Course Details

• This course provides an understanding of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and its application in dental practice.
• 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 learners with an understanding of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005, its role in dental practice, and how to assess capacity and act in patients' best interests while meeting legal and professional requirements.

Objectives

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

• Explain what mental capacity is and how it is assessed.
• Identify the five key principles of the MCA and their importance.
• Recognise the roles of decision-makers, attorneys, court-appointed deputies, and independent mental capacity advocates (IMCAs).
• Apply the two-stage functional test of capacity when assessing a patient.
• Describe how to make decisions in a patient's best interests.

GDC Development Outcomes

A,D

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course the learner will be able to:

• Define mental capacity and explain its relevance to patient care.
• Describe the process of assessing a patient's capacity using the two-stage test.
• Apply the five key principles of the MCA to real-world dental scenarios.
• Recognise the legal framework surrounding consent and decision-making for patients who may lack capacity.
• Explain the role of attorneys, deputies, and IMCAs in supporting patients.
• Evaluate best interest decision-making and the least restrictive options in treatment planning.
• Identify key legislation, professional standards (GDC), and CQC regulations that relate to mental capacity in dental practice.

Topics covered