It's important to behave professionally from day one at dental school. We explore how dental students can apply the first three GDC principles during training.
Dentistry stands out from many undergraduate courses by emphasising professional standards from week one.
As well as passing exams and assessments, you’re expected to maintain public confidence and demonstrate fitness to become a dental professional.
That means adhering to:
While the GDC's 'Standards' sets out ethical principles and guidance for registered dental professionals, you'll be expected to learn how to apply these in your practice and personal life so this becomes second nature by the end of your training.
In this series of articles, we'll explore the nine principles in the 'Standards for the dental team' from a student perspective, helping you navigate tricky situations in dental school.
A student on an outreach placement was surprised to see a dentist prescribe antibiotics to a patient with a dental abscess. When they asked about this, the dentist replied that there wasn't time to do anything else.
What happened next
The student decided to speak to their personal tutor because they were concerned the dentist's treatment wasn't in the patient's best interest. The student's personal tutor raised the matter with the dentist who explained they had assessed the patient before the student had arrived and saw that the patient had signs of a spreading infection.
It was therefore appropriate to provide antibiotics to control the infection and enable definitive treatment at the next appointment. The dentist apologised for not explaining this to the student at the time.
Applying the standards
In this case, the treating dentist had followed guidelines when deciding how to treat the patient. They also discussed their treatment plan with the patient, obtained their consent and planned their ongoing care.
The student had grounds for concern about the information provided to them by the dentist, and raised them appropriately by discussing them with their personal tutor.
When giving oral hygiene advice in clinic, a student emphasised the importance of using interdental brushes, as recommended at the patient's previous appointment. Noticing the patient seemed confused, the student asked what was wrong and discovered they had never even seen an interdental brush and had no idea what they were for.
What happened next
The student went to fetch some interdental brushes and explained how to use them correctly, encouraging the patient to try for themselves so they could check their technique.
The patient later praised the student for taking the time and effort to help him and this feedback was recorded by the clinical supervisor.
Applying the standards
Communication is one of the most important aspects of good practice – get it right and you can build a good, long-term professional relationship with patients. Get it wrong, and the result can be confusion and frustration for patients and potentially more complaints.
It's about listening and paying attention to the other person as much as being able to express yourself. As the GDC puts it: "listen to [patients], give them time to consider information and take their individual views and communication needs into account." (para 2.2.1)
The student did well to observe and respond to the patient's confused expression rather than moving on. They also met GDC standards by finding a more visual way to communicate that better met the patient's needs, and then ensuring they had understood. As a result, the patient felt supported and better able to look after their own oral health.
A student dental therapist carried out a scale and polish on a patient at a dental school clinic session. The procedure went smoothly, but the patient later complained that no-one had explained they weren't being treated by a student dentist. They said they would never have given consent had they been aware of this.
What happened next
The student was very upset by the complaint as all patients were routinely told by the school who will be treating them. However, when they discussed the incident with their tutor, they agreed they hadn’t mentioned their role when they introduced themselves.
With support from their tutor, the student wrote a letter to the patient to say sorry and explain what they would do differently next time. The patient was happy with the response and the dental school took no further action.
Applying the standards
In one sense, the student was unlucky to receive a complaint when they had provided exemplary treatment, but this complaint demonstrates the importance of ensuring patients understand all aspects of the care you plan to provide. (It's worth bearing in mind that disputes about consent are a common feature in clinical negligence claims.)
It would have been better not to assume the patient knew their role and had no objection. The GDC expects you to "introduce yourself to patients and explain your role so that they know how you will be involved in their care" (para 2.3.1) and warns against assuming "that someone else has obtained the patient’s consent" (para 3.1.1).
The consent process requires that a patient is given enough information to make an informed decision, so the details provided will vary for each individual.
While the GDC offers examples of what information you might provide as part of the consent process, it stresses that "you should find out what your patients want to know as well as what you think they need to know." (para 3.1.3)
Encourage patients to share their priorities and concerns so they can be addressed during the consent discussion. It's also wise to document the discussion rather than relying on memory.
Next time, we'll look at how dental students can apply GDC principles on record-keeping, confidentiality, complaints, and working with colleagues.
This page was correct at publication on 19/09/2024. Any guidance is intended as general guidance for members only. If you are a member and need specific advice relating to your own circumstances, please contact one of our advisers.
by Leo Briggs BDS, MSc Deputy head of the DDU
Leo Briggs qualified from University College Hospital, London, in 1989. He has worked extensively in the Community Dental Service including a brief period overseas. He has also worked in General Dental Practice.
Leo gained a masters degree in Periodontology from the Eastman in 1995 and is on the GDC specialist register for Periodontics. Since 1995 he has provided specialist periodontal treatment in both the Salaried Dental Services and Private Practice. He started working for the DDU in 2005. Between 2007 and 2009 he worked part time at the DDU and part time as a Clinical Tutor at the School for Professionals Complementary to Dentistry in Portsmouth. In 2009 Leo went full time with the DDU. In January 2016 he became deputy head of the DDU. He continues to work clinically as a specialist periodontist in a General Practice on Saturdays.