Malpractice issues are more commonly associated with dentists than dental hygienists, but it’s still crucial for all professionals who engage in patient care to be aware of their liabilities when it comes to malpractice.
Malpractice is the failure to exercise an ordinary degree of professional skill, which results in injury, loss, or damage. And while dental hygienists are less exposed to this scope, there is still a standard level of care expected from them, and a deviation of this can indeed be considered as malpractice, in the eyes of your patients as well as the law.
Ultimately, it’s true that dentists are sued far more often than dental hygienists, but there are a number of areas where dental hygienists are subject to liability when engaged in their professional roles.
Malpractice Insurance for Dentists vs Dental Hygienists
Dental hygienists are dedicated to providing care to patients much like dentists and other medical professionals. As well as paying attention to medical histories and working closely with patients to implement planned treatments, they are also responsible for understanding and preventing infections and diseases where necessary, by implementing health and safety processes as part of a patient’s treatment.
Given the nature of these responsibilities and the potential for unforeseen accidents and oversights to occur as a result of busy schedules or pure human error, mistakes can be made that lead to harm or damage to a patient’s health. A slip of the hand or a broken piece of equipment can easily lead to a mistake that causes some form of disruption to a patient’s treatment plan.
Because of these reasons, having malpractice insurance for dental hygienists is important in just the same way as it is for dentists. While exposure is reduced due to the limited scope of activities that could lead to these kinds of accidents, there is still the possibility that patients can come to harm as a direct or indirect result of a hygienist’s actions.
Is Malpractice Insurance Needed?
It might seem like dental hygienists are unlikely to be named in malpractice lawsuits, but the truth is that many professionals face these kinds of issues during their career. In most cases, the dental practice’s professional liability or malpractice insurance will cover the employed dental hygienist, but there are some areas where the individual themselves will be liable.
This means there are certain situations when the hygienist needs their own malpractice insurance to cover their activities. Below are some common reasons lawsuits occur for dental hygienists:
- Injury to the patient during cleaning or other procedures
During the course of care, an injury might occur that leads to some kind of pain or damage to their health. This could include, but is not limited to, accidentally spilling a chemical, usage of broken equipment, or lacerating the tongue due to a slip of the hand.
- Missed diagnosis
Dental hygienists are not expected to be able to identify every oral pathology that exists, but they are expected to know when something is significantly abnormal. Early detection of things like oral cancer or periodontal disease is extremely important and may be accomplished by proper screening by a hygienist, including a diligent review of medical history and a physical examination.
- Inadequate documentation processing
The medical history of each patient must be updated every time they visit their dentist. Clinicians should ask if there have been any changes since the last visit and these should be carefully recorded. These actions, albeit simple, are an important part of consistent care that can reduce serious medical issues arising in the future. Hygienists are responsible in some part for making sure documents are completed and updated appropriately.
Additional potential reasons for claims made against hygienists include:
- Failure to ask if a patient is taking medication
- Failure to update documents and patient histories
- Not protecting patient privacy
- Practicing outside the scope of contract duties or professional scope
- Not adhering to the appropriate standards of care
- Breaching infection control standards when handling patients
What About Dentist Locum Insurance?
For any busy medical practice or dental surgery, staff absence can be difficult and could leave you unable to provide your service to your patients.
With a locum insurance policy designed to suit your needs, you can ensure that your practice can continue operating as quickly as possible, whether you’re missing a single or several dentists or dental hygienists from your staff. Get in touch with us at Approachable Locum Insurance for more information on policies and coverage options to protect your practice.
