Consent letter – containing all factors a patient should be aware of before treatment

All of my patients receive a treatment plan letter before proceeding with treatment.

There is a part of the letter which explains everything that a patient should be aware of before embarking on treatment and what to expect. This list gets bigger and bigger over time, as new patient experiences get added to this list.

If these factors are discussed with the patient prior to starting, they are seen as a diagnosis; if they are explained once the problem arises after denture provision, they can be seen as “an excuse” (meaning I am on the back foot).

Examples of topics worth discussing are:

1.     The dentures will be sore

2.     The dentures may cause alteration to speech

3.     The dentures are a prosthetic replacement – analogous to a prosthetic hand

4.     Adaptation is required (neuromuscular control is discussed)

5.     Saliva flow changes

6.     Chewing and eating

7.     Cheek, lip and tongue biting

8.     Potential feeling of unaccustomed fullness

9.     One year warranty

This above list is not exhaustive. Examples of treatment plan letters in Word format can be downloaded from https://www.finlaysutton.co.uk/resources.

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