Consent

• What is consent?


  -Consent is the voluntary agreement or permission given by an individual to undergo a specific procedure or treatment-This is After being adequately informed about its nature, potential risks/benefits, alternatives and all other relevant information that allows the individual to make an informed decision.
• What do the essential elements of consent include?(1)

  • Voluntariness:

  Patient should be free from influence or coercion.

  • Capacity:

  Patient must have the mental and legal capacity to understand the information given and come to an informed decision.

  • Include all necessary Information:

  The patient must receive complete and comprehensive information of the treatment including risks/benefits, purpose, nature and alternative options.

  • Understanding:

  The patient should understand the information given in order to make an informed decision.
• What do the essential elements of consent include? (2)

  • Autonomy:

  The patient has the right to make their own decisions regarding their own treatment and have the right to refuse or withdraw their consent at any time.

  • Documentation:

  Consent should be fully and comprehensively documented, including any discussions, concerns, information provided, type of consent and whether the patient agreed to or refused the treatment.
• After giving the patient all the necessary information regarding their treatment, what should you do?

  • Give the patient time.

  Patient should be given reasonable amount of time to consider the information and make a decision.

  • Reconfirm consent with the patient

  Do this immediately before treatment.
• When choosing to proceed with treatment, what should you consider?

  -Available time

  -Patient’s specific needs

  -Oral health status

  -Evidence for proposed treatment

  -Care plan

  -You have received informed consent (written/verbal but should always be documented).
• Building foundations for optimal treatment outcomes

  • Explain disease, risk factors & tx alternatives, risks & benefits including no tx.
  • Explain importance of OH, encourage + support behaviour change for improvement.
  • Reduce risk factors - remove plaque retentive features, smoking cessation and diabetes control interventions.
  • Provide individually tailored OH advice - interdental cleaning, + / - toothpaste & mouthwash, + /- PMPR including supra and subgingival scaling of the clinical crown.
  • Select recall period following published guidance and considering risk factors like smoking and diabetes.