the identifying information about the patient, you may find that you have actually broken their confidentiality. There have been cases of
dental professionals not real- ising that their patient is a friend of a friend who happened to know that the patient had attended the dental practice that day and so they could identify who the story was about. Similarly, before posting your thoughts about colleagues or information about your personal life, consider whether this really ties in with the professional image you want to project to others.
Advertising your practice Many dental practices now use social networking sites to advertise the services their practice offers. It can be a great way of drumming up business and communicating new services or changes to the local community. Earlier this year, the GDC released guidance titled ‘Principles of Ethical Advertising’ and it is important that any marketing material for your practice, including social networking pages and
profiles, complies with this. The GDC is clear that dental professionals may face a fitness to practise investigation if they
fall short of its standards. It states: “Patients may be confused and uncertain about dental treat- ment so you should take special care when explaining your
services to them. This includes providing balanced, factual informa tion enabling them to make an informed choice about their treatment… Misleading claims
can make it very difficult for patients to choose a dental professional or dental services and this can lead to expectations which cannot be fulfilled and, in more serious cases,
can put patients at risk of harm from an inappropriate choice.”
Responding to criticism It is becoming increasingly common for people to go online to complain about a service or product they are unhappy with and dental practices do not escape this new, very public method of providing criticism. No one likes to be criticised and it can be easy to respond without thinking through the consequences. The way in which you deal
with the criticism can make a big difference to whether the patient chooses to make a formal complaint. It is important to fully
consider the best course of action and whether you really want to respond. If you feel a response is appropriate, remember that anything you post will be online for all to see. Also remember that although you are bound by a duty of confidentiality, the patient is free to republish what you say elsewhere online. If you do receive nega-
tive comments online, you may wish to acknowledge the patient’s dissatisfaction directly, apologise if appro- priate and ask them to contact the practice so that you can address their concerns, while preserving confidentiality. It is important to always
avoid getting into an online spat with a patient. You may end up giving a wrong impression of your practice’s pro fessionalism and could inadvertently break confidentiality.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Angela Harkins has worked predominantly in NHS dental practices for 19 years as both an associate and principal. She continues to work part-time in practice, and has a keen interest in the management of the anxious patient.
Angela is also a Scottish dento- legal adviser at the Medical Defence Union having previously completed an MPhil in law and ethics.
Scottish Dental magazine 33
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