2025, issue 30

Clearing up confusion around consent

ByLeo Briggs

Published21 April 2025

Landmark cases like Montgomery and McCulloch may have helped to define consent, but understanding and applying the principles can still present challenges.

You do not need to discuss every risk with a patient, but you need to put yourself in their shoes and think which risks are going to be important for them.

E-learning

Clearing up confusion around consent

[McCulloch] has confirmed that a clinician does not need to discuss a treatment option with a patient if the clinician thinks that it is not a reasonable option in the circumstances.

Leo Briggs

Deputy head of the DDU

Leo Briggs qualified from University College Hospital, London, in 1989. He has worked extensively in the community dental service including a brief period overseas. He has also worked in general dental practice. Leo gained a masters degree in periodontology from the Eastman in 1995 and is on the GDC specialist register for periodontics. From 1995-2017 he provided specialist periodontal treatment in both the salaried dental services and private practice. He started working for the DDU in 2005. Between 2007 and 2009 he worked part time at the DDU and part time as a clinical tutor at the School for Professionals Complementary to Dentistry in Portsmouth. In 2009 Leo went full time with the DDU. In January 2016 he became deputy head of the DDU.