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John Makin hopes for a legacy of understanding and respect once the memories of 2020 have faded. As we look back on a tumultuous and disruptive year for dental professionals and their patients, it’s tempting to look at how 2020 will be remembered in future years. I, for one, hope we will look back with…
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One of the first decisions you need to make as a young dentist is about your professional indemnity. It can be a confusing area. Head of the Dental Defence Union, John Makin, answers your top five queries. 1. Why do I need professional indemnity? Even when carefully managing risks when treating patients, dental professionals can…
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John Makin, head of the DDU, clears up confusion about the types of indemnity on offer. Colleagues adapting their practice to the pandemic will know that a week is not only a long time in politics. It is a long time in the dental practice too. While the deluge of new guidance issued in the…
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John Makin welcomes a review of the GDC’s Scope of Practice and explains why this is so important now. DDU welcomes the findings and conclusions of the GDC’s Scope of Practice Review: Final Report, published in May. The report’s findings showed support from the profession for the continued existence of the Scope of Practice (SoP).…
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John Makin warns the public should not hold dental professionals to an unattainable standard after the applause fades away. Every Thursday evening, people up and down the UK ‘clap for carers’. This is in recognition of the efforts of NHS staff and other key workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s an uplifting moment. But when…
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John Makin looks at the current advice over whether dental practices can reopen and if they are indemnified when they do. Many DDU members have contacted us recently to ask ‘Am I indemnified if …’ . We have made it clear members should consider all relevant guidance from authoritative sources. They should make a risk-assessed…
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John Makin urges dental professionals to regularly check relevant websites to stay up to date with the latest advice. Dental practice has changed dramatically as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s natural for dental professionals to be feeling unnerved by the speed and scale of the transformation. We have heard from many members concerned…
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John Makin remarks on the growing number of complaints coming from other dental professionals. Efforts by the General Dental Council (GDC) to better signpost those raising concerns about fitness to practise (FTP) to local processes rather than the regulator have begun to pay off. The number of complaints to the GDC about FTP decreased by…
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John Makin says dental professionals need to be cautious when marketing cosmetic facial treatments. Two new documents appeared in my inbox recently that highlighted the need for dental professionals to tread cautiously when promoting cosmetic facial treatments to patients. Firstly, the General Dental Council’s (GDC) latest Patients and Public survey. This looks at the views…
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John Makin recounts his time in Tanzania with the charity Bridge2aid. Travelling overseas is always a rewarding experience to learn about new cultures and to push yourself out of your comfort zone. There is the opportunity to learn how local dentists work, when you take an elective placement, often with extremely limited resources. In short,…
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John Makin explains why the GDC’s changing emphasis is something the dental profession should welcome. Fortunately, relatively few dental professionals undergo a GDC investigation. Even fewer have any action on their registration as a result. In 2018 the GDC’s Professional Conduct Committee imposed erasure or suspension in just 125 cases. Or 0.1% out of 116,173 registrants. However,…
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John Makin on how to temper the fallout when a relationship between practice and associate turns sour. Dentists have traditionally worked in general practice on a self-employed basis. In most cases, it’s a win-win situation, as the associate can focus on caring for their patients and developing their skills without the additional pressures of practice…
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John Makin advises that it helps to have a clear picture of the types of products on offer when choosing an indemnity provider A report by the consumer group Which? found that the small print on an average car, home, pet or travel insurance policy document is harder to understand than Stephen Hawking’s A Brief…
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John Makin on why it’s important and ethically sound to inform your patients when their dentist uproots to another practice. When a popular associate decides to move to pastures new, it’s only human to feel disappointed, but also a little worried. It is not just a matter of replacing a respected member of the dental…
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John Makin examines the real issue threatening to undermine indemnity provision for dentists. Dental professionals considering the recent consultation from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on appropriate indemnity may be forgiven for thinking there is something wrong with the dental indemnity market. But, I’m happy to report that discretionary indemnity provided by…
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John Makin predicts which dentolegal stories will be making headlines over the next year. Having worked for the DDU for a number of years – advising dentists on issues as varied as how to respond to an incident in which a patient swallowed a dental burr to how to deal with a General Dental Council…
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John Makin clears up the confusion about data controllers. With the spotlight on data protection following the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), many practices have been reviewing their current arrangements. One area that seems to have caused confusion and has prompted calls to the DDU is the distinction between a data processor…
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Dental professionals need to know how to respond when they get a call from a journalist, says John Makin. Dentistry is one of the few professions where the consequences of a mistake or adverse incident can generate significant media coverage. At the DDU, we regularly advise dental professionals who are alarmed to have been contacted…
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The skills needed to be a good practitioner are as much technical as they are personal, John Makin says. Understanding what a patient wants and values is central to being a good dental practitioner, but do we always get this right? In my experience, complaints can often arise when there is a mismatch between what…
