He was given an appointment with his dentist, whose examination of the patient revealed that he required root fillings of two molar teeth. However, the dentist also noted that both teeth had very curved roots and so she explained that in her opinion it would be best to refer him for specialist treatment. The patient said he could not afford the cost of specialist treatment and asked his dentist to try and do the root fillings.
The dentist found herself in a dilemma. She wondered whether she should agree to do the difficult procedure – especially as the patient offered to sign a form saying he would accept responsibility if the treatment was unsuccessful. Fortunately, the dentist called our freephone advice line.
The dento-legal adviser who supported the member was able to point them to paragraph 7.2.2 of the GDC's guidance Standards for the Dental Team (2013) which states: 'You should only deliver treatment and care if you are confident that you have had the necessary training and are competent to do so. If you are not confident to provide treatment, you must refer the patient to an appropriately trained colleague.'
The dentist was also advised that if her patient signed a form saying he accepted responsibility for the treatment it would indicate that she thought the treatment was inappropriate. This could harm any chance there may be of defending any claim made against her and may also leave her vulnerable to criticism if the patient made a complaint to another organisation, such as her primary care organisation or the GDC.
The dentist was also advised that if she was in any doubt about a particular course of action she could always consider getting a second opinion.
We suggest that you do the following:
This page was correct at publication on . Any guidance is intended as general guidance for members only. If you are a member and need specific advice relating to your own circumstances, please contact one of our advisers.