Informed Consent
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Quick Tips for the Dental Office
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Informed Consent
Informed consent provides patients with information to decide whether to begin a new procedure , or to remain in their current condition . Informed consent discussions with patients must include a description of the procedure , and the risks and alternatives involved that a reasonable person would consider significant in deciding whether or not to have the procedure . It must be clear that the patient has an understanding of the reasonably achievable and expected results .
Informed consent conversations must be direct , face-to-face conversations between the patient and the dentist . Patients must be able to ask questions of the dentist regarding the procedure , and thus the use of support staff does not constitute compliance with information consent . The effective use of informed consent can also assist the dentist in avoiding potential disputes with patients . Patients that are fully aware of the risks and limitations of a procedure are less likely to be dissatisfied with the work performed .
Best practices include giving the patient a procedure specific , written , consent form with the estimated date of the procedure . This serves as confirmation that the informed consent conversation occurred between the dentist and the patient . The dentist and the patient should both sign the form . In addition , the dentist should also document the informed consent and the execution of the form directly in the patient ’ s chart .
When Do I Need Informed Consent ?
Any procedure that is surgical or operative , including the administration of anesthesia , requires informed consent . Examples include : root canals , extractions and implants .
Informed consent must be obtained at some point prior to the procedure ; however , dentists must use judgement as to whether informed consent should be re-obtained . For example , if a patient provided informed consent , but then comes back a year later for the procedure to be performed , informed consent should be re-obtained .
If a patient is having the same procedure done multiple times , it is preferable to obtain informed consent prior to each treatment . It is possible the known complications or alternatives to the procedure have changed since the last treatment , or the patient ’ s individual circumstances may have changed .
When it comes to treating minors ( less than 18 years of age ), you must gain informed consent from a parent or guardian prior to performing the procedure , barring the existence of an emergency situation .
Sample informed consent forms can be found on PDA ’ s website at : http :// www . padental . org / PDA22 / Membership / Practice _ Management / Informed _ Consent . aspx .
For more information regarding the requirements of informed consent , please refer to this article published in the Jan / Feb 2018 issue of the PD Journal : https :// view . joomag . com / pennsylvania-dentaljournal-jan-feb-2018 / 0660007001516391445 / p18 ? short &. 2024