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Assessment and safeguarding

Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults is a role the whole team has to play. Get advice on this, as well as consent, sedation and working with latex.

Health, safety and risk assessment

Working in a dental practice, you should be able to identify where access barriers are, what could be a hazard and cause harm and whether adequate controls are in place. All staff and patients have a right to be protected from harm caused by a failure to implement reasonable control measures.

Infection prevention and control

All health care sectors are subject to stringent infection prevention and control measures, and dentistry is no exception. This advice provides an overview of the requirements that you must follow to meet the recommendations relevant to the country where you practice.

Medical emergencies

Medical emergencies in a dental practice can happen at any time and you must be confident that you and members of your team know what to do, including recognising the need to summon help.

Patient information and complaints

Communication is often the reason for a patient's complaint. Being proactive about providing information and ensuring the whole team is aware of policies and protocols can mitigate the likelihood of complaints.

Prescribing

Get a general introduction to prescribing and dispensing medicines to dental patients, as well as working with cosmetic injectables, tooth whitening and sedation.

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Advice

Assessment and safeguarding

Consent

This advice will help you to meet your requirements for obtaining consent from your patients prior to providing their dental care and treatment.

Advice

Assessment and safeguarding

Safeguarding patients

Safeguarding practices reduce the opportunities for children and adults to experience abuse and neglect. This advice outlines current expectations on safeguarding practice for members of the dental team.

Advice

Health, safety and risk assessment

Healthcare waste

An overview of the requirements affecting healthcare waste in dentistry.

Advice

Health, safety and risk assessment

Disability discrimination - dentists as service providers

Advice on the steps you need to take to ensure your dental service is accessible and assess whether you can implement the necessary changes or need to identify alternative arrangements.

Advice

Health, safety and risk assessment

Health and safety

This advice provides a summary of the general and specific health and safety requirements that apply to the dental environment.

Advice

Health, safety and risk assessment

Radiation protection

This advice gives an overview on the legislation affecting the use of radiation equipment in the dental practice.

Advice

Health, safety and risk assessment

Risk assessment

This advice describes obligations under health and safety law to conduct risk assessments in the dental practice.

Advice

Medical emergencies

Emergency drugs

Download and print this A4 poster on emergency drugs, created by Dr Phil Jevon of Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust.

Advice

Medical emergencies

Medical emergencies

This advice summarises the guidance published by the Resuscitation Council (UK) and, alongside practical training, will help you meet your professional obligations and responsibilities.

Advice

Patient information and complaints

Complaints handling

This advice will help you develop a practice protocol for receiving and managing complaints within agreed timescales and, where relevant, complying with NHS requirements.

Advice

Prescribing

Sedation

How to meet your professional responsibilities towards your patients and protect those involved with delivering dental care under sedation.

Advice

Prescribing

Anticogulants and antiplatelet drugs

Advice on the dental treatment of patients taking anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication.

Further reading

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Blog

The increasing popularity of orthodontic treatments

​Like many areas of practice, orthodontic treatments are a popular specialism requiring knowledge and time to perfect clinical skills.

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Blog

Court ruling impacts on alternative treatment options

Over the years, the concept of consent has not changed. Providing treatment without consent is still deemed unlawful and can be considered as battery.