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Ethical Scenario 29


​Your colleague is off sick and you see a patient of theirs. You notice that multiple teeth have been crowned by your colleague every 2-3 months. You look through his clinical records and radiographs and find that many crowns don't seem to be indicated. How would you manage this case?


​Excellent Candidate response
  • Firstly, it is essential that clinicians do not 'over treat' patients, especially to gain UDA's under the NHS.
  • In this case, it seems as though crowns may have been put on (perhaps unnecessarily) in order to claim a band 3 during every new treatment plan (hence every 2-3 months)
  • You should first speak to your colleague and find out their clinical reasoning behind placing the crowns.
  • If you feel some were not clinically indicated, discuss your findings with your colleague and explain the justifications behind it. 
  • If you feel that your colleague is ignoring these points and is continuously 'over treating' patients, take this to the practice manager or a senior colleague and hold a meeting if necessary to ensure this does not continue for the best interest of patients.