Dealing with non-compliant, abusive or aggressive patients in dental practice
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Date
2016
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
South African Dental Association
Abstract
There is increasing concern as to how health professionals
respond to patients who are considered non-compliant,
abusive or difficult. What are their responsibilities to the
patient? What are their responsibilities to other patients and
staff? Can the patient be refused treatment? What are the
responsibilities that providers, as employers, have in relation
to staff who might be treating violent or non-compliant
patients? What are the competing rights and responsibilities
of patients and of the dental provider? Are the above
questions influenced by the threat posed by the patient to the
safety of staff and other patients? There are many instances
in daily practice where patient behaviour, while being difficult
and emotive, is not necessarily wrong or inappropriate in the
context of the service being provided and the circumstances
relating to their particular dental condition. This paper
discusses issues relating to circumstances where serious
issues arise regarding the behaviour of persons receiving
dental treatment in the context where such behaviour is
clearly inappropriate, aggressive or violent.
Description
Keywords
Health professionals, Patients, Non-compliant, Responsibilities to patient
Citation
Naidoo, S. (2016). Dealing with non-compliant, abusive or aggressive patients in dental practice. South African Dental Journal, 71(5): 232 - 233