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Issue 31
2025, issue 2
Having covered the principles of consent in our last issue, we turn to one of its key applications in practice – how to assess capacity to consent.
We looked at claims involving hygienists and therapists to understand the risk factors and issues these members face – as well as how to manage them.
We've teamed up with leading healthcare education providers Red Whale to offer access to free learning resources on clinical dental topics.
An SAR can sometimes involve patient information shared with your defence organisation. Here’s our advice on what to include - and what to redact.
A member received a claim alleging they had extracted a patient's molar unnecessarily, and turned to the DDU for help.
Feature
Dr Keith Smith discusses some of the causes of negligence claims relating to wisdom tooth extraction.
Interview
A senior GDP describes her descent into purgatory after a fellow dental professional made a vexatious complaint to NHS England - and how she fought back with support from the DDU.
In focus
No-one looks forward to dealing with an adverse incident, but the reality is they do happen. So here's our quick three-step plan for starting to put things right.
Effective communication is an essential part of the practice of dentistry. It can help improve both clinician and patient satisfaction and also help reduce the risk of complaints.
We address the concerns and confusion over hygienists and therapists treating patients under direct access.
They are the basis for effective patient care and have an important dento-legal purpose - but what makes good dental records, and what else do dental professionals need to consider?
Complaints are common, and it's vital to know how to manage them professionally and appropriately. Read our concise but comprehensive guide.
Pausing to reflect when something goes wrong can lessen the risk of history repeating itself. We explain how to respond to an adverse incident, ensuring patients are supported and lessons are learned.