Investigation into possible financial impropriety, police notified

The University of British Columbia’s Internal Audit Department has compiled information related to possible financial impropriety in the Faculty of Dentistry, involving the management of the General Practice Residency program. The university notified the RCMP of its concerns in February 2014 and is cooperating with the investigation.

This matter first surfaced last summer, when senior university administrators were alerted to suspected financial irregularities involving the GPR program. The university takes such allegations extremely seriously and UBC Internal Audit was immediately brought in to investigate. After confirming the possibility of financial irregularities, UBC took steps in the fall to secure program funds and ensure continued delivery of dental services to patients in the GPR clinics.

Internal Audit’s forensic accounting work was complex due to the number of GPR program funding sources and the various clinics that are located in multiple sites and involve a large number of institutional and community partners.

The Faculty of Dentistry’s General Practice Residency program trains 11 post-graduate dentists from across Canada each year at a number of hospital and community clinics located mostly in British Columbia.

The Faculty of Dentistry continues to support the GPR program and is committed to having resident dentists treat patients in a variety of clinics under appropriate supervision. The Faculty is now reviewing existing arrangements as part of its planning for the next academic year.

The university is committed to responsible public accountability, but cannot provide detailed information on the allegations, as police are now investigating the matter.

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Contact

Lucie McNeill
Director, Public Affairs
Phone: 604.822.2064
Cell: 604.312.0845
Email: lucie.mcneill@ubc.ca