{"id":2175,"date":"2025-01-30T15:58:57","date_gmt":"2025-01-30T15:58:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dentalsupportspecialties.com\/blog\/?p=2175"},"modified":"2025-02-12T15:59:19","modified_gmt":"2025-02-12T15:59:19","slug":"consent-in-dentistry-why-and-how","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dentalsupportspecialties.com\/blog\/2025\/01\/30\/consent-in-dentistry-why-and-how\/","title":{"rendered":"Consent in Dentistry: Why and How to Get It from Your Patients"},"content":{"rendered":"
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When you have a new patient come into your dental practice, they may find it annoying to have to sign a stack of paperwork, but this step of the process actually benefits both parties. One of those important documents is the dental consent form, which states that the patient gives your practice permission to treat them. This consent may seem implied and obvious, but addressing every detail in writing can protect you from being sued, fined, or worse and can make sure the patient knows what they need to know about treatment they are going to receive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Why Do You Need a Clear Dental Consent Form?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, in history, some dentists have not prioritized transparency with their patients. They moved forward with treatment without informing the patient about what\u2019s involved in the procedure, potential risks, and other details that could affect their decision to undergo treatment. Over the years, laws have added requirements for dentists to explain this information so that the patient is aware of what may happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a patient fills out this paperwork in person in the office, the front desk team member can more quickly explain what each form includes and describes; otherwise, the patient could spend unnecessary time reading each word. Although the exact phrasing isn\u2019t prescribed or mandated to be a certain way, it needs to be at least somewhat clear so that if a patient chooses to read it for themselves, they can understand it and not question whether they are being tricked or signing questionable documentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Needs to Be in a Dental Consent Form?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At minimum, your dental practice needs to have a consent form that includes the patient\u2019s name, address, contact information, a clear explanation of the procedure, brief statements of the risks involved, and verbiage granting the practice permission to work with the patient, and, of course, the patient\u2019s signature and date. This information lays out clearly that legally your practice has fully informed the patient and obtained permission to treat them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you put it in the consent form itself or another separate form in the pile, you also need to collect this information from the patient upon scheduling the appointment:<\/p>\n\n\n\n