In order both to understand the information provided, and to give the necessary authority for consent, a patient must be competent. “Competence†in this context means the patient’s ability to understand the explanations given, about:
A patient’s informed consent to investigations or treatment is a fundamental aspect of the proper provision of dental care. Without informed consent to treatment, a dentist is vulnerable to criticism on a number of counts, not least those of assault and/or negligence – which in turn could lead respectively to criminal charges and/or civil claims against the dentist. Furthermore, the question of consent arises increasingly at the heart of complaints made under the NHS Complaints Procedure, and complaints to the General Dental Council on matters on professional ethics and conduct. Continue reading