Course Details

• This course provides information on the understanding of the legal and ethical principles surrounding patient consent.
• You will be presented with a short presentation followed by an assessment.
• If you achieve a score of 80% or more, you pass the course and will receive a certificate to place in your CPD folder. If you do not pass, you will have the opportunity to review the content and retake the assessment when you feel confident to do so. 

Aims

This course aims to provide dental professionals with a comprehensive understanding of the legal and ethical principles surrounding patient consent.

Objectives

By engaging with this course, dental teams will be able to:

• Define duty of care and explain its significance in patient interactions.
• Describe the legal framework governing consent, including key case law and professional guidelines.
• Identify the GDC's standards and expectations regarding consent and patient communication.
• Explain the elements of valid consent, including capacity, voluntariness, and sufficient information.
• Recognise the consequences of failing to obtain valid consent, including negligence claims and professional misconduct allegations.
• Discuss effective communication techniques for obtaining informed consent, including how to tailor information to individual patients.
• Understand record-keeping requirements and best practices for documenting the consent process.
• Analyse real-world case studies to apply legal and ethical consent principles to clinical scenarios.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course the learner will gain an understanding of how to:

• Describe what having a duty of care to a patient means.
• Explain the legal principles of consent and the impact of case law on dental practice.
• Appreciate the importance of clear and effective communication in obtaining valid consent.
• Demonstrate an understanding of what should be recorded in patient records regarding the consent process.

GDC Development Outcomes

A,C

Topics covered