Blog submitted by Dane Levy Attorney of www.Dentalmal.com, a provider of legal services for those injured by dental malpractice in California
Reducing your risks of a dental error is an excellent way to manage your risks as a dentist and ensure that you provide your patients with quality service that they can recommend to others. Here are some of the top mistakes dentists make and how you can avoid them.
Failure to recognize problem patients – Patients who have had many emergency visits, or are continually complaining about their past or current health care services are often patients who are litigious patients. It is best to notice these traits early on and refer these patients to another doctor.
Failure to advise staff – Well documented dental information is critical when faced with a lawsuit. It is, therefore, necessary to record every detail of your patients care in a timely organized manner that can be easily accessed.
Failure to maintain an excellent chairside manner – If a patient respects his/her dentist, they will be less likely to file a lawsuit. Always ensure you are on time for your appointments and if not inform your patients about how late you will get. It is also vital that you and your staff maintain a friendly relationship with your patients so that your patient will always come to you if they are not satisfied with your service.
Failure to avoid negative comments about other providers – Los Angeles dental malpractice lawyers state that criticizing other providers can work against a dentist or a clinic as the patient can report that they were influenced into using your services.