Dentist To Colleagues Relationship

Dentist and Colleagues Relationship
Professional Relationship between Dentists includes:

1. Consultations and referrals
• Dentists should refer for advice and/or treatment of any patient requiring a
level of management beyond their capabilities.
• Referral letters should be written in a courteous & clear way to decrease the
possibility of confusion.
• The specialist or consulting dentists upon completion of their care shall return
the patient to their original referring dentist.
2. Judgements in peer relations (Commenting on others)
• A dentist should not make improper comments of the procedures or

qualifications of a colleague to a patient or to the public.
• A dentist who sees instances of gross or continual faulty treatments by a

colleague or collaborator should first take the matter up directly with the
person concerned.
• The approach should be tactful and respectful, especially towards students or

doctors in training. If this does not have the desired effect, the doctor should
take the matter up and report to the appropriate authorities.
• It is wiser to avoid getting drawn into criticism of another dentist, no matter

how much a patient may pressurize you.
• You can comment objectively on what you find today, but not on what might
or might not have been the case at some previous moment in time when you
were not present.
• Such an opinion may be given with the best of intentions, but without
knowing all the relevant facts (including what problems were faced by the
previous practitioner at the time)
1
3. The need for collaboration
• Individual dentists cannot possibly be experts in all their patients’ oral

diseases and treatments and they need the assistance of other specialist
dentists and skilled health professionals
• Dentists need to know how to access the relevant skills that their patients
require and that they themselves lack. Moreover, it is normal for dentists in
many countries to delegate certain clinical procedures to axillary dental
workers if those persons have undergone the necessary training and are
legally permitted to practice.
4. Advertising
• An apparently common technique for maximizing income is advertising. Until

recently, advertising was considered unprofessional but now with the recent
advances in media and marketing, it is now much acceptable.
• Beside these legitimate goals, advertising can also be used for unethical
purposes, such as taking patients from other dentists and convincing patients
to undergo treatments, especially cosmetic procedures, that they do not
need. Not only are these purposes harmful to other dentists and to patients
but they reflect poorly on the dental profession as a whole.
5. Fee splitting
• Fee-splitting, which involves a payment from one dentist to another simply
for referring a patient, is forbidden in codes of ethics. The reason for this
prohibition is the danger that dentists will, simply for financial gain, refer
patients who do not need specialist treatment
6. Communication and understanding
• There should always be clear communication and instructions between the

dentist and his colleagues to avoid problems.
• Dentists should be able to listen, respect, and take advice or criticism from
other colleagues and vice versa.
• Good relations between dentists is based on mutual respect and

understanding. There are rules of good conduct for doctors - referred as
medical etiquettes but they are never taught in medical curriculum
2
• Medical etiquettes can't be taught in classroom but must be witnessed every
day in live situations during training period to have a lasting effect. However,
beyond an exposure to role model behavior, good conduct is self-regulated
and all that one needs is motivation and attitude to follow it.
• Communication Breakdowns
Addressing the challenges and conflicts associated with effective

communication among dental professionals
7. Respect
• A Dentist must show respect for colleagues and collaborators, and assist,
advise and guide them. Must not bully or harass them or unfairly discriminate
against them.
• Respect to other colleagues opinions is also part of the profession’s ethics and
it helps in building a comfortable and easy to work within environment.
8. Competition
• Professional life creates many instances where colleagues are competing for
jobs, for representative appointments or positions of responsibility in dental
associations, colleges and academies
• Claims of superiority
Professional colleagues who claim or imply that they are superior in some
way, either directly or indirectly (eg. by suggesting that other dentists are of a
lesser ability or stature in some respect).
9. Conflicts
• When the parties involved are professional colleagues, there is an additional
complication that patients and members of staff can become drawn into the
conflict. The trigger for such conflicts is often;
o professional competition
o jealousy
o financial
o Personal relationships
• The anger experienced in such disputes, can sometimes result in inappropriate
comments being made about a professional colleague. These remarks might be
of a personal nature (for example, the character or integrity of the other person),
or of a professional nature (criticizing clinical standards or perhaps academic
/research standards).
3
• These comments are often made to patients, to members of staff or to other
professional colleagues.
❖ Where such conflicts do arise, every effort should be made to contain

them in a manner which:
• Avoids placing patients at risk
• Maintains the continuity of patient care and safeguards their rights and the
quality of the dental care they receive
• Avoids bringing the profession into disrepute
• Maintains public confidence in the profession
• Treats professional colleagues as we would wish to be treated ourselves.
❖ Benefits of Positive Dentist-to-Dentist Relationships

1. Enhanced Patient Care
Collaboration among dentists results in improved treatment outcomes and

comprehensive care for patients.
2. Professional Development
Mentorship and knowledge sharing foster continuous learning and growth within
the dental community.
3. Support System
Building trust among dentists creates a network of support during challenging cases
or personal struggles.
4. Teamwork and Synergy

• Most dentists work in multidisciplinary teams. The work of these teams is
primarily focused on the needs and safety of patients. The formal leader of the
team is accountable for the performance of the team, but the whole team is
responsible for identifying problems, solving them and taking the appropriate
actions.
• Dentists must be willing to work with other people and teams for the benefit of
patients and should respect the leadership and management roles of other team
members, including non-medical colleagues.
• Dentists working together create an environment conductive to effective
teamwork and enhanced clinic efficiency.
4
5

Dentist To Colleagues Relationship

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Dentist To Colleagues Relationship

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Dentist To Colleagues Relationship

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Dentist and Colleagues Relationship

Professional Relationship between Dentists includes:

2. Judgements in peer relations (Commenting on others)

• A dentist should not make improper comments of the procedures or

• A dentist who sees instances of gross or continual faulty treatments by a

• The approach should be tactful and respectful, especially towards students or

• It is wiser to avoid getting drawn into criticism of another dentist, no matter

• Individual dentists cannot possibly be experts in all their patients’ oral

• An apparently common technique for maximizing income is advertising. Until

6. Communication and understanding

• There should always be clear communication and instructions between the

• Good relations between dentists is based on mutual respect and

Addressing the challenges and conflicts associated with effective

❖ Where such conflicts do arise, every effort should be made to contain

❖ Benefits of Positive Dentist-to-Dentist Relationships

Collaboration among dentists results in improved treatment outcomes and

4. Teamwork and Synergy

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.