Consent

What is Consent?

Giving consent means giving your permission for a healthcare professional to perform a treatment.

Before giving consent to a proposed treatment, it is important you  understand all aspects of that treatment to make an 'informed decision'.

Risks and Benefits

When considering whether to have a procedure or treatment, you should consider the potential benefits and the potential risks. 

Your dental professional has recommended a certain treatment, because they believe the benefits outweigh the risks in your case. However, you should take time to think these through carefully and reach your own decision as to whether the treatment benefits outweigh the potential risks. You should be certain that they do so before giving your consent. 

Alternative Treatments

You should also consider whether there are any alternatives available such as medication, less invasive procedures or not doing anything at all.

Personal Circumstances

The decision whether to have the proposed treatment is entirely yours. Certain risks may have different consequences for different people depending on your job, hobbies, lifestyle and responsibilities. The risks and benefits will have differing significance for each person. You should carefully consider this and make sure you think about the proposed treatment in the context of your individual circumstances.

Take your Time

You should take time to consider all information provided to you, going over it a few times, to ensure understanding.

Consider sharing and discussing the information with anyone close to you to get their opinion if you wish.

Seek out advice or a 'second opinion' if you deem it worthwhile.

Questions

If you are uncertain about anything, have any doubts, questions or concerns, then you must raise these with your dental health professional.