Dental Protection Australia

In this episode of Riskbites, Senior Dentolegal advisor Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Colm Harney from Dental Protection discuss an area of practice that is under particular scrutiny at the moment by the regulator which is ‘cosmetic dentistry’.  Although the existing guidelines about this area of practice are still under consultation, there has been a declared focus on “reforming the regulation of reg...

When an adverse outcome occurs or treatment does not go to plan, our patients are often recognised as the only victim in these situations.  But are they?  In this episode of RiskBites, Senior Dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene Weston explores the concept of the second victim, and its correlation with the Buddhists parable of the second arrow. Annalene goes on to explain how this teaching essentiall...

Uber, Audits and dentistry and interesting concept.  In this episode of RiskBites Senior Dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene Weston quizzes Dr Colm Harney about the title of this podcast and asks the obvious question ‘what does a ride-hailing service have in common with third party payment audits in dentistry.’ Colm shares his thoughts and goes on to identify common reference points utilised by priv...

In recognition of International Women’s Day, Senior dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene Weston interviews our CEO of Medical Protection Society, Karen Miller.  Karen has been and continues to be an inspirational leader to many women and men and in this episode of RiskMatters, Karen shares the highs, lows and lessons learnt in her illustrious career as well as what International Women’s Day means to...

It’s often incredibly challenging to know if you’re making the right decision when changing jobs or even starting in a new position for the very first time. Is this going to be the right choice for me? Am I doing the right thing if I have some doubts about the new role? In this episode of RiskBites Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Simon Parsons, dentolegal consultants at Dental protection explore some of...

As we know communication is key and when things don’t go to plan or as we  expected the consequences can be surprising, unkind and unfair. But regardless of this there is always two sides or more, to every story. In this episode of CaseMatters, the practitioner, practice and patient all have their own account and interpretation of their appointments, their discussions, expectations and time togeth...

This year we’ve shared many podcasts that have identified areas of risk and shared information, moments and cases that we can all learn from.  For our last podcast of 2024, we wanted to flip our focus and share a feel-good story, reminding us that not all complaints end badly. Too often we can focus on the negative but prior to the year's end we hope that you can each take some time to reflect on,...

In this episode of RiskMatters, Senior Dento-legal Dr Annalene Weston speaks with Emeritus Professor Laurie Walsh about the recent changes to the Infection control guidance, namely the replacement of the Standard 4815 with AS 5369 – Reprocessing of reusable medical devices and other devices in health and non-health related facilities, as well as the subsequent updating of the ADA infection control...

Is truth linked to fact? Is it a rigid and fixed construct or is it moveable, expanding and contracting like a rubber band.     In many ways truth can be subjective and is often seated in an individual’s perception of the facts, what they have experienced, what they believe they have experienced and what they want to believe they have experienced.  Unfortunately, when perceptions of truth don’t al...

Join Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Kiran Keshwara, dentolegal consultants at Dental protection as they discuss the issue of Burnout, one of the most pressing concerns for contemporary dental practitioners globally. Annalene is a champion for interventions that safeguard the needs of dental professionals and in this episode, she explains what Burnout is, how it feels and how it can present in ourselves...

The thought of litigation can unsettle the most seasoned practitioner.  A question often asked by members who have received notification, or a threat of legal proceedings is …. ‘When can patients sue?’ In this episode of RiskBites Senior dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Kiran Keshwara, from Dental protection discuss the how, when and why patients can successfully sue their dentist....

Receiving a solicitors letter can be a terrifying experience for any practitioner, particularly when you read it, and are unsure what it means for you and your registration Join Senior Dentolegal Consultant Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Mike Rutherford from Dental Protection as they discuss the different types of letters that can be received, and what to do when they are.

In this episode of RiskBites, Senior dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Ralph Neller focus on how practitioners can best capture their discussions about risk and warnings in their clinical records. Annalene and Ralphs discussion highlights the challenges faced by practitioners when their records fail to evidence these discussions and provide helpful advice of how to document both gene...

The internet and virtual communication have brought significant gains to our profession and although this might only seem positive, in reality, there is a downside. The fallout from these advances can result in unexpected and unintended consequences for practitioners and patients alike.   Join Senior Dentolegal Consultant Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Colm Harney from Dental Protection as they discuss...

At Dental Protection, we are seeing an increase in the number of calls from members who are dealing with upset, angry or aggressive patients. In this episode of RiskBites, Senior Dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene Weston and Dentolegal consultant Dr Kiran Keshwara provide helpful advice on how to recognise an upset or angry patient and provide tips and strategies on how to manage these challenging...

Some aspects of communication with patients are not just necessary, they are vital to ensuring the success of your business and or your individual reputation.  In this episode of RiskBites, Dental Protections Senior dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene Weston and our inhouse lawyer Helen Harbourne, discuss the importance of establishing clear professional and personal boundaries with patients from th...

Saying no to patients or refusing treatment can be difficult for any well-meaning and caring practitioners.  In this episode of RiskBites, Senior Dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Kiran Keshwara from Dental Protection focus on the critical subject of how we say no to patients, asking and answering that all-important question ‘Can we do it,  should we do and if we should, how are we g...

Members often suggest content for our podcasts, usually in areas of interest or where they perceive there is a need for more information.  Body dysmorphic disorder is one such area, which most would agree is both poorly understood in the dental profession and the broader community.  In this edition of RiskBites Senior Dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Mike Rutherford focus on the rol...

Aesthetic dentistry is an exciting area of dentistry, one that has accelerating in growth and popularity among patients and practitioners alike. While it can be very rewarding, it doesn’t come without its own specific set of risks and complications. Risks that are often far reaching and more challenging than routine dentistry. In this episode of RiskBites, Senior Dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene...

“Why me?” Dr Mike Rutherford and Dr Annalene Weston discuss why you may have received an audit letter. Further Resources https://www.dentalprotection.org/australia/publications-resources/dentolegal-articles/articles/i-have-received-an-audit-letter-from-a-health-fund-or-medicare _ This episode is part of our podcast series, RiskBites, which provides short, bite-sized guidance around some of the key...

Join Dr David Hallett and Dr Annalene Weston in our latest RiskMatters podcast ‘Why are item numbers so important?’. This insightful discussion on dental item numbers will cover the appropriate use of the ADA glossary codes and in contrast their inappropriate use. Listen as we explore key topics such as why dental practitioners are audited by health funds and Medicare, how the process works and wh...

Did you know that CaseMatters titles are genuine quotes from patient complaints that Dental Protection have assisted member with across the globe?  The title of this CaseMatters podcast is “I thought she knew what she was doing’ which involved the provision of cosmetic veneers.   When a breakdown in communication unexpectedly occurred, the unfortunate result was a complaint to the regulator, a reg...

In this episode of RiskBites Senior dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene Weston and Dental Protections inhouse lawyer Helen Harbourne discuss a particular type of allegation being increasingly argued in compensations claims, this being assault battery, and trespass.  Listen in as Annalene and Helen discuss what these terms mean in the eyes of the law and how you can avoid being subject to such accusa...

Join Dr Annalene Weston, Senior Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection and Associate Professor Dr Matthew Hopcraft in this personal and informative episode of Risk Matters, titled “The road less travelled”.  Listen in as Annalene and Matt revisit his early introduction into dentistry, talk through his illustrious career and explore different ways in which we can use our dental degree, based on...

Join Dentolegal consultant Dr Simon Parsons and Senior Dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene Weston at Dental Protection, as they consider that in point in time where a patient moves from being a disgruntled patient to a complainant. In this episode Simon recalls a case where a dental practitioner placed six veneers and despite feeling like he had done everything right and the case was a success, his...