Dental Protection Australia

Join Dental Protection’s Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Colm Harney as they discuss the treatment option of ‘doing nothing’ and whether doing nothing is actually a valid treatment option at all. This insightful podcast uses industry examples to delve into a key topic that is relevant for any dental practitioner.

Did you know there are four key documents every dental practitioner must have access to in a dental surgery? Did you also know about the recent and upcoming changes to these? Join Dr Annalene Weston and Emeritus Professor Laurie Walsh, industry expert and co-author of one of these documents, Guidelines for Infection Prevention and Control, as they explore what every dental practitioner needs to lo...

Join Dr Annalene Weston, Dentolegal Consultant and Ms Kristen Trafford-Wiezel, Case Manager at Dental Protection as they cover a key topic for any dental practitioner which is professional indemnity. This podcast will outline the importance of professional indemnity and highlight useful resources and guidance around this commonly asked subject.

In this episode of RiskBites, Dentolegal Consultant Dr Annalene Weston and Case Manager Anita Kemp at Dental Protection discuss the importance of proactive resilience during these times, and explore the best strategies to develop this skill for when you need it most.

Effective communication is a key part of success for any practice. In this podcast, the Dental Protection team runs through the importance of establishing healthy working relationships with your laboratory by being actively involved in key decisions for your patient. Part of this development can be talking through your expectations as well as visiting the lab and understanding the fabrication proc...

In this episode of RiskBites Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Colm Harney share tips that healthcare practitioners can implement into their working day to ensure effective communication with patients and a smoother running practice.

Burnout is a significant concern impacting dental professionals on a global scale. In this episode of RiskBites Dr Annalene Weston and Ms Kristen Trafford –Wiezel, Case Manager at Dental Protection consider how moral distress and moral injury can feature in and feed into burnout.

This podcast outlines the importance of a business continuity plan and why you need one for your practice. With the ever-changing environment, particularly around a pandemic, none of us are immune to being subject to change. By having measures in place to safe guard your dental practice it provides peace of mind to you and your team about the role each person plays in handling a crisis. Learn abou...

Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Kiran Keshwara discuss the importance of keeping and maintaining detailed and accurate records.

In this episode of CaseMatters, Dr Annalene Weston will guide you through the case study ‘You are negligent’. The accusation of negligence is one often made, and is rarely based on an actual negligent act, but rather is the voicing of a patients perception of events or how you have made them feel. This podcast explores what makes a practitioner negligent and consequently whether any of the practit...

This case study explores the unfortunate series of events that followed an orthodontic treatment that did not go to plan. This resulted in stress for the patient, dentist and even reached AHPRA through a formal complaint. Hear from the people involved and find out the final outcome as well as what lessons can be learnt from this situation

Dealing with a difficult situation doesn’t always mean a conversation directly between you and a patient, it could be with their partner, parents or carers. In this episode of RiskBites Dr Annalene Weston and Ms Kristen Trafford Wiezel, Case Manager at Dental Protection explore what steps you can take to prepare yourself when dealing with a difficult conversation.

Good clinical information gathering allows for safe dental treatment – but how often should medical histories be taken? And what are the consequences if it is not done properly? In this episode of RiskBites Dr Mike Rutherford and Dr Annalene Weston discuss the three criterion to base the decision to review a patient and how the importance of keeping good records can help Dental Protection defend y...

In this episode of Casematters, Dr Mike Rutherford and Dr Annalene Weston explore the cases where an allegation that the dental practitioner has missed oral cancer is made. Find out the potential legal and regulatory pathways that a matter like this would take, the likely outcomes and how they differ. In addition to this, hear about the impacts that this event has had on each person involved.

Saying no to patients isn’t always easy, but in some instances, it can be necessary for the patient, and for you. In this episode of RiskBites Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Kiran Keshwara explore examples of when healthcare professionals have felt it necessary to refuse treatment. https://www.dentalprotection.org/australia/publications-resources/dentolegal-articles/articles/a-difficult-conversation-in...

In this episode of RiskBites, Dr Colm Harney and Dr Annalene Weston discuss recording consultations and why patients may feel recording consultations can be beneficial. _ This episode is part of our podcast series, RiskBites, which provides short, bite-sized guidance around some of the key issues impacting the dental profession right now.

Consent is one of the most important conversations that any clinician has with a patient. Regretfully, many practitioners will bypass the conversation, assuming knowledge. Sometimes they substitute the conversation with written documentation, but what if the patient is not a strong reader and is too embarrassed to tell you? This episode of CaseMatters explores consent in this context.

Issues can arise in any treatment, in the pre-treatment conversation or during the post treatment management of care. In this episode of CaseMatters, the Dental Protection team explore a real-life case, where despite the dental practitioner believing the patient understood the risks of treatment and had given consent to proceed, an adverse outcome led the patient to claim "I knew it could happen;...

Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Ralph Neller discuss what action to take if you receive a complaint from AHPRA - and what happens if you don’t. _ This episode is part of our podcast series, RiskBites, which provides short, bite-sized guidance around some of the key issues impacting the dental profession right now.

Building rapport establishes trust between you and your patient. But what happens if a patient leaves your surgery feeling confused, upset or even ridiculed? The Dental Protection team bring to life a real case, to consider why following a thorough consultation may leave your patient claiming, “You have made things worse”

Dealing with a complaint can undoubtedly be a difficult and stressful time for a practitioner and the wider team. In this episode of RiskBites Ms Kristen Trafford–Wiezel, Case Manager at Dental Protection and Dr Annalene Weston discuss the value of good communication and its role in helping resolve matters relating to patient satisfaction. Read our 'Communication counts' article for more on this t...

A six year old requires stainless steel crowns. But why does her father believe his daughter now looks “ugly”? The Dental Protection team explore why a communication breakdown leads to this unexpected outcome.

In this episode of RiskBites Dr Mike Rutherford and Dr Annalene Weston discuss how to identify and manage patients with Body Dysmorphic Syndrome. Read our 'Body dysmorphic disorder' article for more on this topic. https://www.dentalprotection.org/australia/publications-resources/dentolegal-articles/articles/body-dysmorphic-disorder-spotting-the-warning-signs _ This episode is part of our podcast s...

“What if I could share with you the worst day of my professional life?” In this episode of CaseMatters, the Dental Protection team bring to life all sides of a real case, to explore the factors leading to why a patient might sue you for ‘making them look like a horse’.

Around 50% of cases opened by Dental Protection for recent graduates are for issues relating to endodontics and oral surgery, including simple extractions. In this episode of RiskBites Dr Kiran Keshwara and Dr Annalene Weston discuss the importance of developing good habits early on in your career, why record keeping and communication is so important - and tips on looking for a job! Read our 'Top...