Overview
Responding to accidents in dental practices is a critical part of your duty of care as a practice owner. You are responsible for protecting employees, patients, and visitors from harm where possible, and for taking prompt, appropriate action when incidents occur. All accidents and near-miss incidents must be recorded in the practice’s accident book. This includes injuries to staff, patients, visitors, and contractors, as well as any situation that could have caused harm.
Accurate and timely records help you identify patterns, reduce the risk of recurrence, and demonstrate compliance during inspections. In addition to accidents, you should document any significant incidents that affect health, safety, or welfare. Some of these may need to be reported to external bodies such as the CQC, HIW, or the RQIA. Understanding your reporting requirements under RIDDOR, as well as obligations relating to medical device incidents and regulator notifications, is essential for maintaining a safe and legally compliant dental workplace.
