MDDUS
INSIGHT
DENTAL

The pitfalls of treating friends and family

Dice with a tick and cross
A dentist examines a patient Pitfalls

Managing risks in oral surgery

Professor John Marley offers practical advice on common pitfalls.

Help support road sign Practice management

Managing poor performance

How can you support your team to ensure they perform at their best?

Man taking call on headset Advice

Call log

A range of common - and not so common - queries from dental care professionals

Case file: Claim

Root in situ

...It is claimed that Dr N should have referred Mr K for extraction of the root fragment before undertaking the bridgework...

Older man with toothache Case file: Complaint

Chemical burn

...the dentist apologises and explains it is possible a small drop of acid etch may have splashed onto Mr A’s face...

Neon tubes showing heart and tooth Case file: Advice

Infective endocarditis risk

...Dr C asks for advice on antibiotic prophylaxis and whether this should be prescribed by a cardiologist or the patient's GP...

A broad outlook on the world Professional development

Being a generalist in a specialised world

Dental business coach Alun Rees reflects on the benefits of taking a broad approach to developing your career.

Compliance cogs Risk

Probity – the hidden pitfalls

Even dentists who pride themselves on being open and honest at all times can sometimes fall foul of the rules.

Risk alert

Burnout risks patient safety

There is a well-established causal relationship between reduced clinician wellbeing and increased patient safety incidents - and the rise in the incidence and severity of reported burnout is concerning

Feature

The surprising history of medical defence

Allan Gaw explores some unexpected twists and turns in the story of MDDUS.

Making decisions Ethics

Hard choices – on difficult decisions

Professor Deborah Bowman reflects on the complexities of making difficult decisions.

Inclusive people graphic Viewpoint

A place of acceptance

Medico-legal adviser Dr Gordon McDavid offers a personal perspective on the workplace challenges facing LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals.

Dr Jane Elizabeth Waterston Vignette

Frank and fearless

Jane Elizabeth Waterston - Scottish teacher and the first woman physician in southern Africa.

News

NHS plan to further reduce opioid prescribing

08 March 2023

"Shameful" number of hospital tooth extractions for children

27 February 2023

Step closer in regulation of anaesthesia associates and physician associates

24 February 2023

Scope of practice not just a prescribed list of tasks says GDC

24 February 2023

Enduring Covid concern reflected in NHS web visits

14 February 2023

Revised launch date for revamped HSIB

14 February 2023

NHS England looks to virtual wards to help ease pressure on emergency care

14 February 2023

MDDUS Updates

Advice for junior doctor members during industrial action

07 March 2023

Scottish GDPs: ensure you check your nhs.scot email inbox

31 January 2023

Supporting members with temporary GMC registration – make sure you update MDDUS

31 January 2023

Protect your personal finances – with 20 per cent off*

30 January 2023

A quarter of junior doctors are victims of race hate at work

19 January 2023

MDDUS call to members - send us your photos

18 January 2023

One in three UK junior doctors are going hungry on shift

16 November 2022

Editor: Ms Sarah Harford

Managing editor: Joanne Curran

Associate editor: Jim Killgore

Emailinsight@mddus.com

Editorial departments

Dental: Mr Aubrey Craig 

Legal: Joanna Jervis

Insight Dental is published quarterly by The Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland, registered in Scotland No 5093 at 206 St Vincent Street, Glasgow G2 5SG.

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in Insight Dental are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of MDDUS.

View previous issues of Insight Dental

Insight Dental is published quarterly and distributed to MDDUS members through the UK who work in dental care

View all issues

For registration, or any login issues, please visit our login page.