Dental Protection Australia

In this episode of RiskBites Senior dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene Weston and Dental Protections inhouse lawyer Helen Harbourne discuss a particular type of allegation being increasingly argued in compensations claims, this being assault battery, and trespass. Listen in as Annalene and Helen discuss what these terms mean in the eyes of the law and how you can avoid being subject to such accusations.

Join Dr Annalene Weston, Senior Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection and Associate Professor Dr Matthew Hopcraft in this personal and informative episode of Risk Matters, titled “The road less travelled”. Listen in as Annalene and Matt revisit his early introduction into dentistry, talk through his illustrious career and explore different ways in which we can use our dental degree, based on their own journeys through the profession.

Join Dentolegal consultant Dr Simon Parsons and Senior Dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene Weston at Dental Protection, as they consider that in point in time where a patient moves from being a disgruntled patient to a complainant. In this episode Simon recalls a case where a dental practitioner placed six veneers and despite feeling like he had done everything right and the case was a success, his patient was unforgiving when unexpected issues arose.

Join Dr Annalene Weston, Senior Dentolegal consultant at Dental Protection and Case Manger Kristin Trafford Wiezel as they consider that point in time when a patient moves from being a disgruntled patient to a complainant. In this episode Kristin and Annalene discuss a case that highlights the difficulties encountered by practitioners when dealing with complaints, acknowledging that at times these complaints can feel more like a personal attack. In these situations, Annalene and Kristin remind us that during these times our initial ‘emotional response’ is often not the best response.

Join Case Manager Anita Kemp and Dr Annalene Weston, Senior Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection as they discuss some of the reasons that can sit behind a complaint. You may be surprised to hear that it is not always related to treatment. Listen in as Anita and Annalene talk through a case, where the issues that led to a complaint were instigated before the practitioner even met the patients.

Join Case Manager Kristin Trafford Wiezel and Dr Annalene Weston, Senior Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection, as they consider an allegation of treatment without consent through the lens of two cases from the Dental Protection Vault. Listen in as Kristin and Annalene identify and explore the tipping point in both cases – a moment in time when a patient moves from being a disgruntled patient to a complainant.

Join Dr Annalene Weston, Senior Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection, and Oral Medicine Specialist and Expert Dr Amanda Poon Nguyen for an in-depth Q&A discussion about ‘The changing face of oral cancer’. Listen in as Annalene and Amanda discuss the aetiology of oral cancer, patient demographics and risk factors and red flags. Additionally highlighting the necessity for routine oral cancer screening and the integral role Dental practitioners play in oral cancer screening, identification, referral, and diagnosis. https://www.oralmedicineoralpathology.com https://www.headandneckcancer.org.au/i-am-a-health-professional/the-changing-face-of-head-and-neck-cancer-gp-and-dentist-education-module/

Not only is patient autonomy one of the four underpinning principles of medical ethics, but it is also a vital component of the consent process and patient care. Gone are the days of paternalism but can patient autonomy go too far.In this episode of RiskBites, Dr Kiran Keshwara and Dr Annalene Weston speak about our patient’s ability to choose or refuse treatment, based on the treatment options presented and the risks and limitations provided. They go on to discuss the impact that this can have on practitioners, utilising a case study from the Dental Protection Vault to highlight the importance of undertaking and documenting the consent process.

Where does imaging sit in managing our risk? In our next episode of RiskBites, Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Kiran Keshwara from Dental Protection discuss the place of imaging in dentistry. Images, whether they are x-rays, photos or digital scans, make an important part of the patient records and should be considered to be a useful adjunct to our written records. Listen to find out more about this key topic in dentistry.

In the next episode of RiskBites; ’The view from the other side’ Dr Colm Harney shares insight into why some patients complain and claim, when something unexpected happens and why some patients do not. Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Harney discuss the importance of being able to recognise and acknowledge our patient’s viewpoint. Highlighting the key role that patient experience, perception, rapport, and trust play in these situations, irrespective of the quality of treatment provided.

Did you know that all CaseMatters titles are genuine quotes from patient complaints that Dental Protection have assisted members with across the globe? The title of this CaseMatters podcast is “You have led me down a path that has cost me great expense” which involves a smile reconstruction package, a payment plan, and regrettably an unhappy patient and complaint. Many parties became involved in this matter, and everyone had an opinion. But is there such a thing as the right point of view, listen in to find out.

What's resilience? Is this something that you need to be thinking about right now? And what are the potential detrimental effects for you and your patients if you don't? Join Dr Annalene Weston as she discusses this and more with Dr Dan Pronk practising physician, previous Australia Special Air Services (SAS) doctor, and Co-Founder of the Resilience Shield. What lessons can the SAS teach us about dealing with stress, before during, and after the event - and how do you start building your own resilience shield tomorrow? tune in to find out!

As Dr Mike Rutherford moves to retirement, he shares some key learnings from his career in dentistry, and its many iterations with Dr Annalene Weston. Not only does this podcast explore the evolution of dentistry but also considers where a dental degree can take you and the challenges and opportunities this affords.

Join Dr Mike Rutherford, Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection, and dental expert Dr Greg Mahoney for an in-depth Q&A discussion about the pertinent topic Dental Sedation, its use and possible complications. Dr Greg Mahoney is a practising dentist with an academic interest in anxiolysis and sedation in the dental setting. In this podcast, titled ‘I Wanna Be Sedated’ Mike and Greg provide useful advice on how to manage risk and ensure safe practice for you and your patients.

Join Dr Mike Rutherford, Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection, and dental expert Dr Greg Mahoney for an in-depth Q&A discussion about the pertinent topic of Local Anaesthetic, its use and possible complications. Dr Greg Mahoney is a practising dentist with an academic interest in pain control and local anaesthetic. In this podcast, titled ‘Comfortably Numb – Local Anaesthetic and You’, Mike and Greg provide useful advice on how to manage risk and ensure safe practice for you and your patients.

Take a moment to cast your mind back to an occasion where you have felt invalidated or dismissed. Feeling understood or heard is a powerful experience and effective communication skills such as validating a person’s feelings or concerns can strengthen the therapeutic relationship and build trust with our patients. Find out more in the next episode of RiskBites ‘Dismissing the disgruntled’.

Our latest RiskBites podcast episode will roadmap the fundamental requirements of successful record keeping. The who, what, when, where, and why. Listen in as Dr Annalene Weston, Dentolegal Consultant and Mrs Kristin Trafford-Wiezel, Case Manager at Dental Protection explore this topic, offer valuable insight, and share a template for success in record keeping.

The next episode of RiskBites, is a case study example: Frogs into Princes – Techniques to Build Trust, which highlights the key elements required to build a positive dentist-patient relationship. A classic study into health-care research shows that good communication between dentists and patients can lead to less post-operative pain, less medication and earlier recovery. Listen in to find out more.

Often we find ourselves reviewing claim after claim without a trace of kindness or empathy being found. In this episode of RiskBites, we talk about the role of kindness in risk management, the benefits of staying connected to our patients in times of distress and outline 4 pillars of kindness to help prop up our practice. Listen in to our podcast ‘Nice guys finish last’ to find out more.

Join Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Mike Rutherford, Dentolegal Consultants at Dental Protection for an in-depth discussion around the key topic of contemporary wisdom tooth risks. Claims and cases related to wisdom teeth have recently significantly increased, and our team of industry professionals will guide you through the common issues we see in those matters and provide useful recommendations to help avoid these situations.