Risk Management in Oral Surgery

Complex oral surgery procedures are occurring more commonly in primary care, performed by both specialist oral surgeons and non-specialists/tier 2 providers. Practitioners in the UK are working in an increasingly litigious environment which is often at the forefront of a practitioner's mind and prevention of complaints and claims of negligence is vital in maintaining confidence in our practise. In this ever-increasing litigious environment practitioners need to be aware of the risks associated with oral surgery procedures and have to be able to assess and treatment plan patients effectively and safely. Consent is critical to all procedures, and the recent Montgomery case reinforces the importance of this process which must be individual to each patient. It is vital that as practitioners we are aware of our scope of practice and are able to fully inform patients of the risks and benefits of treatment. Practitioners must know their limits and when to refer on to secondary care. This paper discusses the essentials of risk management in oral surgery and describes key stages in the management of patients undergoing an oral surgery procedure. Initial assessment of the patient, which includes medical and dental history will be discussed followed by investigations to support the clinical diagnosis. Once diagnosis has been confirmed, the process of obtaining consent and the legal implications of this are discussed. Finally, a discussion on the appropriate evidence-based management of common complications which may arise when performing oral surgery will complete the paper.