Join Dr Annalene Weston, Dentolegal Consultant and Dr Colm Harney at Dental Protection to cover the topic of ‘Imposter Syndrome – am I good enough?’. Our team of experts delve into the relevance of this topic to dental professionals and the impact that social media has on self-esteem.

In the latest episode of Case Matters, Dr Annalene Weston, Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection will guide you through the case of discussion entitled ‘You killed my tooth’. This case highlights the importance of consent in its purest form. Hear from the people involved and also look at the final outcome to see what lessons can be learnt.

Podcast host and Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection, Dr Annalene Weston is joined by retired Dental Protection Dentolegal Consultant and Order of Australia recipient Dr Ralph Neller to share the lessons learned during his inspiring fifty year career. Dr Ralph Neller brings a breadth of industry knowledge and practical advice based around his personal experiences, including the value of mentors particularly for dental practitioners starting their career. Listen in to find out more.

With over 4.4 million Australians considered to have a disability, there is a greater need for dental practitioners to have an understanding on special needs dentistry including: what it is, how they can access this speciality for patients and suitable guidelines around treating patients. Our next episode of Risk Matters covers the topic of ‘Risk benefit analysis at the coal face of special needs’. Featuring guest speaker and expert in special needs dentistry, Associate professor Dr Andrew Lee and Senior Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection, Dr Mike Rutherford, this in-depth discussion will provide real-world examples of treating patients with a disability and the key areas that need to be taken into consideration during treatments.

If you’ve ever asked, ‘Do I still need to do a dental charting if I’m taking an intraoral scan of my patient?’, this podcast is highly recommended for you. Join Dental Protection experts, Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Simon Parsons for an informative discussion around this important topic of whether technology can truly and meaningfully replace more traditional recording methods, in this case, the odontogram.

Join Dr Alex Forrest and Dr Mike Rutherford as they cover the topic of forensic odontology. After a long-standing career specialising in this area, Dr Alex Forrest shares his personal stories of working across the world as a forensic odontologist including natural disasters, highlights where and how forensics fits into our everyday dental practice and discusses the importance of quality dental record keeping.

Our latest episode of RiskBites covers the topic of provider numbers in light of the fact that hygienists, OHT’s and therapists can apply for them, to consider an in-depth analysis around provider numbers and the risks around having one. A provider number is a site-specific claiming mechanism that enables your patients to access to third payments on behalf of a patient for treatment you have provided. Join industry experts Dr Annalene Weston, Dentolegal Consultant and Mrs Anita Kemp and Mrs Kristin Trafford-Wiezel Case Managers at Dental Protection for the discussion.

Join Dr Annalene Weston, Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection to explore 'Not worth the paper it’s written on’. This insightful podcast explores a case that pivots around the use of a consent form in complex care. Hear the different sides of the story within this case to help better understand patient consent.

In this episode of RiskBites, Kristin Trafford-Wiezel and Dr Annalene Weston from Dental Protection discuss the impact of accelerating treatment, a largely consumer driven concept. They consider whether centering our decision making around consumer expectations makes us race to the bottom or rise to the top? And, whether accelerating treatment accelerates risks for patients and dental practitioners alike.

It is commonplace in the current dental working environment for dentists and some hygienists and therapists to be in a contractor relationship with a practice. In this episode of RiskBites, learn about contractor relationships and how they differ from being an employee. Find out whether independence is always a good thing, and how to create an inclusive, cooperative workplace where everyone feels like part of the team.

Join Dr Geraldine Moses and Dr Annalene Weston, Dentolegal Consultant from Dental Protection as they discuss the use of drugs in dentistry, both those we prescribe and those that patients are already taking when they attend. This episode will cover key interactions that dental practitioners should watch out for, dispel common myths regarding drugs in dentistry and provide helpful resources regarding medications.2.06 – Categories of medications that cause the most harm when combined with dental treatment3.58 – Turmeric and other complimentary medications and their impact on bleeding9.44 – Drugs that increase the risk of osteonecrosis12.45 – Corticosteroids18.02 – Drug seeking behaviours23.00 – Pain management with NSAIDS and paracetamol30.13 – Drugs of addiction in dentistry35.21 – Antibiotics and the OCP40.38 – Antibiotic allergies44.30 – Allergy testing50.05 – Prescribing in pregnancy56.42 – Helpful resources regarding medications58.12 – Prescribing of high fluoride toothpaste (S3 drug)62.56 – Prescribing for friends/family outside of the practice of dentistry

Join Dr Annalene Weston, Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection who will guide you through the case study ‘That’s assault mate’. This podcast will explore what constitutes as consent in the dental surgery and how and when confusion can arise.

Join Dental Protection’s Dentolegal team, Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Kiran Keshwara as they discuss the topic of ‘Treatment expediency with privacy compliance’. This informative podcast outlines treatment expediency through the filter of providing appropriate and timely care to a patient.

Domestic violence is a very complex and sensitive issue. Research presented to the Royal Commission demonstrated that more than 60% of abused women, would cancel other medical appointments, however keep their dental appointments. This places dentals practitioners at the forefront of early intervention. Find out what every dental practitioner needs to know in these critical situations.

In this episode of RiskBites, we will explore the topic of Medical Emergencies. This podcast will cover the importance of knowing how to deal with emergencies relating to dental treatment as well as run through common examples.https://militaryhealth.bmj.com/content/166/2/72https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212420919311161

Our latest CaseMatters titled ‘How could you ignore this?’ sets out a case where the patient finds out she has chronic periodontal disease, despite regular attendance. Many parties became involved in this matter and everyone had an opinion. But, which view was correct? All of them, or some of them? In this episode, we’ll hear from the people involved and look at the final outcome to see what lessons can be learnt.

In this episode of RiskBites, Dentolegal Consultant Dr Annalene Weston and Case Manager Anita Kemp at Dental Protection explore the personal and professional boundaries around whether we should be friends with patients on social media. Managing these situations appropriately is vital to the preservation of positive professional relationships with clients.

Join Dental Protection’s Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Colm Harney as they discuss the treatment option of ‘doing nothing’ and whether doing nothing is actually a valid treatment option at all. This insightful podcast uses industry examples to delve into a key topic that is relevant for any dental practitioner.

Did you know there are four key documents every dental practitioner must have access to in a dental surgery? Did you also know about the recent and upcoming changes to these? Join Dr Annalene Weston and Emeritus Professor Laurie Walsh, industry expert and co-author of one of these documents, Guidelines for Infection Prevention and Control, as they explore what every dental practitioner needs to look out for. This discussion will include recent updates to the guidance as well as upcoming changes for 2022.1.36 – What should every dental practitioner be looking for in the updated infection control guidance?5.58 – Pre-procedural rinses9.00 – How COVID is making practitioners feel?10.40 – Masks17.25 – Gown wear and skin/wound management22.50 – Infection control – quick checks for every dental practitioner28.40 – Infection control breaches and their consequences34.40 – Foils Tests38.00 – HEPA filtration42.00 – Transfer tweezers44.00 – The relevance of taking a medical history48.04 – Prion disease51.38 - Handshakes'The four documents every dental practitioner must have access to in a dental surgery' can be accessed here: https://www.dentalboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines/Policies-Codes-Guidelines.aspx*This advice was valid on 24th January 2022

Join Dr Annalene Weston, Dentolegal Consultant and Ms Kristen Trafford-Wiezel, Case Manager at Dental Protection as they cover a key topic for any dental practitioner which is professional indemnity. This podcast will outline the importance of professional indemnity and highlight useful resources and guidance around this commonly asked subject.

In this episode of RiskBites, Dentolegal Consultant Dr Annalene Weston and Case Manager Anita Kemp at Dental Protection discuss the importance of proactive resilience during these times, and explore the best strategies to develop this skill for when you need it most.

Effective communication is a key part of success for any practice. In this podcast, the Dental Protection team runs through the importance of establishing healthy working relationships with your laboratory by being actively involved in key decisions for your patient. Part of this development can be talking through your expectations as well as visiting the lab and understanding the fabrication process.

In this episode of RiskBites Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Colm Harney share tips that healthcare practitioners can implement into their working day to ensure effective communication with patients and a smoother running practice.

Burnout is a significant concern impacting dental professionals on a global scale. In this episode of RiskBites Dr Annalene Weston and Ms Kristen Trafford –Wiezel, Case Manager at Dental Protection consider how moral distress and moral injury can feature in and feed into burnout.

This podcast outlines the importance of a business continuity plan and why you need one for your practice. With the ever-changing environment, particularly around a pandemic, none of us are immune to being subject to change. By having measures in place to safe guard your dental practice it provides peace of mind to you and your team about the role each person plays in handling a crisis. Learn about what a business continuity plan includes, who needs to oversee it, who decides to use it and where it should be stored.

Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Kiran Keshwara discuss the importance of keeping and maintaining detailed and accurate records.

In this episode of CaseMatters, Dr Annalene Weston will guide you through the case study ‘You are negligent’. The accusation of negligence is one often made, and is rarely based on an actual negligent act, but rather is the voicing of a patients perception of events or how you have made them feel. This podcast explores what makes a practitioner negligent and consequently whether any of the practitioners involved were actually negligent.

This case study explores the unfortunate series of events that followed an orthodontic treatment that did not go to plan. This resulted in stress for the patient, dentist and even reached AHPRA through a formal complaint. Hear from the people involved and find out the final outcome as well as what lessons can be learnt from this situation

Dealing with a difficult situation doesn’t always mean a conversation directly between you and a patient, it could be with their partner, parents or carers. In this episode of RiskBites Dr Annalene Weston and Ms Kristen Trafford Wiezel, Case Manager at Dental Protection explore what steps you can take to prepare yourself when dealing with a difficult conversation.

Good clinical information gathering allows for safe dental treatment – but how often should medical histories be taken? And what are the consequences if it is not done properly? In this episode of RiskBites Dr Mike Rutherford and Dr Annalene Weston discuss the three criterion to base the decision to review a patient and how the importance of keeping good records can help Dental Protection defend you against a patient complaint.

In this episode of Casematters, Dr Mike Rutherford and Dr Annalene Weston explore the cases where an allegation that the dental practitioner has missed oral cancer is made. Find out the potential legal and regulatory pathways that a matter like this would take, the likely outcomes and how they differ. In addition to this, hear about the impacts that this event has had on each person involved.

Saying no to patients isn’t always easy, but in some instances, it can be necessary for the patient, and for you. In this episode of RiskBites Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Kiran Keshwara explore examples of when healthcare professionals have felt it necessary to refuse treatment. https://www.dentalprotection.org/australia/publications-resources/dentolegal-articles/articles/a-difficult-conversation-in-bariatrics_This episode is part of our podcast series, RiskBites, which provides short, bite-sized guidance around some of the key issues impacting the dental profession right now.

In this episode of RiskBites, Dr Colm Harney and Dr Annalene Weston discuss recording consultations and why patients may feel recording consultations can be beneficial. _This episode is part of our podcast series, RiskBites, which provides short, bite-sized guidance around some of the key issues impacting the dental profession right now.

Consent is one of the most important conversations that any clinician has with a patient. Regretfully, many practitioners will bypass the conversation, assuming knowledge. Sometimes they substitute the conversation with written documentation, but what if the patient is not a strong reader and is too embarrassed to tell you? This episode of CaseMatters explores consent in this context.

Issues can arise in any treatment, in the pre-treatment conversation or during the post treatment management of care. In this episode of CaseMatters, the Dental Protection team explore a real-life case, where despite the dental practitioner believing the patient understood the risks of treatment and had given consent to proceed, an adverse outcome led the patient to claim "I knew it could happen; I just didn’t think it could happen to me."

Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Ralph Neller discuss what action to take if you receive a complaint from AHPRA - and what happens if you don’t._This episode is part of our podcast series, RiskBites, which provides short, bite-sized guidance around some of the key issues impacting the dental profession right now.

Building rapport establishes trust between you and your patient. But what happens if a patient leaves your surgery feeling confused, upset or even ridiculed? The Dental Protection team bring to life a real case, to consider why following a thorough consultation may leave your patient claiming, “You have made things worse”

Dealing with a complaint can undoubtedly be a difficult and stressful time for a practitioner and the wider team. In this episode of RiskBites Ms Kristen Trafford–Wiezel, Case Manager at Dental Protection and Dr Annalene Weston discuss the value of good communication and its role in helping resolve matters relating to patient satisfaction. Read our 'Communication counts' article for more on this topic.https://www.dentalprotection.org/australia/publications-resources/dentolegal-articles/articles/communication-counts-but-why-does-it-matter_This episode is part of our podcast series, RiskBites, which provides short, bite-sized guidance around some of the key issues impacting the dental profession right now.

A six year old requires stainless steel crowns. But why does her father believe his daughter now looks “ugly”? The Dental Protection team explore why a communication breakdown leads to this unexpected outcome.

In this episode of RiskBites Dr Mike Rutherford and Dr Annalene Weston discuss how to identify and manage patients with Body Dysmorphic Syndrome.Read our 'Body dysmorphic disorder' article for more on this topic.https://www.dentalprotection.org/australia/publications-resources/dentolegal-articles/articles/body-dysmorphic-disorder-spotting-the-warning-signs_This episode is part of our podcast series, RiskBites, which provides short, bite-sized guidance around some of the key issues impacting the dental profession right now.

“What if I could share with you the worst day of my professional life?” In this episode of CaseMatters, the Dental Protection team bring to life all sides of a real case, to explore the factors leading to why a patient might sue you for ‘making them look like a horse’.

Around 50% of cases opened by Dental Protection for recent graduates are for issues relating to endodontics and oral surgery, including simple extractions. In this episode of RiskBites Dr Kiran Keshwara and Dr Annalene Weston discuss the importance of developing good habits early on in your career, why record keeping and communication is so important - and tips on looking for a job!Read our 'Top tips for practitioners' article for more on this topic.https://www.dentalprotection.org/australia/publications-resources/dentolegal-articles/articles/what-i-wish-i-knew-top-tips-for-younger-practitioners_This episode is part of our podcast series, RiskBites, which provides short, bite-sized guidance around some of the key issues impacting the dental profession right now.

Open Disclosure, part 2 of 2 – this episode explores the role of the apology in an open disclosure conversation._This episode is part of our podcast series, RiskBites, which provides short, bite-sized guidance around some of the key issues impacting the dental profession right now.

Open Disclosure, part 1 of 2 - this episode of RiskBites provides guidance on how to have an open disclosure conversation following an adverse outcome._This episode is part of our podcast series, RiskBites, which provides short, bite-sized guidance around some of the key issues impacting the dental profession right now.

This is the pilot episode of CaseMatters, our exciting new potential podcast series format which brings to life real case studies and the learnings behind them.Please share your feedback about this pilot episode of CaseMatters in our survey here https://medicalprotection.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_djwnAB4DMn91Hh3“What if I could share with you the worst day of my professional life?” In this pilot episode of CaseMatters, the Dental Protection team bring to life all sides of a real case, to explore the factors leading to why a patient might ask if you are incompetent.

In this episode of RiskBites, Dr Kiran Keshwara and Dr Annalene Weston explore burnout, and provide guidance about how you can develop ‘third space’ strategies to build resilience and manage burnout._This episode is part of our podcast series, RiskBites, which provides short, bite-sized guidance around some of the key issues impacting the dental profession right now.

We define success as the achievement of your objectives. The Dental Advisory Team discuss how to hire for success and surround yourself with good people._This episode is part of our podcast series, RiskBites, which provides short, bite-sized guidance around some of the key issues impacting the dental profession right now.

To err is human, yet human error impacts the treatment outcomes for patients with as many of 12% of patients who attend hospital suffering an adverse outcome as a result of error¹. This episode of RiskBites discusses if we should accept this as ‘just how it goes’ or can we take steps to positively influence our error rate?Further Resourceshttps://www.dentalprotection.org/australia/publications-resources/dentolegal-articles/articles/human-factors-in-error¹ Panagioti M et al, Prevalence, severity, and nature of preventable patient harm across medical care settings: systemic review and meta-analysis, BMJ 2019; 366:4185_This episode is part of our podcast series, RiskBites, which provides short, bite-sized guidance around some of the key issues impacting the dental profession right now.