The General Dental Council is involved in various matters of consent, as ethical issues which reflect upon the professional conduct of a dentist. The General Dental Council identifies the main ethical principles of getting consent as:
A patient sometimes consents to a particular line of treatment because of the apparent advantages or benefits as described by the dentist. Care should be taken to ensure that the information given is balanced and accurate, and that any claims (as to likely success) can be substantiated. Statements such as “your crown will last for lifeâ€, or “your molar root treatment will be 100% successful†or “I guarantee you will have no problem†may dramatically weaken the value and validity of the consent contained. Continue reading
In an Australian case (Rogers v. Whitaker), the High Court of Australia ruled that a 1 in 14,000 risk of blindness associated with a procedure, should have been disclosed to a patient. In this example, the patient was already almost blind in one eye and the doctor should have warned of the possible risk of blindness to the other eye no matter how slight in these circumstances, regardless of whether the patient had expressly asked the question or not. Continue reading
Dental implants are becoming an increasingly popular option for replacing missing teeth. Traditionally, dentists have relied upon bridgework or dentures to replace teeth that have been lost. Implants have advantages over other methods but are more expensive. Ask your periodontist if dental implants are the right choice for you.
What do you expect when your dentist tells you that you have to undergo root canal treatment in order to save your tooth? Read here to find out when do you need root canal treatment. Continue reading