Biomaterial Database

Dental professional liability issues. 1993

B A Killila

This article discusses the areas of practice and patient relations that contribute to dental malpractice claims. These areas include informed consent, third-molar extractions, failure to treat periodontal disease, prosthetics, and treatment of post-operative infections. Ways to avoid such claims are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the value of documentation and communication to help decrease the dentist's liability exposure.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007258	Informed Consent	Voluntary authorization, by a patient or research subject, with full comprehension of the risks involved, for diagnostic or investigative procedures, and for medical and surgical treatment.	Consent, Informed
D008318	Malpractice	Failure of a professional person, a physician or lawyer, to render proper services through reprehensible ignorance or negligence or through criminal intent, especially when injury or loss follows. (Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed)	Professional Negligence,Negligence,Negligence, Professional,Professional Negligences
D010342	Patient Acceptance of Health Care	Patients' willingness to receive health care.	Acceptability of Health Care,Health Care Seeking Behavior,Acceptability of Healthcare,Acceptors of Health Care,Health Care Utilization,Nonacceptors of Health Care,Patient Acceptance of Healthcare,Care Acceptor, Health,Care Acceptors, Health,Care Nonacceptor, Health,Care Nonacceptors, Health,Health Care Acceptability,Health Care Acceptor,Health Care Acceptors,Health Care Nonacceptor,Health Care Nonacceptors,Healthcare Acceptabilities,Healthcare Acceptability,Healthcare Patient Acceptance,Healthcare Patient Acceptances,Utilization, Health Care
D003729	Dental Care	The total of dental diagnostic, preventive, and restorative services provided to meet the needs of a patient (from Illustrated Dictionary of Dentistry, 1982).	Care, Dental
D003812	Dentist-Patient Relations	The psychological relations between the dentist and patient.	Dentist-Patient Relationship,Dentist Patient Relations,Dentist Patient Relationship,Dentist-Patient Relation,Dentist-Patient Relationships,Relation, Dentist-Patient,Relations, Dentist-Patient,Relationship, Dentist-Patient,Relationships, Dentist-Patient
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D016365	Liability, Legal	Accountability and responsibility to another, enforceable by civil or criminal sanctions.	Institutional Liability,Personal Liability,Professional Liability,Legal Liability,Medical Liability,Torts,Institutional Liabilities,Legal Liabilities,Liabilities, Institutional,Liabilities, Legal,Liabilities, Medical,Liabilities, Personal,Liabilities, Professional,Liability, Institutional,Liability, Medical,Liability, Personal,Liability, Professional,Medical Liabilities,Personal Liabilities,Professional Liabilities,Tort
D017060	Patient Satisfaction	The degree to which the individual regards the health care service or product or the manner in which it is delivered by the provider as useful, effective, or beneficial.	Satisfaction, Patient