Patient care

Patient care is at the heart of dentistry. There are a range of issues around patient care that you need to be aware of.

Of critical importance in patient care is of course consent and treatment planning and a clear patient pathway. Patients may need to be sedated before carrying out treatment, may need to be prescribed medicine, or may need referring to another dentist. You have a duty to make sure that you create and maintain clinical records of your treatments for each patient – details of what you need to include can be found in our guidance on the subject.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have collated advice for patients on correct social distancing measures and personal protective equipment to be in place.

Advice

Botox and non-surgical cosmetic procedures

Complaints handling

Consent

Disability discrimination - dentists as service providers

Emergency drugs poster

Fee collection

Freedom of information (FOIA)

Health and safety

Infection control

Medical emergencies

Medical emergencies poster

Oral cancer - team roles and responsibilities

Prescribing and medicines management

Private dental plans and in-practice capitation schemes

Protecting personal information

Record keeping during the COVID-19 pandemic

Risk assessment

Safeguarding patients

Sedation - patient and operator safety

Tooth whitening

Patient information leaflets

Bad breath

Brushing your teeth - why you need to

Dentures and bridges – keeping them clean

Etch-retained restorations

Extraction and what to do afterwards

Periodontal (gum) diseases

Removable dentures

Root canal treatment

Root surface debridement (planing/curettage)

Scaling and polishing

Silver fillings

Tooth coloured fillings

Expert template

Appointments and payment	Commitment to patients and appointments policy Debt recovery letters Fees and payments policy Payment - bill and instalments
Communications	Electronic communications - patient notice and consent GDC standards - patient leaflet New patient - practice standards and questionnaire New patient - welcome letter New patient satisfaction questionnaire Patient letter - missed appointments Patient questionnaire Practice newsletters
Complaints	Complaints - code of practice for patients Complaints handling policy - comments on Scotland template Complaints handling policy (E-W-NI) Complaints letters - NHS (E-W-NI) Complaints letters - NHS Scotland Complaints letters - private Complaints record Complaints report (E-W)
Information security	Confidentiality policy Data protection privacy notice - patients Data security policy - practice
Patient safety	Adverse incidents (duty of candour) protocol Lone working policy Safeguarding policy Underperformance and whistleblowing policy
Treatment	Chaperone policy Consent form - photographs Consent form - sedation Consent form - treatment Consent policy Direct access - patient leaflet Direct access policy Equality and diversity policy for patients Oral cancer - team roles and responsibilities Patient group direction Prescribing and dispensing policy Prescriptions for private patients Referral letters Referral protocol Referral to hygienist Sedation - information for patients Sedation - practice policy Treatment plan and estimate

Events

Training essentials courses for the dental team, including:

Leading a dental team
Running a safe and compliant practice

Webinars: live and on-demand lectures covering a range of subjects.

CPD Hub

Using PPE safely - Be confident that you can use the correct PPE safely.

Principles of Risk Assessment - Knowing what to do for the best when faced with so much guidance is causing a great deal of stress and anxiety.

One-to-one advice

Extra and Expert members have access to unlimited one-to-one advice via phone or email from our experienced advisors. Contact our Practice support team on 020 7563 4574 or email: advice.enquiries@bda.org.

We may record telephone conversations that are advisory in nature to offer you additional security, resolve complaints and improve our service standards. Conversations may also be monitored for staff training purposes. You will be alerted to this when you call.

Patient care

Advice

​Patient information leaflets

​Patient information leaflets - Word versions for customising

Expert template

Events

​CPD Hub

One-to-one advice

Patient information leaflets

Patient information leaflets - Word versions for customising

CPD Hub