You are part of more than just a defence organisation. Your membership gives you access to over 125 years of experience and expertise assisting healthcare professionals, and with Dental Protection, you receive so much more than defence.
We can help you develop your professional skills in communication and risk management. Workshops, online learning and masterclasses are free for you as a member, and give you the opportunity to tackle issues before they arise.
Expert guidance is always at hand with our range of advice resources, including our dentolegal advice line, available around the clock in an emergency, as well as numerous online booklets and publications.
This guide outlines your benefits as a member of Dental Protection. From our robust defence service to the support and advice which can help you stop complaints and claims from escalating; this is your guide to how your membership can give you a lifetime of protection.
This guide can also be downloaded as a PDF.
Your benefits at a glance
Defence to protect you when you’re facing a claim
- The right to request indemnity for claims arising from your clinical practice.
- Protection for Good Samaritan acts worldwide.
- An expert, dedicated legal team for your case.
to protect your professional reputation
- Advice and legal representation:
- for GDC procedures
- in relation to disciplinary matters
- at inquests / Fatal Accident Inquiries.
- Support with criminal investigations and allegations arising from your clinical practice.
- Assistance in responding to and resolving complaints.
- Help with unwanted media attention.
Support for your professional development
- Free communication skills and risk management workshops.
- Free online learning modules.
- CPD available.
- Events around the country.
- Dentolegal talks and conferences.
Advice whenever you need it
- Free dentolegal advice line.
- Emergency advice available 24/7.
- Online case studies.
- Dentolegal advice booklets on common concerns.
- Leading journal Riskwise.
- Regular e-bulletin.
World-leading defence that goes further to protect you
Sometimes things go wrong. Claims, investigations and inquiries are a distressing part of being a dentist. As a member of Dental Protection you have access to some of the best dentolegal experts in the world, dedicated to protecting you and your reputation.
World-class defence from the experts
Even as a highly-trained clinician, at some point you might find yourself the subject of a complaint or claim for clinical negligence. This can be a challenging and stressful experience; but we are here to help.
You are part of a member-owned, not-for-profit organisation, whose sole focus is on supporting and protecting members throughout their careers.
Unparalleled defence for:
- Claims of clinical negligence
When we take on a claim, we can manage it from first notification to conclusion, and can take care of all the legal costs and compensation payments for members. - Disciplinary proceedings relating to your clinical practice
We can provide advice and representation if you face allegations arising from the provision of clinical care to patients, concerning your professional conduct, competence and performance, or in relation to health problems that are having a significant effect on your clinical performance. - GDC hearings
We can provide advice and legal representation for regulatory council inquiries arising from health, performance, and professional conduct. We can help you from the outset, whether it be drafting a letter in response to a GDC inquiry or providing world-class legal representation at a full hearing. - Complaints procedures
We can help you formulate a response to a complaint, and assist and support you through to its resolution. We can work with you to look at why complaints arise and how to minimise the risks of recurrence. - Inquests and inquiries
We can help you prepare a report for the coroner (or procurator fiscal in Scotland) and advise you on how to conduct yourself at the inquest or fatal accident inquiry. If necessary, we can arrange for legal representation on your behalf.
Your claims team
When your claim is supported we provide a dedicated team, including:
- a dentolegal claims adviser
- a claims manager with expertise in clinical negligence claims
- a professional support team to ensure that claims are managed as efficiently as possible
- a specialist solicitor for legal representation.
The same team manages your claim from first notification to conclusion, only acting with your agreement.
Handling unwanted media attention
Unwanted media attention can put your personal and professional reputation at risk and can be very worrying. You can always contact the press office and we can help you, responding to the media on your behalf and giving expert assistance throughout.
You have us on hand to:
- provide experienced and expert advice on handling all aspects of unwanted media attention
- communicate with journalists on your behalf
- assist and advise practice staff and teams
- prepare statements for the media
- monitor coverage and assist with any follow-up action.
Unparalleled professional support
Prevention is better than a cure, and having the knowledge to combat issues before they escalate is the best way to stay protected.
Over 125 years of experience means we have a unique insight into why things go wrong, and why complaints and claims arise. You have access to a range of courses which are built around this, helping you to identify and address issues, manage risks, and deliver better patient outcomes through improved communication.
No other defence organisation offers such a wide range of expert, practical support. Join the 30,000 members worldwide who have already taken part in this world-class risk management programme.
Master the tools to practise safely and earn CPD
Workshops
Designed to enhance your skills in communication and risk management, they target the areas which are most likely to expose you to complaints and claims.
Available workshops include:
- Mastering your risk
- Mastering adverse outcomes
- Mastering difficult interactions with patients
- Mastering consent and shared decision making
- Dental records for general dental practitioners.
Masterclass
Tailored to your needs as a dentist, and free for members, the full-day course specifically aims to be practical and interactive, giving you the opportunity to rehearse skills and enhance your understanding alongside fellow dentists.
Masterclass outcomes include:
- understanding the link between communication and litigation
- improving the skills required for shared decision making and gaining consent
- understanding patient motivation for complaints and claims
- mastering challenging situations, with the communication of regret and empathy
- applying models for communicating with patients about adverse outcomes
- learning skills to help reduce your exposure to complaints and claims.
Online learning
As a member, you have access to a range of free modules, with courses available to complete whenever you want, wherever you are.
Our online learning platform allows you to complete modules and earn certified CPD. Your progress and certificates are saved automatically, and can be viewed and downloaded at any time.
Develop your knowledge and skills when it suits you, including courses on:
- dentolegal issues
- professionalism and ethics
- communication and interpersonal skills
- systems and processes
- clinical risk management.
Advice and guidance from fellow professionals
Managing a situation effectively is crucial to stopping an adverse incident from escalating, and receiving advice from a fellow professional can provide reassurance and comfort when deciding on the next steps to take.
When you are facing a problem or a dilemma, or have worries or questions, our confidential advice line is here for you. There are also resources, covering a range of topics, available online for instant help. These guides are written by dentists and dentolegal professionals and give expert, accessible advice.
- Complaints
- Claims
- Investigations
- Disciplinary proceedings
- Whistle-blowing
- Ethical dilemmas
- Records and reports
- Prescribing
- Consent
- Confidentiality
- Patient capacity
- Unwanted media attention
Your dentolegal advice line You can always call on us
Dedicated dentolegal advisers make up our on-call team. We know that no two situations are exactly the same, so the advice you receive is always tailored to whatever circumstances you might find yourself in.
Everyone benefits from reassuring, personal advice from time to time. As part of your membership, you have access to over a century’s worth of combined expertise and guidance, just a phone call away.
Online resources here when you need them
Whether you need an answer to a specific query, or want to know more about a range of issues, our online dentolegal resources
are always available.
Your membership provides you with the right to request indemnity in a wide range of circumstances, but there can be situations when we would not normally be able to help (for example, matters which do not relate to your professional practice, criminal activities, or where you are protected by other insurance or indemnity arrangements). There is further information about this under ‘Helpful Membership Information’ at dentalprotection.org. Our website also contains information about ‘Claims under US and Canadian law’ and ‘Vicarious liability’.
All the benefits of membership of MPS are discretionary as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association.
Understanding your membership
Please take time to read the guide to your responsibilities as a member and examples of those circumstances in which we are unlikely to be able to help with a request for assistance.
Read the guide
