Calling for legal reform

Dental Protection said a dentist in the UK is nearly twice as likely to receive a claim for clinical negligence compared to just ten years ago, and a full-time dentist can now expect to receive two claims over a typical career.

In a survey of over 1,500 dentists, 94 per cent said they feel it has become easier to bring a claim for clinical negligence than ever before and 90 per cent said they are increasingly fearful of being sued. Eighty-seven percent said they support changes to the legal system to tackle the rising cost of clinical negligence. 

The legal reforms recommended by Dental Protection include*:

Raj Rattan, dental director at Dental Protection, said,“It is important that there is reasonable compensation for patients harmed following clinical negligence, but a balance must be struck. The rising cost of clinical negligence is impacting on dentists – when the cost of clinical negligence increases, the cost of professional protection must also increase to reflect this – and we recognise the pressure this places on our members.