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    • Content Dam Diq Online Articles 2017 03 17mar2bcednote Thumb
    1. Dentistry

    'I want to sue you because I neglected my teeth'

    March 1, 2017
    What is your protocol for patient progress notes, and would it stand up by itself if your actions were called into question? Dr. Stacey Simmons believes our justification for clinical care needs checks and balances just like everything else we do as health-care providers.
    Stacey L. Simmons, DDS, Editorial Director of DE's Breakthrough Clinical e-newsletter

    What is your protocol for patient progress notes, and would it stand up by itself if your actions were called into question? Dr. Stacey Simmons believes our justification for clinical care needs checks and balances just like everything else we do as health-care providers.

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    This article first appeared in the newsletter, DE's Breakthrough Clinical with Stacey Simmons, DDS. Subscribe here.

    True story—a conversation with one of my patients ended up pretty much like this not more than one month ago: “I want to sue you because I neglected my teeth.” Really? OK. Where did I go wrong on that one? What did I do? I went back and checked the chart notes to make sure I was complete, thorough, and could prove that I was not the erroneous one.

    So, am I worried? Nope, not a bit. Would you be able to say the same thing in the event something like this happens to you? What is your protocol for patient progress notes, and would it stand up by itself if your care or actions were called into question? I think we all should ruminate over this from time to time. Our justification for clinical care needs checks and balances just like everything else we do as health-care providers and business owners.

    Lights, camera, action! Ever wonder how to get that single-front-tooth shade to match its adjacent counterparts on the first try? Well, you’re in luck, because photography guru Dr. Mike Meek has written a fantastic article on how to do just that. It’s actually simpler than you may think. Want to give it a go? Read up; you won’t be disappointed.

    Seeing something on the screen and then being able to hold it in your hand is pretty cool. It could easily be said that the new kid on the technology block in dentistry is 3-D printing. New author Dr. Murtaza Paghdiwala gives a brief 101 on 3-D printing with a case study on how it is especially beneficial when treatment planning difficult implant cases.

    Guess who’s back this month? Oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Kevin Connor presents a fascinating pathology case that is completely different from anything we’ve seen thus far—and oh, boy, is it a good one!

    We’ll have more for you next month. In the meantime, keep reading, keep doing what you do best, and don’t forget to contact me if you would like to write an article for Breakthrough Clinical or submit a pathology case. I’m just a few clicks away.

    Cheers!

    Staceysimmonsdds Small Signature

    Stacey L. Simmons, DDS
    Editorial Director, DE’s Breakthrough Clinical with Stacey Simmons, DDS

    LAST MONTH ...What do you do when you suddenly can’t do what you went to school for?

    This article first appeared in the newsletter, DE's Breakthrough Clinical with Stacey Simmons, DDS. Subscribe here.

    For more articles about clinical dentistry, click here.

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    Stacey L. Simmons, DDS, is in private practice in Hamilton, Montana. She is a graduate of Marquette University School of Dentistry. Dr. Simmons is a guest lecturer at the University of Montana in the Anatomy and Physiology Department. She is the editorial director of PennWell’s clinical dental specialties newsletter, DE’s Breakthrough Clinical with Stacey Simmons, DDS, and a contributing author for DentistryIQ, Perio-Implant Advisory, and Dental Economics. Dr. Simmons can be reached at [email protected].

    For the most current dental headlines, click here.

    About the Author

    Stacey L. Simmons, DDS | Editorial Director of DE's Breakthrough Clinical e-newsletter

    Dr. Stacey Simmons grew up in Hamilton, Montana. She did part of her undergraduate work at Purdue University and then received her bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology from the University of Utah. After applying to both medical and dental school, she decided that dentistry was her career of choice. She received her DDS degree from Marquette University School of Dentistry in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 2004. In private practice, she focuses her care on prosthodontics and cosmetic dentistry. She is a guest lecturer in the Anatomy and Physiology Department at the University of Montana. Outside the office, she trains for triathlons and spends time with her family. You may contact Dr. Simmons by email at [email protected].

    In 2015, Dr. Simmons became the editorial director of DE's Breakthrough Clinical with Stacey Simmons, DDS, an e-newsletter focused on breaking through plateaus in clinical practice. Subscription information may be found here.

    Updated May 4, 2016