The traditional approach to QA is to examine services or products after they have been completed. Products that pass inspection are delivered to customers, while those that fail inspection are either fixed or scrapped. Services that pass inspection continue to be provided as usual. Services that fail inspection are reviewed in greater detail, and improvements are made to help ensure improved quality in the future. QA measures the quality of clinical practice while ignoring the processes and systems that support the provision of care. This approach is reactive rather than proactive. One of the dental director’s responsibilities is to determine the quality of care that will be delivered in the organization.
Safety Net Dental Clinic Manual
National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Georgetown University