In the December ADJ, an article by Dr Raymond Lam  from Western Australia discusses litigation in dentistry with a broad and interesting article about litigation, recent law and how it relates to CPD.

It is worth a read. However it discusses only one limb of modern dental ‘litigation’ – personal injury – and does not address regulatory prosecution which is in the writer’s opinion equally if not of more significance to the practice of the dental practitioner. This is not a criticism.

(Dr Lam discusses “informed consent” a term specifically disavowed in this country. Rogers and Whittaker is still is a valuable lesson for dentists concerned about telling patients about necessary and appropriate warnings. I am similarly not sure that “standard of care” – an term from the United States – is helpful or has any relevance here.)

A good article, summarising some very important cases and worth a read: and the cases are always easily accessed though Austlii and Jadenet.

Brad Wright

December 20 2014