Patient safety in dentistry - the bigger picture

Abstract

Background Patient safety incidents (PSIs) have recently become a topic of discussion within dentistry. NHS England data has highlighted that wrong tooth extraction is the most common surgical Never Event (NE); however, this data reflects mainly a secondary care picture. Consideration needs to be given to reporting of PSIs occurring in primary care.Aims To establish the current attitudes of both primary and secondary care dentists within this field and to use this to promote a positive, supportive culture.Methods A national electronic survey was sent to dentists for data capture related to this topic, from April to September 2019 inclusively.Results There were 104 responses to the survey. Responses included that 39% of responders were general dental practitioners (GDPs), 90% were aware of NEs, 48% were not aware of how to report PSIs and 74% of dentists felt that fear of the General Dental Council/Care Quality Commission repercussions was a barrier to them reporting PSIs. Additionally, 86% of dentists felt that a trainee/GDP support network would be useful to share learning regarding PSIs.Conclusion The survey results highlighted that there is a lack of knowledge concerning PSI reporting, combined with a culture of fear of the repercussions of reporting. The survey data will aim to be used to implement a supportive network for dentists, develop a positive ethos surrounding PSIs and optimise patient care.