In today's world it is easy to develop a fear of complaints or litigation. No professional likes reading a complaint about themselves or receiving criticism from a patient whether it is valid or not.

One of the fundamental principles of dental ethics is that all information which passes between a dentist and patient in the course of a professional relationship is confidential.

A patient’s valid consent to investigations or treatment is a fundamental aspect of the proper provision of dental care.

There’s a raft of issues to consider when selling up as a practice owner and making the transition back to an associate. Here, we look at some of the challenges you may never have previously considered.

There are many situations in a professional career where we might move into a new and sometimes unfamiliar environment. In any walk of life people move home, change jobs, and sometimes have a huge amount of change all at once when they perhaps relocate to another part of the country – or even, to a different country altogether.

All good relationships must come to an end, sooner or later. So also must all less-than-ideal relationships and in both cases, parting company carries potential risks. Sometimes the end of a professional relationship is a moment of sadness, while on other occasions it can be tinged with a sense of relief.

As clinicians, we are not machines and our patients’ biological responses to treatments are not always predictable. Add to this any financial constraints and differences of opinion about best practice and there are all the making of a rare blend of complexity.

Looking for a new dental practice can be both exciting and liberating. A new job marks a significant moment in a dental career for most of us and we will want to be certain that we make the right choice.

For most of us, dentistry is a rewarding and challenging profession. Whether you are a student, a young graduate in a training post or an experienced old hand, it is also worth remembering that dentistry has also been identified as one of the most stressful of the health professions.

Leaving a practice may mean a fresh start for you, but if your record keeping and general practices have been a little casual, the whiff of negligence claims may not be far behind.