Professional Responsibility in Dentistry - 2nd Edition by Joseph P Graskemper (Paperback)

About the Book

"The complaint letter will state many things that you have allegedly done to harm the patient. As seen from the case above, the patient and her attorney, who happened to be her uncle, blamed the dentists for the miscarriage. An attorney's letter will not only state your failure to follow a procedure's protocol and the standard of care but can also include complaints about a failure to refer, a failure to diagnose, or emotional distress. Remember, anyone can sue anybody at any time for anything for any amount. It does not mean the defendant did anything wrong or that the plaintiff will automatically win. Once the complaint letter has been received, what should you do? You should notify your malpractice carrier. However, before you notify them, be sure to recognize the difference between an incident and a claim. An "incident" is often called a "near miss"; for example, two airplanes passing each other closely. A "claim" is a hit: a collision. If the letter is from a disgruntled patient, try to decide if it is a manageable situation (see Chapter 14). If not, you should contact your insurance company. The insurance company would prefer that you always contact them so they may assist you and keep track of your troubled patient relations. Every time you contact your insurance company it is placed in your record. If you contact them too many times, it indicates to the insurance company that you have problems within the office with patient communications, patient finances, and/or procedure protocols"--

Book Synopsis

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY IN DENTISTRY

Concise guide to practical information on dental law, ethics, and practice management, all tailored to any dental practice

Professional Responsibility in Dentistry, Second Edition is a clinically oriented guide to legal and ethical requirements in a dental practice. This thoroughly revised new edition takes a practical approach, providing examples and case studies of situations that dentists may face, with discussions of dental law, risk management, professionalism, and ethics as they relate to each situation.

Divided into four sections to allow for comprehensive and accessible coverage of the subject, the Second Edition adds new chapters on taking practices to the next level and how to read a profit and loss statement, as well as offering updates and new information throughout.

Professional Responsibility in Dentistry provides key information on:

• Lawsuits, including the effects of losing one, the regulation of dentistry, and definitions of important legal concepts in the field
• The doctor-patient relationship, refusing to treat, medical-dental history, child and elder abuse, informed consent, and record keeping
• Statute of limitations, abandonment, standard of care, peer review, risk management, and managing employees and associates
• Starting or buying a practice, marketing for a successful practice, multispecialty practices, and taking your practice from 'better' to 'best'

Bringing legal and ethical issues to life with real-world clinical cases, Professional Responsibility in Dentistry, Second Edition is an essential resource for dental students, new dentists, and any practicing dentist.

From the Back Cover

Concise guide to practical information on dental law, ethics, and practice management, all tailored to any dental practice

Professional Responsibility in Dentistry, Second Edition is a clinically oriented guide to legal and ethical requirements in a dental practice. This thoroughly revised new edition takes a practical approach, providing examples and case studies of situations that dentists may face, with discussions of dental law, risk management, professionalism, and ethics as they relate to each situation.

Divided into four sections to allow for comprehensive and accessible coverage of the subject, the Second Edition adds new chapters on taking practices to the next level and how to read a profit and loss statement, as well as offering updates and new information throughout.

Professional Responsibility in Dentistry provides key information on:

• Lawsuits, including the effects of losing one, the regulation of dentistry, and definitions of important legal concepts in the field
• The doctor-patient relationship, refusing to treat, medical-dental history, child and elder abuse, informed consent, and record keeping
• Statute of limitations, abandonment, standard of care, peer review, risk management, and managing employees and associates
• Starting or buying a practice, marketing for a successful practice, multispecialty practices, and taking your practice from 'better' to 'best'

Bringing legal and ethical issues to life with real-world clinical cases, Professional Responsibility in Dentistry, Second Edition is an essential resource for dental students, new dentists, and any practicing dentist.

About the Author

The author

Joseph P. Graskemper, DDS, JD, DABLM, FAGD, FACD, FAES, FICOI, FASO, FCLM, is Associate Clinical Professor at Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine in Stony Brook, New York, USA.