Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Sep 02, 2023
Referral and Negligent Referral in a Dental Practice
We outline actionable strategies to help dental professionals keep patients safe and avoid potential liability when referring patients to specialty providers.

Sep 01, 2023
Management of Treatment Complications in Dentistry
When treatment complications occur, it is often how the situation is handled that determines the outcome for both the patient and the healthcare provider. These strategies can help dental professionals enhance safety and mitigate risk.

Sep 01, 2023
Medical Emergencies in the Dental Setting
We present a compelling case example and outline risk management strategies that can help practices prepare for medical emergencies.

Sep 01, 2023
Dental Case Studies
The case studies presented here provide insights into closed claim scenarios that can help dental professionals enhance their practices as they mitigate risks.

Sep 01, 2023
Process Failures Lead to Patient Harm in Dentistry
We outline important strategies for documenting the clinical justification for any alternative treatment plan, obtaining informed consent, and providing follow-up care.

Sep 01, 2023
Unethical Treatment Leads to Lawsuit and Dental Board Action
Our analysis and risk management discussion of a case involving allegations of unethical treatment includes strategies to help dental professionals avoid becoming the focus of an investigation or claim.

Sep 01, 2023
Oversedation and Failure to Resuscitate in Dentistry
This case discussion covers risk management issues involving sedation and provides strategies to help practices keep patients safe.

Sep 01, 2023
Responding to Requests for Dental Records and the Consequences of Refusing
This risk management discussion can help dental professionals avoid complaints, investigations, and sanctions when they respond to dental record requests.

Sep 01, 2023
Inappropriate Dental Care and Delegation During Use of Conscious Sedation Lead to Patient Death
Our discussion of a tragic case includes strategies to help dental professionals avoid patient injury when performing a treatment or procedure involving sedation or anesthesia.

Sep 01, 2023
Poor Response to Patient Concerns Contributes to Dental Claim
We offer actionable strategies that can help dental professionals enhance communication and documentation skills.

Sep 01, 2023
Documentation and Scope of Practice Issues in Dentistry
We analyze a case resulting in patient injuries and provide strategies that address documentation and staff protocols.

Sep 01, 2023
Failure to Diagnose and Refer Results in Court and Dental Board Action
This case explores the issues surrounding a misdiagnosis claim and outlines steps to help dental professionals avoid these types of allegations.

Oct 18, 2022
Moderate or Conscious Sedation in the Office Setting
Julie Brightwell, JD, RN, Director, Healthcare System Patient Safety, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management
Prevent patient injury when providing moderate sedation in the office by incorporating these patient safety and practice improvement strategies.

Jun 22, 2022
Patient Safety in Dentistry: Communication
Sue Boisvert, BSN, MHSA, DFASHRM, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company
Effective communication improves teamwork and creates a safer environment for patients. It can also enhance patient engagement and satisfaction and reduce the risk of professional liability claims, even if an adverse event occurs.

Jun 22, 2022
Patient Safety in Dentistry Series
The articles in this three-part series provide strategies to help dental professionals enhance communication and documentation skills and manage adverse events in a practice setting.

Jun 22, 2022
Patient Safety in Dentistry: Documentation
Sue Boisvert, BSN, MHSA, DFASHRM, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company
The primary purpose of documentation is to create an orderly chronological record of the clinical decision-making process, treatment provided, and patient responses. Records that are incomplete or inaccurate may lead to inappropriate treatment and patient harm.

Jun 22, 2022
Patient Safety in Dentistry: Managing Adverse Events in the Practice Setting
Sue Boisvert, BSN, MHSA, DFASHRM, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company, and Jon Pellett, Attorney, Pennington, PA
When an adverse event occurs in a dental practice, providers and staff must be prepared to respond appropriately. A well-managed response includes caring for the patient, investigating the event, taking necessary action, and reporting the event appropriately as required.

Oct 26, 2021
Identifying Malpractice Risks for Surgical Practices
Kim Hathaway, MSN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Healthcare Quality and Risk Management Consultant, The Doctors Company
Factors contributing to surgical claims are often related to assessment, communication, and documentation. Surgeons can improve outcomes by evaluating their supporting systems in the office and the locations where they operate.

Professional Education
Prevention of Dental Errors for Dental Practices
Few dental errors are attributed to faulty judgment. More commonly, they are attributed to system failures inherent in healthcare delivery. By drawing on our professional liability closed claims data, we have identified common performance and diagnostic errors: wrong-site surgery, improper performance of dental procedure, wrong or unnecessary treatment or procedure, retention of foreign body during treatment, and diagnosis related. We analyzed loss prevention measures in tandem with the elements necessary to conduct a credible and thorough root cause analysis (RCA) to reduce system failures, respond to sentinel events, prevent dental errors, and improve patient safety. The purpose of this continuing dental education activity is to provide dentists with the most current information regarding the prevention of common performance and diagnostic errors. The course covers: • Identification of the most common quality-of-care violations. • Illustrative case studies detailing prevalent diagnostic and performance errors. • The necessary elements of an RCA. • Safety systems in healthcare organizations. • Risk management measures designed to prevent dental errors and increase patient safety.
2.0 credits

Professional Education
Prevention of Dental Errors for Florida Dental Practices
The purpose of this continuing dental education activity is to provide dentists with the most current information regarding the prevention of common performance and diagnostic errors. The course covers: • Identification of the most common quality-of-care violations. • Illustrative case studies detailing prevalent diagnostic and performance errors. • The necessary elements of an RCA. • Safety systems in healthcare organizations. • Risk management measures designed to prevent dental errors and increase patient safety. This course is specific to Florida statutes and reflects regulations effective in February 2018 for dentists licensed by the Florida Board of Dentistry.
2.0 credits

May 25, 2021
Reduce the Risk of Wrong-Tooth Dental Procedures
Sue Boisvert, BSN, MHSA, Patient Safety Risk Manager II, The Doctors Company
Wrong-site procedures are a common problem in dentistry. A wrong tooth extraction can be prevented with the use of proper protocols, including confirmed communication with referring dentists and documentation of verbal discussions with patients.

Apr 02, 2021
Pre-Procedural Screening and Testing During COVID-19
Throughout the pandemic, surgeons have faced many challenges in adapting to new situations. Now that facilities have resumed elective surgeries, surgeons are facing additional challenges in evaluating and scheduling patients who have recovered from COVID-19. The strategies highlighted here can help ensure a consistent approach in keeping both patients and providers safe.

Mar 24, 2021
Patient Selection for Elective Cosmetic Procedures
James E. Vogel, MD, FACS, Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery, The Johns Hopkins Hospital and School of Medicine, and Susan Shepard, MSN, RN, Senior Director, Patient Safety and Risk Management Education, The Doctors Company
The patient selection process is a valuable tool that can help you reduce risks when you assess prospective patients for elective cosmetic procedures.

Mar 23, 2021
Prescribing Opioids Safely: How to Have Difficult Patient Conversations
Roneet Lev, MD, Chief of Scripps Mercy Emergency Department, Chair of Prescription Drug Abuse Medical Task Force, and President of Independent Emergency Physicians Consortium
Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S., and opioids account for over 60 percent of those deaths. Building a strong doctor-patient rapport can help facilitate tough conversations with patients about opioid prescriptions and reduce risks that could lead to malpractice suits.

Feb 26, 2021
Resources for Elective Procedures During COVID-19
Kim Hathaway, MSN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Healthcare Quality and Risk Management Consultant, and Julie Ritzman, MBA, CPHRM, Vice President, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management
Your patients most likely want to know about the safety of surgery during the pandemic and what occurs if they contract COVID-19 post-procedure. You may have questions about keeping your staff and patients safe, informing patients about new risks the pandemic has created, and potential liability risks you may be facing.

Professional Education
TeamSTEPPS® Teamwork Training in the Office Practice
This course provides an overview of the evidence-based TeamSTEPPS® concepts, tools, and strategies based on the four areas of 1) leadership, 2) mutual support, 3) situation monitoring, and 4) communication. TeamSTEPPS training provides teachable/learnable skills that improve communication and teamwork among healthcare professionals in both acute care and ambulatory care environments.
1.5 credits

May 23, 2020
Providing Dental Services in the Hospital Setting
Amy Wasdin, RN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Risk Manager II, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management
Because of the infrequency of providing dental care in the hospital setting, many dentists are unfamiliar with hospital and medical staff requirements that apply to the providers who examine and treat inpatients.

Apr 22, 2020
Minor Consent: Challenges for Pediatric Dentistry
Kim Hathaway, MSN, CPHRM, Patient Safety Healthcare Quality and Risk Consultant, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management
Identifying legal guardianship and the rights of parents can reduce risk prior to treating a minor.