Informed Consent Form For Dental Treatment – Everyone should have the ability to make educated decisions about their health. The medical procedures can be invasive, so patients should be able, in the end, to decide, based on known risks that their bodies should be treated. Thus, before medical professionals can administer treatments to patients, they must obtain what is known as informed consent.
A patient’s informed consent can be a legally binding condition under which a patient is provided with detailed information about his or her physical state and the treatment recommended by the physician in charge. Once this information is received the patient is required to provide the physician with consent to treat before any form of care can be delivered. Without informed consent from the patient an health care professional cannot provide treatment.
Decision Making Capacity
In some cases, patients do not possess the ability to comprehend their treatment options and the risks/benefits of each. In other situations patients might not be able explain their decisions to health workers. Under these circumstances patients are said to not possess adequate capacity to make decisions. The family member, or court-appointed representative can perform informed consent instead.
Patients who are heavily influenced by their emotions, such as anxiety or fear for instance can be deemed to not having the capacity for decision-making. The patients who are unconscious cannot take decisions on their alone, and external parties are required to obtain consent instead.
Items in an Informed Consent Form For Dental Treatment
Certain elements are common to all consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The treatment recommended by the physician in charge
The risks and benefits that come with this procedure
Alternative treatments that are available, along with their risks and benefits
The benefits and risks associated with refusing treatment at all
Not only must these items be recorded in the patient’s medical records However, they should also have a discussion with the patient. This way, he or can be fully aware of the particulars of the case and get straight answers to any questions that may have arisen.