Dealing with Complaints and Litigation in Dentistry: Legal Framework and Practical Approaches

About This Course

This dental ethics and legal framework course covers laws and regulations governing dentistry in the UK, patient confidentiality, and risk management. Learn how to manage complaints and maintain patient satisfaction.

Why Take This Course?

This course addresses the common problem of dental professionals facing legal and ethical issues in their practice. From managing complaints to understanding the litigation process and risk management, this course provides comprehensive training on the legal framework and dental ethics in the UK. Furthermore, the course covers the appropriate protocol for handling complaints, addressing complaints on social media, and evaluating risks in dental practice, which is crucial for maintaining patient satisfaction.

This course is beneficial for dental professionals as it covers legal framework and dental ethics, managing complaints, and understanding the litigation process and risk management in dentistry. It provides in-depth knowledge of dental law, laws regulating dental practice in the UK, legalities concerning patient data and confidentiality, and the four principles of dental ethics. The course also includes appropriate protocols for handling complaints, addressing complaints on social media, and evaluating risks in dental practice. Overall, this course reinforces the importance of patient satisfaction and ensures that dental professionals are equipped to navigate the legal and ethical aspects of their practice.

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How This Course Supports GDC Enhanced Dental CPD

“Dental professionals have a duty to keep their knowledge and skills up to date. A primary qualification is only the first step in their education and development which should last throughout their professional life” General Dental Council

Learning Objectives	Anticipated Outcomes
1: By the end of this course, learners will be able to understand and apply the four fundamental ethical principles in dentistry – Autonomy, Non-maleficence, Beneficence, and Justice, to mitigate professional liability.	1: Upon completion of the course, participants are expected to significantly improve their understanding of the fundamental ethical principles in dentistry and be able to apply them in their practice to reduce professional liability.
2: Upon completion, learners will have the capacity to identify the interconnectedness and potential conflicts of law and ethics in dentistry, and navigate them efficiently to uphold a high standard of dental care.	2: As a result of this course, learners will likely contribute to a higher standard of dental care in their communities, as they incorporate both legal and ethical standards in their work.
3: Participants will demonstrate their ability to incorporate ethical considerations in patient management and care activities, ranging from diagnosis, treatment, follow-ups, to handling patient concerns and complaints.	3: The course should lead to an enhancement in the learners’ ability to manage patients with respect and fairness, guided by ethical principles, resulting in improved patient trust and safety.
4: By the final session, learners will have mastered the difference between ethical diligence and negligence in dental practice, and how proactive adoption of ethical principles can enhance patient trust, professional integrity, and reduce liability.	4: In the wider context, the course aims to contribute to a generalized adoption of ethical practices across the dental profession, raising overall standards of care and benefiting the wider population.
5: At the course’s conclusion, attendees will have developed the competency to navigate ethical dilemmas in dental practice through scenario-based learning, contributing to enhanced application of ethics in patient care and reduced professional liability.	5: Following the course, the expectation is that attendees will be more capable of navigating ethical dilemmas and conflicts through reflective thinking and application of ethical principles, leading to a decrease in professional liability.

Regulatory Standards

GDC	CQC
✅ A – Effective Communication ✅ B – Effective Management ✅ C – Maintenance in Field of Practice ✅ D – Maintenance in Patient Confidence	✅ Caring ✅ Effective ✅ Leadership ✅ Responsive ✅ Safe

🕐 90 minutes of Enhanced Dental CPD

Course Description

The course covers legal framework and dental ethics, exploring the connection between ethics and law in dentistry, managing complaints, and understanding the litigation process and risk management in dentistry. The course focuses on understanding dental law, laws regulating dental practice in the UK, legalities concerning patient data and confidentiality, and the four principles of dental ethics. The course also covers the appropriate protocol for handling complaints, addressing complaints on social media, and evaluating risks in dental practice. The course concludes with a recap of the legal framework, dental ethics, complaints management, litigation, and risk management, reinforcing the importance of patient satisfaction.

Course Outline

Section 1

The course covers legal framework, dental ethics, managing complaints, litigation process and risk management in dentistry, and brings together all the topics covered to reinforce the importance of patient satisfaction.

Section 2

The course content in Section 2 of the Dental Law and Ethics course covers understanding the legal framework of dentistry, exploring dental ethics, managing complaints in dentistry, the litigation process and risk management in dentistry, and consolidating and summarizing all the learned concepts.

Section 3

Section 3 of this course covers the legal and ethical aspects of dental practice, including understanding dental law, patient data confidentiality, consent, exploring dental ethics, patient autonomy, managing complaints, and litigation process and risk management.

Section 4

Section 4 of this course covers the litigation process and risk management in dentistry, including understanding the process of a dental lawsuit, evaluating risks in dental practice, compliance and document management strategies, the role of indemnity providers and legal representatives, and a case study to learn from a real litigation case.

Section 5

Section 5 of this course covers a recap of the legal framework and dental ethics, consolidating learning on complaints management, refreshing knowledge on litigation and risk management, reinforcing the importance of patient satisfaction, and providing a final recap and summary of the entire course.

Course Reviews

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The course provided valuable insights on how to handle complaints in a professional manner. The risk management strategies taught were also practical and useful.

✅ Met Course Objectives

✅ Met Course Outcomes

✅ Would Recommend

✅ Had Positive Impact

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This course not only covered the legal aspects of dentistry but also provided a thorough understanding of dental ethics. The principles of ethics were presented in a clear and concise manner.

✅ Met Course Objectives

✅ Met Course Outcomes

✅ Would Recommend

✅ Had Positive Impact

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The course provided a comprehensive overview of dental law and regulations in the UK. It was especially helpful to learn about the legalities concerning patient data and confidentiality.

✅ Met Course Objectives

✅ Met Course Outcomes

✅ Would Recommend

✅ Had Positive Impact

How do I access this course?

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The Enhanced CPD Pro app can be used on any device with a browser. If you’re using a phone or tablet, you can add it to your homescreen for quick access.

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