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Issue 24
Spring 2023
Dental practices are expected to make reasonable adjustments to their premises and procedures to try and ensure all patients have access to care.
Read our advice and how we've helped members in a wide range of situations to earn free CPD from these case studies.
Patients deserve prompt and fair resolution in the event of a problem - but so too do dental professionals, argues John Makin, head of the DDU.
Dento-legal issues can still raise their heads after you retire, with records being one area that can generate questions for some time after you...
We address the concerns and confusion over hygienists and therapists treating patients under direct access.
Feature
Understanding the risks surrounding endodontic treatment - and how to manage them - can help minimise the potential for complications encountered by both patients and dental professionals. CPD available.
Dr Keith Smith discusses some of the causes of negligence claims relating to wisdom tooth extraction.
In focus
Hygienists and therapists have a vital role in providing comprehensive patient care, so it's also vital to ensure appropriate levels of training, indemnity and competence.
Leader
With so much of dental practice resting on making the right choices, it helps to keep your decision-making destination in your sights, says DDU head John Makin.
Interview
One DDU member talks us through the shock and stress of receiving their first complaint, as well as how we were able to support them through it.
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?
The dental health of people with dementia can become secondary to other considerations. But the dental team can make a vital contribution to patients' quality of life, as Christine Osborne explains.
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.
The DDU has some urgent items for the health secretary's in-tray, says John Makin.
Members report complaints and claims to us for all sorts of reasons, and common among them are allegations of unnecessary or inappropriate investigations and treatment.
Case study
A DDU member's case shows how important independent expert evidence can be to successfully defending a claim.