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John Makin explains that dentistry is a balancing act between commercial interests and patient care. There can be little doubt that modern high-street dentistry is, necessarily, delivered in a commercial, business-like environment. However, the current Dentists Act, which dates back to 1984, has always recognised both the practice and business of dentistry. Much has changed…
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NHS England is trying to clear up the confusion over when and how to refer patients to specialists, John Makin says. If performed to a good standard, the success rate of root canal procedures is 90%, according to the British Endodontic Society. In most cases, GDPs have the skills and training to do this. However,…
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Dental professionals must have adequate and appropriate professional indemnity before they can treat patients, but how can they be sure indemnity providers are providing good value for money? John Makin answers 10 probing questions about indemnity. 1. Why have indemnity costs increased for some dental professionals over recent years? Dental Defence Union (DDU) subscriptions are…
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John Makin says there needs to be fairer treatment of complaints not investigated by the GDC. Readers of my previous columns will be aware that the GDC’s more proportionate approach to fitness to practise complaints is paying dividends. Some 70% of matters referred to the GDC are not considered to be allegations of impaired fitness…
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John Makin talks through the dos and don’ts of patient complaint handling. NHS complaints about dental treatment in England have almost doubled from 7,664 in 2015/16 to 13,493 in 2016/17, according to recently published figures from NHS Digital. Colleagues reading about this increase might be forgiven for feeling downhearted; however, there may be a positive…
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John Makin offers advice on the complaints handling process. Last year, the DDU’s dentolegal advice line received more than 2,500 enquiries from dental professionals about the handling of patient complaints. This accounted for a third of the 7,700 calls we received in 2016, with clinical matters and claims accounting for around 10% of calls each,…
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A mistake which casts doubt on your honesty and integrity can attract attention from the GDC, says John Makin. At this stage of your training, you’ll be actively looking for the next step in your career, but whether you are applying for your next position, accepting a new role, or publishing your work, dental professionals…
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John Makin reflects on the GDC’s latest plans for reform. Few would disagree with the stated aim in the GDC’s recent discussion document Shifting the balance, of easing the fitness to practise burden on the profession. The GDC says it intends to reduce the number of complaints it receives by focusing on local complaints resolution.…
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Too many complaints about dental colleagues are going straight through to the GDC, John Makin says. When I was a young dental student back in the early 1980s I was taught never to criticise the work of a colleague, as you couldn’t be sure of the circumstances under which the treatment was provided. In my…
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John Makin explains how you can handle negative online comments. An increasing number of patients are turning to websites such as NHS Choices to rate their dental experience. But when does patient feedback cross the line from constructive criticism to unpleasant abuse? This is a question that the Dental Defence Union (DDU) is being asked…
