Patients’ gifts to dentists unwrapped

In the lead up to the holiday season, 129 members responded to a DDU survey to see how often they had received a gift in the last year, what they’d been given and whether certain gifts ever raised ethical dilemmas.

Chocolates and other edible gifts (87 per cent) and alcohol (40 per cent) continue to be the most popular gifts of choice.

But some gifts this year were more unusual. One dental professional was given a pig’s head, while others received a pheasant, a puzzle and homemade Christmas decorations.

DDU dento-legal adviser David Lauder said: “Our survey found 78 per cent (100) of dental professionals who responded received at least one gift from patients in the last year, with 3 per cent (four) lucky enough to receive more than 15 gifts in the year.

“Of those dental professionals, 98 per cent said they had no concerns about their patient’s motives in gift giving and 77 per cent said they considered the most common reason for a patient to give them a gift is to show appreciation of the care provided.