:1.68;color:var(--ink);background:transparent;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased}\r\n.hec-canart *{box-sizing:border-box}\r\n.hec-canart .crumb{font-size:13px;color:var(--muted);letter-spacing:.01em;margin:0 0 22px;padding-bottom:14px;border-bottom:1px solid var(--line)}\r\n.hec-canart .crumb a{color:var(--muted);text-decoration:none}\r\n.hec-canart .crumb a:hover{color:var(--red)}\r\n.hec-canart .crumb span{margin:0 7px;color:#b8c2ca}\r\n.hec-canart .eyebrow{font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.13em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--red);margin:0 0 10px}\r\n.hec-canart h1{font-family:\"Playfair Display\",Georgia,serif;font-weight:800;font-size:40px;line-height:1.16;color:var(--navy);margin:0 0 14px;letter-spacing:-.01em}\r\n.hec-canart .meta{font-size:13px;color:var(--muted);margin:0 0 26px;padding-bottom:0}\r\n.hec-canart .meta b{color:var(--navy);font-weight:700}\r\n.hec-canart .meta span{margin-left:14px;padding-left:14px;border-left:1px solid var(--line)}\r\n.hec-canart .lede{font-size:20px;line-height:1.56;color:var(--navy);font-weight:500;margin:0 0 26px}\r\n.hec-canart .callout{background:var(--cream);border-left:4px solid var(--gold);border-radius:0 8px 8px 0;padding:18px 22px;margin:0 0 34px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.62}\r\n.hec-canart .callout b{color:var(--navy);display:block;margin-bottom:5px;font-size:15px;letter-spacing:.01em}\r\n.hec-canart h2{font-family:\"Playfair Display\",Georgia,serif;font-weight:700;font-size:27px;line-height:1.28;color:var(--navy);margin:38px 0 14px;letter-spacing:-.005em}\r\n.hec-canart h3{font-size:17px;font-weight:700;color:var(--navy);margin:24px 0 8px}\r\n.hec-canart p{margin:0 0 16px}\r\n.hec-canart a{color:var(--red);text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:2px;text-decoration-thickness:1px}\r\n.hec-canart a:hover{text-decoration-thickness:2px}\r\n.hec-canart ul,.hec-canart ol{margin:0 0 18px;padding-left:22px}\r\n.hec-canart li{margin:0 0 9px}\r\n.hec-canart strong{color:var(--navy);font-weight:700}\r\n.hec-canart .kt{background:var(--paper);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:10px;padding:24px 26px;margin:40px 0}\r\n.hec-canart .kt h2{margin:0 0 14px;font-size:22px}\r\n.hec-canart .kt ul{margin:0;padding-left:20px}\r\n.hec-canart .kt li{margin:0 0 10px;font-size:16px}\r\n.hec-canart .courses{margin:40px 0}\r\n.hec-canart .courses h2{margin-bottom:8px}\r\n.hec-canart .courses>p{color:var(--muted);font-size:15px;margin-bottom:18px}\r\n.hec-canart .card{display:block;border:1px solid var(--line);border-left:3px solid var(--red);border-radius:8px;padding:15px 18px;margin:0 0 10px;text-decoration:none;background:#fff;transition:border-color .15s,transform .15s}\r\n.hec-canart .card:hover{border-color:var(--red);transform:translateX(2px)}\r\n.hec-canart .card b{display:block;color:var(--navy);font-size:16px;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:3px;text-decoration:none}\r\n.hec-canart .card span{display:block;color:var(--muted);font-size:14px;line-height:1.5}\r\n.hec-canart .nextset{margin:40px 0;padding-top:26px;border-top:1px solid var(--line)}\r\n.hec-canart .nextset h2{margin-top:0;font-size:22px}\r\n.hec-canart .nextset a{display:block;padding:11px 0;font-weight:500;border-bottom:1px solid var(--line)}\r\n.hec-canart .faq{margin:40px 0}\r\n.hec-canart .faq details{border-bottom:1px solid var(--line);padding:2px 0}\r\n.hec-canart .faq summary{cursor:pointer;padding:14px 0;font-weight:700;color:var(--navy);font-size:16px;list-style:none;position:relative;padding-right:28px}\r\n.hec-canart .faq summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}\r\n.hec-canart .faq summary:after{content:\"+\";position:absolute;right:4px;top:12px;color:var(--red);font-size:20px;font-weight:400}\r\n.hec-canart .faq details[open] summary:after{content:\"\\2212\"}\r\n.hec-canart .faq details p{margin:0 0 15px;color:var(--ink);font-size:16px}\r\n.hec-canart .disc{margin:38px 0 0;padding:18px 20px;background:var(--paper);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:8px;font-size:13px;line-height:1.6;color:var(--muted)}\r\n@media(max-width:600px){.hec-canart{font-size:16px;padding:8px 16px 40px}.hec-canart h1{font-size:30px}.hec-canart h2{font-size:23px}.hec-canart .lede{font-size:18px}}\r\n<\/style>\r\n<article class=\"hec-canart\">\r\n\r\n  <nav class=\"crumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/knowledge-support\/\">Knowledge &amp; Support<\/a><span>\/<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/knowledge-support\/dentists\/manitoba\/\">Dentists &mdash; Manitoba<\/a><span>\/<\/span>How to respond to a MDA complaint<\/nav>\r\n\r\n  <p class=\"eyebrow\">Manitoba &middot; Manitoba Dental Association<\/p>\r\n  <h1>How to respond to a MDA complaint<\/h1>\r\n  <div class=\"meta\"><b>9 min read<\/b><span>Last updated July 14, 2026<\/span><\/div>\r\n\r\n  <p class=\"lede\">An MDA complaint is decided by a <strong>Complaints Committee<\/strong> drawn from the Peer Review Committee, and your written response is the account it weighs. The Act gives that committee a specific set of powers &mdash; including a <strong>formal written caution<\/strong> &mdash; and one option that is genuinely yours to trigger: you can force a matter to a full inquiry rather than accept a caution.<\/p>\r\n\r\n  <div class=\"callout\"><b>Do this first: contact your liability protection before you reply.<\/b> Notify your professional liability insurer (or CDA-backed protective coverage), do not contact the complainant, and never alter, back-date or add to a chart. Then prepare your written response with advice and to the deadline you are given.<\/div>\r\n\r\n  <h2>First: the MDA is not an RHPA college<\/h2>\r\n  <p>Unlike Manitoba&rsquo;s doctors and nurses, dentists are not regulated under The Regulated Health Professions Act. The MDA regulates under <strong>The Dental Association Act (CCSM c. D30)<\/strong>, which has its own committees, its own language and its own deadlines. It regulates <strong>dentists, dental corporations and registered dental assistants<\/strong>. If your matter concerns a <strong>dental hygienist<\/strong>, that is a different regulator &mdash; the College of Dental Hygienists of Manitoba &mdash; with its own process. Everything below is the MDA&rsquo;s.<\/p>\r\n  <h2>How a complaint reaches you<\/h2>\r\n  <p>The MDA encourages patients to raise concerns with the dentist directly first, and to try informal resolution through the office. Where that does not resolve it, <strong>any person may make a complaint in writing to the Registrar<\/strong> about the conduct of a dentist or dental assistant, and by statute that complaint <strong>must be dealt with under the Act<\/strong>. A great many MDA complaints are billing and treatment-standard disputes; a striking number, in practice, are brought by <strong>insurers<\/strong>, not patients.<\/p>\r\n  <p>The Registrar may arrange an investigation, and the investigator&rsquo;s findings are reported to the <strong>Complaints Committee<\/strong>. Where the Registrar considers a complaint <strong>particularly serious and urgent<\/strong>, the Act lets them refer it &mdash; with or without further investigation &mdash; <strong>straight to the Peer Review chairperson to establish an inquiry panel<\/strong>, bypassing the ordinary route.<\/p>\r\n  <h2>Who decides &mdash; the Peer Review structure<\/h2>\r\n  <p>The Act builds everything on a <strong>Peer Review Committee<\/strong> of at least seven people &mdash; mostly licensed dentists, with at least one lay member appointed by the Minister, plus a Minister-appointed roster of public representatives. From that committee, the chair appoints a <strong>Complaints Committee<\/strong> (at least two members) to review complaints, and, where a matter goes further, an <strong>inquiry panel<\/strong>. Understanding that structure matters, because the committee reviewing your response is made up of fellow dentists and a public member, not administrators.<\/p>\r\n  <h2>The written response that does the work<\/h2>\r\n  <p>In the ordinary case the Complaints Committee decides on the documents: the complaint, your response, the record and any investigator&rsquo;s report. It may ask to meet you, and it may want to examine the dental work at issue. Your response should:<\/p>\r\n  <ul>\r\n    <li><strong>Answer every allegation specifically<\/strong>, in order. An unanswered point reads as conceded.<\/li>\r\n    <li><strong>Anchor it in the clinical record<\/strong> &mdash; the chart, radiographs, consent notes, lab work and the ledger.<\/li>\r\n    <li><strong>Explain your clinical reasoning at the time<\/strong>, on the findings you actually had, not with hindsight.<\/li>\r\n    <li><strong>Address the standard and the Code of Ethics<\/strong> directly where they are in play.<\/li>\r\n    <li><strong>Show insight where care fell short<\/strong>, and set out what you have already changed.<\/li>\r\n    <li><strong>Keep money separate from conduct.<\/strong> The MDA cannot order compensation, but it can recommend a refund or re-treatment payment; be willing to resolve the financial dispute without treating it as an admission of misconduct.<\/li>\r\n  <\/ul>\r\n  <h2>The billing trap &mdash; and the record<\/h2>\r\n  <p>Because so many MDA matters begin with an insurer, dentists get into the most serious trouble not over the clinical care but over the <strong>billing and the chart<\/strong>. Altering treatment dates, billing across policy years, or submitting records you know to be inaccurate turns a fee dispute into a dishonesty case &mdash; and those are the cases that reach an inquiry. In one published MDA inquiry a dentist who altered treatment dates and misled the investigator was <strong>reprimanded, fined $10,000 and ordered to pay investigation and hearing costs up to $45,000<\/strong>. The panel&rsquo;s own words were that co-operating truthfully with an investigation is <em>integral to self-regulation<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n  <h2>What the Complaints Committee can do<\/h2>\r\n  <p>Under <strong>section 25(1)<\/strong> of the Act, once it has reviewed the matter the Complaints Committee may:<\/p>\r\n  <ul>\r\n    <li><strong>Refer the matter to an inquiry panel<\/strong> (in whole or in part);<\/li>\r\n    <li><strong>Decline to refer it<\/strong> &mdash; effectively closing it;<\/li>\r\n    <li><strong>Issue a formal written caution<\/strong> censuring or disapproving your conduct;<\/li>\r\n    <li><strong>Accept the voluntary surrender<\/strong> of your licence; or<\/li>\r\n    <li><strong>Take such other action<\/strong> as it considers appropriate and consistent with the Act.<\/li>\r\n  <\/ul>\r\n  <p>A <strong>formal caution is confidential<\/strong> but stays on your MDA file, and it can be considered later. Here is the part worth knowing: under <strong>section 25(3)<\/strong>, if you are offered a caution you may <strong>request that the matter instead go to an inquiry panel<\/strong> &mdash; and the committee then cannot issue the caution. That is a real strategic choice, and precisely the kind that needs legal advice rather than instinct, because an inquiry is public and higher-stakes.<\/p>\r\n  <h2>Appeals and how long it takes<\/h2>\r\n  <p>A <strong>complainant<\/strong> who is dissatisfied with the Complaints Committee&rsquo;s findings may appeal in writing to the <strong>Peer Review chairperson within 30 days<\/strong> &mdash; though a matter already settled by discipline cannot be appealed. Timelines vary with complexity; billing and records matters that require the insurer&rsquo;s file, or an examination of the dental work, take longer. Use the time to prepare, and read our companion guides on <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/knowledge-support\/dentists\/manitoba\/investigation\/\">the investigation<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/knowledge-support\/dentists\/manitoba\/remediation\/\">remediation<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n  <section class=\"kt\">\r\n    <h2>Key takeaways<\/h2>\r\n    <ul>\r\n    <li>The MDA regulates under <strong>The Dental Association Act<\/strong>, not the RHPA &mdash; different committees, language and deadlines. Dental hygienists have a separate regulator.<\/li>\r\n    <li>Any person may complain in writing to the <strong>Registrar<\/strong>; in practice many MDA complaints come from <strong>insurers<\/strong>, not patients.<\/li>\r\n    <li>A <strong>Complaints Committee<\/strong> drawn from the Peer Review Committee decides most matters on the paper record &mdash; so your written response is your case.<\/li>\r\n    <li>Under <strong>s.25(1)<\/strong> it can refer to inquiry, decline to refer, issue a <strong>formal written caution<\/strong>, or accept a voluntary surrender.<\/li>\r\n    <li>Under <strong>s.25(3)<\/strong> you can <strong>refuse a caution and demand an inquiry<\/strong> instead &mdash; a real but high-stakes choice; take advice.<\/li>\r\n    <li>The <strong>billing and the record<\/strong> are where dentists get into the worst trouble: altering a chart turns a fee dispute into a dishonesty case.<\/li>\r\n    <\/ul>\r\n  <\/section>\r\n\r\n  <section class=\"courses\">\r\n    <h2>Related courses<\/h2>\r\n    <p>Structured CPD you can complete now and put in front of the committee as evidence of insight.<\/p>\r\n  <a class=\"card\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/courses\/dealing-with-a-complaint-or-investigation-professionally\/\"><b>Dealing with a Complaint or Investigation Professionally<\/b><span>How to engage the MDA without damaging your own position.<\/span><\/a>\r\n  <a class=\"card\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/courses\/documentation-for-healthcare-professionals\/\"><b>Documentation for Healthcare Professionals<\/b><span>Charts, radiographs and ledgers are the evidence. What records must show.<\/span><\/a>\r\n  <a class=\"card\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/courses\/probity-and-honesty-for-healthcare-professionals\/\"><b>Probity and Honesty for Healthcare Professionals<\/b><span>Why billing and records failures escalate faster than any clinical error.<\/span><\/a>\r\n  <a class=\"card\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/courses\/ethics-and-ethical-standards-for-dentists-and-dental-professionals\/\"><b>Ethics and Ethical Standards for Dentists and Dental Professionals<\/b><span>The Code of Ethics an MDA committee weighs your conduct against.<\/span><\/a>\r\n  <\/section>\r\n\r\n  <section class=\"nextset\">\r\n    <h2>Continue reading<\/h2>\r\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/what-happens-during-a-mda-investigation\">What happens during a MDA investigation?<\/a>\r\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/remediation-and-reflection-for-manitoba-dentists\">Remediation and reflection for Manitoba dentists<\/a>\r\n  <\/section>\r\n\r\n  <section class=\"faq\">\r\n    <h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\r\n  <details>\r\n    <summary>Who regulates dentists in Manitoba?<\/summary>\r\n    <p>The Manitoba Dental Association, under The Dental Association Act (CCSM c. D30) &mdash; not the RHPA that governs Manitoba doctors and nurses. The MDA regulates dentists, dental corporations and registered dental assistants; dental hygienists have a separate regulator.<\/p>\r\n  <\/details>\r\n  <details>\r\n    <summary>Who decides an MDA complaint?<\/summary>\r\n    <p>A Complaints Committee of at least two members drawn from the Peer Review Committee &mdash; mostly dentists, with public representation. It reviews the complaint, your response and any investigator&rsquo;s report, and usually decides on the paper record.<\/p>\r\n  <\/details>\r\n  <details>\r\n    <summary>What can the Complaints Committee do?<\/summary>\r\n    <p>Under section 25(1) it can refer the matter to an inquiry panel, decline to refer it, issue a formal written caution censuring your conduct, accept the voluntary surrender of your licence, or take other appropriate action consistent with the Act.<\/p>\r\n  <\/details>\r\n  <details>\r\n    <summary>Can I refuse a caution?<\/summary>\r\n    <p>Yes. Under section 25(3), if you are offered a formal caution you may request that the matter go to an inquiry panel instead, and the committee then cannot issue the caution. It is a high-stakes choice, because an inquiry is public &mdash; take legal advice first.<\/p>\r\n  <\/details>\r\n  <details>\r\n    <summary>Can the MDA make my dentist refund me or pay damages?<\/summary>\r\n    <p>No. The MDA cannot order compensation or damages. In reviewing a complaint it may recommend a refund or a payment toward re-treatment, but the dentist is not obliged to accept that recommendation; compensation is a matter for civil litigation.<\/p>\r\n  <\/details>\r\n  <details>\r\n    <summary>Is a formal caution public?<\/summary>\r\n    <p>No. A formal caution is kept confidential, though it remains on your MDA file and can be considered in future. Only inquiry panel outcomes are made public.<\/p>\r\n  <\/details>\r\n  <\/section>\r\n\r\n  <p class=\"disc\">This guide is general information about the Manitoba Dental Association (MDA) and is not legal advice. Regulatory processes turn on their facts, and The Dental Association Act and MDA by-laws change. Contact your professional liability insurer or the Canadian Dental Association&rsquo;s protective coverage before you write to the MDA, and take advice from a lawyer experienced in Manitoba regulatory matters. Healthcare Ethics Courses is an independent CPD provider and is not affiliated with the MDA. Last updated July 14, 2026.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/article>\r\n\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\r\n{\r\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\r\n  \"@graph\": [\r\n    {\r\n      \"@type\": \"Article\",\r\n      \"headline\": \"How to respond to a MDA complaint\",\r\n      \"description\": \"How to respond to a MDA complaint in Manitoba: the Complaints Committee, formal cautions under s.25(1), your right to demand an inquiry, and the billing-record trap.\",\r\n      \"inLanguage\": \"en-CA\",\r\n      \"datePublished\": \"2026-07-14\",\r\n      \"dateModified\": \"2026-07-14\",\r\n      \"author\": {\r\n        \"@type\": \"Person\",\r\n        \"name\": \"Dr Shehzad Iqbal\",\r\n        \"jobTitle\": \"Founder, Healthcare Ethics Courses\",\r\n        \"description\": \"MRCS, MRCGP, PG Cert Healthcare Law & Ethics (University of Dundee)\"\r\n      },\r\n      \"publisher\": {\r\n        \"@type\": \"Organization\",\r\n        \"name\": \"Healthcare Ethics Courses\",\r\n        \"url\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/\"\r\n      },\r\n      \"mainEntityOfPage\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/knowledge-support\/dentists\/manitoba\/complaints\/\",\r\n      \"url\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/knowledge-support\/dentists\/manitoba\/complaints\/\",\r\n      \"about\": [\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Thing\",\r\n          \"name\": \"Manitoba Dental Association\"\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Thing\",\r\n          \"name\": \"The Dental Association Act (Manitoba)\"\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Thing\",\r\n          \"name\": \"Dental regulation in Manitoba\"\r\n        }\r\n      ]\r\n    },\r\n    {\r\n      \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\r\n      \"itemListElement\": [\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\r\n          \"position\": 1,\r\n          \"name\": \"Knowledge & Support\",\r\n          \"item\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/knowledge-support\/\"\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\r\n          \"position\": 2,\r\n          \"name\": \"Dentists \u2014 Manitoba\",\r\n          \"item\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/knowledge-support\/dentists\/manitoba\/\"\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\r\n          \"position\": 3,\r\n          \"name\": \"How to respond to a MDA complaint\",\r\n          \"item\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/knowledge-support\/dentists\/manitoba\/complaints\/\"\r\n        }\r\n      ]\r\n    },\r\n    {\r\n      \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\r\n      \"mainEntity\": [\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"Who regulates dentists in Manitoba?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\r\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\r\n            \"text\": \"The Manitoba Dental Association, under The Dental Association Act (CCSM c. D30) \u2014 not the RHPA that governs Manitoba doctors and nurses. The MDA regulates dentists, dental corporations and registered dental assistants; dental hygienists have a separate regulator.\"\r\n          }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"Who decides an MDA complaint?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\r\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\r\n            \"text\": \"A Complaints Committee of at least two members drawn from the Peer Review Committee \u2014 mostly dentists, with public representation. It reviews the complaint, your response and any investigator\u2019s report, and usually decides on the paper record.\"\r\n          }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"What can the Complaints Committee do?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\r\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\r\n            \"text\": \"Under section 25(1) it can refer the matter to an inquiry panel, decline to refer it, issue a formal written caution censuring your conduct, accept the voluntary surrender of your licence, or take other appropriate action consistent with the Act.\"\r\n          }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"Can I refuse a caution?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\r\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\r\n            \"text\": \"Yes. Under section 25(3), if you are offered a formal caution you may request that the matter go to an inquiry panel instead, and the committee then cannot issue the caution. It is a high-stakes choice, because an inquiry is public \u2014 take legal advice first.\"\r\n          }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"Can the MDA make my dentist refund me or pay damages?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\r\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\r\n            \"text\": \"No. The MDA cannot order compensation or damages. In reviewing a complaint it may recommend a refund or a payment toward re-treatment, but the dentist is not obliged to accept that recommendation; compensation is a matter for civil litigation.\"\r\n          }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"Is a formal caution public?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\r\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\r\n            \"text\": \"No. A formal caution is kept confidential, though it remains on your MDA file and can be considered in future. Only inquiry panel outcomes are made public.\"\r\n          }\r\n        }\r\n      ]\r\n    }\r\n  ]\r\n}\r\n<\/script>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Knowledge &amp; Support\/Dentists &mdash; Manitoba\/How to respond to a MDA complaint Manitoba &middot; Manitoba Dental Association How to respond to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"full-width-container","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-31261","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Respond to a CRNM Complaint | Manitoba<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Facing a CRNM complaint? Why the College prefers remedial resolution, what your written response must do, interim conditions and what gets published.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/how-to-respond-to-a-mda-complaint\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Respond to a CRNM Complaint | Manitoba\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Facing a CRNM complaint? Why the College prefers remedial resolution, what your written response must do, interim conditions and what gets published.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/how-to-respond-to-a-mda-complaint\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Canada Healthcare Courses\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-24T22:11:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/can\\\/how-to-respond-to-a-mda-complaint\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/can\\\/how-to-respond-to-a-mda-complaint\\\/\",\"name\":\"How to Respond to a CRNM Complaint | Manitoba\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/can\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-24T22:08:40+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-24T22:11:37+00:00\",\"description\":\"Facing a CRNM complaint? Why the College prefers remedial resolution, what your written response must do, interim conditions and what gets published.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/can\\\/how-to-respond-to-a-mda-complaint\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/can\\\/how-to-respond-to-a-mda-complaint\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/can\\\/how-to-respond-to-a-mda-complaint\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/can\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to respond to a MDA complaint\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/can\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/can\\\/\",\"name\":\"Canada Healthcare Courses\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/can\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/can\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/can\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Canada Healthcare Courses\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/can\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/can\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/can\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/09\\\/site-logo.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/can\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/09\\\/site-logo.svg\",\"width\":111,\"height\":115,\"caption\":\"Canada Healthcare Courses\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/can\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Respond to a CRNM Complaint | Manitoba","description":"Facing a CRNM complaint? Why the College prefers remedial resolution, what your written response must do, interim conditions and what gets published.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/how-to-respond-to-a-mda-complaint\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Respond to a CRNM Complaint | Manitoba","og_description":"Facing a CRNM complaint? Why the College prefers remedial resolution, what your written response must do, interim conditions and what gets published.","og_url":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/how-to-respond-to-a-mda-complaint\/","og_site_name":"Canada Healthcare Courses","article_modified_time":"2026-07-24T22:11:37+00:00","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/how-to-respond-to-a-mda-complaint\/","url":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/how-to-respond-to-a-mda-complaint\/","name":"How to Respond to a CRNM Complaint | Manitoba","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/#website"},"datePublished":"2026-07-24T22:08:40+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-24T22:11:37+00:00","description":"Facing a CRNM complaint? Why the College prefers remedial resolution, what your written response must do, interim conditions and what gets published.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/how-to-respond-to-a-mda-complaint\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/how-to-respond-to-a-mda-complaint\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/how-to-respond-to-a-mda-complaint\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to respond to a MDA complaint"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/#website","url":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/","name":"Canada Healthcare Courses","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/#organization","name":"Canada Healthcare Courses","url":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/site-logo.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/site-logo.svg","width":111,"height":115,"caption":"Canada Healthcare Courses"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/31261","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31261"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/31261\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31275,"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/31261\/revisions\/31275"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31261"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}