Human factors in dentistry: Part I. whose fault is a mistake?

Abstract

Dentistry is a profession in which both clinicians and patients hope that mistakes never occur. Unfortunately, mistakes are inevitable in our profession, whether the outcomes are inconsequential or not. Adverse incidents that result in harm to a patient can have long-term repercussions for both the patient and the clinician involved. For clinicians, this could involve litigation from the patient, as well as reprimand from healthcare regulators and colleagues. In addition, the negative psychological implications associated with causing harm or detriment to a patient under our care should not be underestimated. Despite this, there is a risk that our profession focuses on a blame culture when errors occur in our clinical practice, rather than understanding the role of human factors in contributing to such events. This two-part article explores the role of human factors in dentistry, why things go wrong, and how we can learn from mistakes within the profession, providing worked case examples and highlighting 2020 national guidance on human factors in dentistry. CPD/Clinical Relevance: There may be merit in the dental profession moving away from the blame culture when things go wrong..