Rupert Hoppenbrouwers

There are, of course, many more aspects to being a good dentist than simply carrying out high quality clinical work. Often being a dentist will mean working in a team, where you’ll be at the helm. For those who are new to this responsibility, it can feel overwhelming and you may be unclear as to what your duties entail. In this expert column, Rupert Hoppenbrouwers, head of the DDU discusses the roles and responsibilities of the dentist as team leader.

Stories of un-encrypted memory sticks, confidential documents and computers containing patient data ending up in the wrong hands have featured regularly in the news in recent months, raising awareness of data protection and the sensitivity of patient information. Rupert Hoppenbrouwers, Head of the DDU, discusses the key points on record keeping and safe storage for dental professionals.

Even the most diligent dental professional will receive at least one complaint from a patient at some point during their career. Knowing how to handle complaints appropriately is a skill that can make a huge difference to the outcome and to patient satisfaction. Rupert Hoppenbrouwers, Head of the Dental Defence Union (DDU), discusses two complaints scenarios, based on cases from the DDU’s files, and the essential steps that should be taken to resolve a complaint.

Social networking sites play an important part in the everyday lives of many people. In general they are harmless fun. However, it is important to take a few things into account to make sure that social networking does not have a negative impact on your professional career. Rupert Hoppenbrouwers, dento-legal advisor at the Dental Defence Union (DDU), highlights the top five precautions dental professionals might take when using social networking sites.

For the majority of dental professionals, a brush with the law may seem an unlikely event. However, sometimes the unexpected does happen and a dental professional ends up in trouble with the police. Rupert Hoppenbrouwers, Head of the DDU, discusses the issue.

From April 2012, age discrimination in the provision of healthcare and other services is expected to become illegal under the Equality Act 2010. It means dental professionals, like doctors and other healthcare workers may be legally challenged if they refuse to provide treatment to patients on the grounds that they are ‘too old’. This article looks at the implications.

At what age can children consent to dental treatment? When should you seek parental authority? Can children refuse treatment that they need for their oral health? The DDU regularly receives calls from members who are grappling with these dilemmas but the answers often depend on the treatment and the child in question.

While patients have a right to see their clinical records, dental professionals occasionally receive requests for clinical records from third parties such as patients’ relatives, solicitors and organisations such as the police, the GDC and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

What could be easier than texting your dental practice to let them know you are in a meeting and need to cancel your appointment? For dental professionals too, electronic communication with patients has significant potential advantages but there are also a few dento-legal pitfalls to bear in mind.

The use of mobile storage devices to store and transfer batches of patient information means that a data loss might now affect hundreds, even thousands, of patients. Dental professionals are responsible for sensitive personal data and it is important that they are aware of their legal and ethical obligations.