Dental Malpractice:
Learning the Rules of the
Road
I. WELCOME
TO THE WORLD OF LITIGATION
A. Why This Topic Should Concern You
B. Number
of Dental Malpractice Cases Growing
C. Common
Dental Issues Arising in Litigation
D. Dental
Damages on the Rise
E. Frequency
of Claims by Specialty
F. Interesting
and Unusual Verdicts and Settlements in Dental Context
G. Risk
Management Considerations
II. PURPOSES OF DOCUMENTATION
A. Communication
B. Reimbursement
C. Legal
Record
D. Red
Flags for the Plaintiffs attorney
E. Ways
Plaintiffs Experts use Lack of Documentation Against You
III. ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE DOCUMENTATION
A. Factual
Information
B. Timeliness
C. Legibility
D. Abbreviations
and Standardized Charting
E. Completeness
of Chart
F. Billing
Practices
G. Making
Corrections
IV. SPECIAL ISSUES IN PATIENT CARE
A. Consultations
B. Discharge
C. Referral
D. Problem
Patients
E. Multiple
Treaters or Problem Treaters Before or After Your Care
V. PEER REVIEW
VI. WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE INVOLVED IN
LITIGATION
A. Overview
of the Process
B. How
you May be Involved
C. Depositions
and Trial
D. National
Practitioners Data Bank
E. Petrillo
VII. CONCLUSION AND PRACTICAL
CONSIDERATIONS
A. Preventing
Lawsuits: Follow good practice patterns
B. Depositions
as a treater
C. What
to do if you get sued
D. General
Rule of Documentation: MORE IS BETTER!