The DDU says it is advising an increasing number of dental professionals about promoting their practice but it’s important to ensure that in promoting your event, you don’t breach ethical or legal guidelines.
Kalpa Patel, DDU dento-legal adviser said:
“Many dental practices will be planning events highlighting the benefits of good oral health around National Smile Month, which runs between 18 May and 18 June. Whether you are offering free oral health checks, organising an open day, or handing out free gifts, it’s important to be aware of how to avoid any dento-legal pitfalls when promoting your practice.
“For practices planning an event, bear in mind that the GDC expects dental professionals to ‘justify the trust that patients, the public and your colleagues place in you by always acting honestly and fairly in your dealings with them. This applies to any business or education activities in which you are involved as well as to your professional dealings.’
“If you’re planning to advertise your event, you must ensure the advertisement includes accurate information, uses clear language that patients are likely to understand and avoids making claims which could lead to unfulfilled expectations from patients. If you are giving away freebies, ensure patients feel under no obligation to make an appointment.
“By following our top tips, dental professionals can ensure their event will leave all attendees more knowledgeable about looking after their oral health and more likely to visit a dental professional, without any dento-legal headaches.”
The DDU offers the following five tips to help you manage dento-legal risks when promoting an event:
1. If you are offering free gifts such as a tooth brush, ensure participants feel under no obligation (real or implied) to book an appointment.
2. Carry out a risk assessment before an open practice event and take reasonable steps to avoid potential harm, e.g. ensure sharps containers, instruments or hazardous substances are out of reach of visitors and that patient data is protected.
3. If you examine someone for a free oral health check you are assuming a duty of care. The patient needs to consent and be made aware of the limitations of what you can do in the situation and you should only offer advice which is appropriate in the circumstances. You still need to document your discussions, relevant history, your findings and any advice provided. If the person is already under the care of another dentist, you should also inform their dentist of your findings.
4. If you are taking publicity photos of any practice events, ask permission and ensure you have the consent of anyone identified in the photo before publishing them on your website or sending them to the media.
5. When advertising events at your practice, avoid making any statements or claims which could lead to unfulfilled expectations from patients.