What Are the Risks When Providing Complex Dental Treatments?
There are inherent risks associated with all types of dental treatments. The risks are associated with:
Clinical Care and Treatments
This encompasses biological, technical and mechanical failures and may include crown and bridgework, implants and root canals coupled with irreversible tooth damage and loss of tissue.
Patient Management
This requires a sound and detailed understanding of patient expectations and most importantly aligned expectations in terms of clinical outcomes. There needs to be clarity in terms of risks and benefits of treatments to be provided with mutually agreed and recognised costs. There must always be fluidity in communications between patients and dentists should treatment plans change both in terms of procedures and associated costs.
Dento-Legal Considerations
Failure to secure informed consent, poor clinical recording and equally working outside of your skillset and scope of practice may leave dentists vulnerable.
The General Dental Council (GDC) guidelines require you to only carry out treatments which you can demonstrate training and competency. Providing complex treatments with insufficient competency may leave a dentist vulnerable to criticism.
Guidance to Avoid Risk and Issues
- Maintaining Clinical Standards
- Securing Informed Consent
- Sound and appropriate communication
- Regulatory & Legal Compliance
- Continuing Professional Development
- Keeping contemporaneous, complete clinical notes
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main risks associated with complex dental treatments?
The risks are associated with clinical care and treatments, patient management, and dento-legal considerations.
What clinical risks are linked to treatments like crowns, bridgework, implants and root canals?
These treatments can involve biological, technical and mechanical failures, coupled with irreversible tooth damage and loss of tissue.
Why does patient management matter in complex dental treatment?
It requires a sound and detailed understanding of patient expectations, aligned expectations of clinical outcomes, clarity on the risks, benefits and costs of treatment, and fluid communication between patients and dentists if treatment plans change.
What dento-legal risks should dentists be aware of?
Failure to secure informed consent, poor clinical recording, and working outside your skillset and scope of practice may leave dentists vulnerable. GDC guidelines require dentists to only carry out treatments they can demonstrate training and competency in.
How can dentists reduce the risks of providing complex treatments?
By maintaining clinical standards, securing informed consent, ensuring sound and appropriate communication, complying with regulatory and legal requirements, undertaking continuing professional development, and keeping contemporaneous, complete clinical notes.
Written and reviewed on 23 September 2026 by Densura UK
