Dental Protection Australia

Saying no to patients or refusing treatment can be difficult for any well-meaning and caring practitioners. 

In this episode of RiskBites, Senior Dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Kiran Keshwara from Dental Protection focus on the critical subject of how we say no to patients, asking and answering that all-important question ‘Can we do it,  should we do and if we should, how are we going to do it'

Members often suggest content for our podcasts, usually in areas of interest or where they perceive there is a need for more information.  Body dysmorphic disorder is one such area, which most would agree is both poorly understood in the dental profession and the broader community. 

In this edition of RiskBites Senior Dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Mike Rutherford focus on the role of body dysmorphic disorder and how it impacts on our ability to achieve patient satisfaction.

Aesthetic dentistry is an exciting area of dentistry, one that has accelerating in growth and popularity among patients and practitioners alike. While it can be very rewarding, it doesn’t come without its own specific set of risks and complications. Risks that are often far reaching and more challenging than routine dentistry.

In this episode of RiskBites, Senior Dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Kiran Keshwara from Dental Protection discuss the potential pitfall of aesthetic dentistry and provide helpful tips and advice on how to avoid such issues arising in the first place.

“Why me?” Dr Mike Rutherford and Dr Annalene Weston discuss why you may have received an audit letter.

Further Resources
https://www.dentalprotection.org/australia/publications-resources/dentolegal-articles/articles/i-have-received-an-audit-letter-from-a-health-fund-or-medicare
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This episode is part of our podcast series, RiskBites, which provides short, bite-sized guidance around some of the key issues impacting the dental profession right now.

Join Dr David Hallett and Dr Annalene Weston in our latest RiskMatters podcast ‘Why are item numbers so important?’. This insightful discussion on dental item numbers will cover the appropriate use of the ADA glossary codes and in contrast their inappropriate use. Listen as we explore key topics such as why dental practitioners are audited by health funds and Medicare, how the process works and what the best possible outcomes are. Also, find out why dental records are important when it comes to verifying the claims you make.

1.25 – Who writes the Glossary?
1.56 – Health Funds and billing in a multi-appointment procedure
4.45 – Medicare regulation and the use of the Glossary codes
5.30 – Why was I selected for a Medicare or Health Fund audit?
11.35 – Upcoding
17.00 – Release of patient records to Health Funds
19.55 – Dental records and their importance in verifying claims
24.10 – Audit outcomes
31.05 – Potential consequences of a negative audit finding on your provider number
37.10 – Splitting treatment codes over Health Fund years
42.23 – Study model or working model?
46.10 – Treating friends and family members

Did you know that CaseMatters titles are genuine quotes from patient complaints that Dental Protection have assisted member with across the globe? 

The title of this CaseMatters podcast is “I thought she knew what she was doing’ which involved the provision of cosmetic veneers.   When a breakdown in communication unexpectedly occurred, the unfortunate result was a complaint to the regulator, a regulatory caution and a legal compensation claim. 

In this episode of RiskBites Senior dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene Weston and Dental Protections inhouse lawyer Helen Harbourne discuss a particular type of allegation being increasingly argued in compensations claims, this being assault battery, and trespass. 

Listen in as Annalene and Helen discuss what these terms mean in the eyes of the law and how you can avoid being subject to such accusations.  

Join Dr Annalene Weston, Senior Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection and Associate Professor Dr Matthew Hopcraft in this personal and informative episode of Risk Matters, titled “The road less travelled”. 

Listen in as Annalene and Matt revisit his early introduction into dentistry, talk through his illustrious career and explore different ways in which we can use our dental degree, based on their own journeys through the profession.

Join Dentolegal consultant Dr Simon Parsons and Senior Dentolegal consultant Dr Annalene Weston at Dental Protection, as they consider that in point in time where a patient moves from being a disgruntled patient to a complainant.

In this episode Simon recalls a case where a dental practitioner placed six veneers and despite feeling like he had done everything right and the case was a success, his patient was unforgiving when unexpected issues arose.