Law, Ethics, and Professionalism 2 Flashcards

During a routine extraction under local anaesthesia, you realise you have removed the wrong tooth. The patient has not yet noticed. According to the GDC's professional duty of candour, what must you do?

Answer: Immediately inform the patient of the error, offer a sincere apology, explain what happened, and outline what will be done to address the situation

The GDC's duty of candour requires registrants to be open and honest when something goes wrong that affects a patient. This includes offering an apology, a clear explanation of what happened, and information about any remedial steps. Delayed or selective disclosure to protect the clinician's position is a breach of this duty.

A patient discloses that they are a heavy goods vehicle driver who has been experiencing unprovoked blackouts for several months, but pleads with you to keep this confidential to protect their livelihood. What is the most appropriate course of action?

Answer: Strongly advise the patient to inform the DVLA themselves, explaining clearly that if they decline you may need to consider disclosure in the public interest

Patient confidentiality is not absolute. Where a patient poses a serious identifiable risk to third parties — such as a driver with blackouts — ethical guidance supports disclosure in the public interest as a last resort. The correct first step is to counsel the patient to self-report to the DVLA, making clear the consequences of refusal, before any unilateral breach of confidentiality.

During the examination of a 7-year-old child you observe multiple bruises in different stages of healing on the arms and neck. The accompanying adult becomes agitated when questioned and offers an inconsistent explanation. What is the most appropriate immediate action?

Answer: Document your concerns carefully and follow your practice's safeguarding policy, including referral to local authority children's services or advice from the named safeguarding lead

All dental professionals have a statutory and professional duty to safeguard children. When abuse is suspected, the correct response is to follow established local safeguarding procedures — including careful contemporaneous documentation and referral through the appropriate statutory pathway. Direct confrontation risks endangering the child, and bypassing the structured referral pathway undermines multi-agency safeguarding.

A dental nurse notices that a colleague repeatedly arrives at work smelling of alcohol and appears clinically impaired on several occasions. According to GDC Standards for the Dental Team, what is the dental nurse's most appropriate course of action?

Answer: Raise the concern formally with the practice manager or employer, and if it is not adequately addressed, escalate through appropriate channels including the GDC

GDC Standards place a clear obligation on all registrants to raise concerns when a colleague's health, behaviour, or performance may put patients at risk. The correct route is through the practice's management structure in the first instance, with escalation to the GDC if the concern is dismissed or inadequately managed. Informal handling or inaction is a breach of professional standards.

A dental nurse without additional qualifications is asked by a dentist to take alginate impressions for a study model while the dentist steps away briefly. According to GDC scope of practice guidance, is this permissible?

Answer: No, impression taking falls outside the registered scope of a dental nurse unless they hold a specific additional regulated qualification

Impression taking is a clinical skill that requires specific additional training and, in many contexts, registration in an expanded duty category. A dental nurse without such a qualification must not perform the procedure regardless of the dentist's instruction or operational pressures. Acting outside one's registered scope of practice puts both the patient and the registrant at risk.

A newly qualified dentist begins seeing patients at a practice before their GDC registration certificate has been received, relying on the fact that their application is confirmed as being processed. Under the Dentists Act 1984, what is the correct legal position?

Answer: Practising dentistry without confirmed GDC registration is unlawful, regardless of supervision arrangements or employer permission

Under the Dentists Act 1984, practising dentistry in the United Kingdom without current GDC registration is a criminal offence. Pending or provisional registration status does not confer lawful authority to treat patients. The supervision of a registered colleague does not legitimise unlawful practice — registration must be formally confirmed before any patient contact.