Why Dental Consent Forms are Important

Think you’ve already mastered all there is to know about the importance of dental consent forms? They serve multiple purposes, some of which you may have not already known, which we’ll discuss in this blog.

What is Dental Consent?

Getting a patient’s permission prior to a dental procedure is critical for ensuring that both your patients’ rights, and your dental practice are protected. 

Regardless of whether the treatment is simple or complicated, a patient’s consent is required. Dental consent forms are used to establish a common understanding about the recommended treatment.

A dental consent form gives the patient insight on:

• What the treatment involves
• Expectations
• If alternatives are available
• Any risks that may ensue

With sound knowledge about the treatment, the patient (or guardian for minors) will be better able to make an informed decision. A patient’s signature on the dental consent indicates the provider may go ahead with the treatment as discussed.

Why is Dental Consent Important?

Acquiring documented dental consent is an ethical and regulated practice. Through it, better trust and transparency is created between patients and providers. Patients will feel more at ease being able to get their questions about the treatment answered, and knowing how it will proceed.

Once consent is obtained, you’re better covered from lawsuits related to the treatment. With the average dentist seeing anywhere from 10 to 20 patients in a day, having that safeguard for each patient becomes extremely critical.

How to Simplify the Process of Obtaining Consent

Traditional offices using paper consent forms experience drawbacks, like extra time-consumption, excessive money spent on paper supplies, printer jams, missing signatures, etc. Digital dental consent forms have made a huge impact on thousands of dental practices by obtaining patients’ consent in less time, and hassle-free.

Benefits of digital consent forms include:

• Time and cost-saver
• Sent to patients via text/email
• E-signature on all consents, and easy for patients to submit
• Integrates with Open Dental, Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Dolphin
• Gives front office staff more time for patient care instead of document management
• Eliminates the need for scanning or manual data entry

Conclusion

Dental consent forms serve as a documented agreement between patients and providers. Consent forms are used to clarify for patients what the treatment entails, and safeguards the provider from potential lawsuits related to the treatment.

By signing the consent form, patients (or their legal guardian) give permission for proceeding with the specified treatment. mConsent speeds up the process of getting consent and makes it more convenient for patients via digital dental consent forms they can complete and sign remotely.

Learn how mConsent can streamline your document management system.