Dental Protection has launched a new online course designed to help dental professionals recognise everyday behaviours that may affect trust, consent, and professional relationships.
The Professionalism course is available on demand and provides practitioners with practical guidance on navigating challenging situations, communicating clearly and professionally, safeguarding patients, and protecting their own professional standing.
Dr Yvonne Shaw, underwriting policy lead at Dental Protection, said: “We support thousands of members each year in managing challenges that arise throughout their careers. Reflecting on why issues occur, and learning from them, is a fundamental part of professionalism, but it is not always immediately clear where things have gone wrong. Often, it is not solely the provision of clinical care that is at issue. Professional boundaries can become inadvertently blurred over time due to increased familiarity with patients, digital communication, or simply stressful or emotionally charged situations.”
“It is important for all dental professionals to recognise moments when they may be at greater risk, in order to safeguard their patients and protect their own professional position,” she added. “Understanding our behaviours and the ethical challenges we encounter daily — including routine conversations, decisions and boundary judgements — can also help reduce the likelihood of complaints or claims relating to professionalism.”
“The online course not only examines existing professional frameworks and standards, but also demonstrates how they can be applied under pressure, and how practitioners can reflect and adapt over time. This can be particularly valuable in private practice, independent working environments, or roles with fewer formal safeguards,” Shaw concluded.
