Different practitioners have different opinions. Explaining what and why to the patient can be time-consuming but remains the safest option, as this case illustrates...

Misunderstandings can and will occur, but keeping comprehensive records is the key to proving your professionalism...

When emotions are running high, keeping your cool is a much better option than reacting hot-headedly...

Technical excellence is something that may not be equally appreciated by clinician and patient. Regarding treatment from the patient’s point of view can help, as this case shows...

In the absence of a written treatment plan, you can easily come unstuck and find yourself in trouble, but taking early and respectful action can make all the difference...

Conciliation and mediation make better bedfellows than warring rivals...

Without paying due attention to a patient’s medical history and asking any questions to augment it where necessary, you can’t be sure of eliminating potential problems...

Complications which arise during any treatment need to be diagnosed, recorded and sorted, such as described in this case...

Keeping patients informed of any negative developments in their treatment is always a better policy than trying to hide something for whatever reason...

Misunderstanding on the patient’s part can cause problems if they experience dissatisfaction with their treatment. Sometimes an apology is all that is necessary…

Failure to listen properly to the patient can result in unnecessary treatment or worse, as this case illustrates…

Staff have opinions too and any concerns they may have about a patient are worth listening to...

Misunderstandings can lead to valid complaints. Make sure you follow the message in this case to ensure all parties know where they stand...

Meeting someone face-to-face and talking to them on the telephone can yield entirely different impressions...

As this case illustrates, making comments without knowing the full story can lead to problems...

The essence of patient consent is that they understand the options and communicate an informed choice, as this case illustrates...

Giving written advice to a patient after treatment is a worthwhile precaution to take, in light of the details of this case...

When making clinical decisions, all the facts need to be taken into account, even those you might not routinely consider...

Just because you understand something doesn't mean the patient does too. Ensure there are no misunderstandings to prevent payment headaches...

In some jurisdictions, therapists must work under the prescription of a dentist. This case illustrates the problem facing a therapist employed in such circumstances...

As this case illustrates, referring a patient doesn’t end your supervision of their progress...

A patient raised a query about the amount she was asked to pay for her dental treatment. The receptionist, who was new to the practice, assured the patient that the charge was correct. The patient paid the account and left the practice...

Clear and transparent terms in a contract cannot be argued with, so both sides should always ensure they know where they stand…

If you don’t record discussions with patients and warnings in the records, how can you hope to defend against a claim for negligence?