Radiographs. Patients love to hate them, and we love to use them to make our care comprehensive. But what do you do when patients absolutely refuse to have their x-rays taken? Do you budge and give in to their demands? After all, they do have their autonomy. But what about the liability we carry by not taking radiographs when we aren’t able to thoroughly diagnose? Is it then called “supervised neglect” even if patients sign a waiver?
They want us to care for them, but they aren’t allowing us to do our job if they refuse x-rays. This isn't the first rodeo I've ridden in in this arena. You can read another article I wrote on this topic at this link.
If this patient had just been willing to have a discussion about radiographs in a pragmatic manner, then the entire situation could have come to a better ending. However, she wasn’t, and I refused to compromise my job by not doing it to the best of my ability. So, I drew the line here.
Would you have done something differently? What have you done in the past in cases like this? We all have these discussions with our patients, so perhaps we can share some good advice with one another.
Listen to more in this video from Dr. Stacey Gividen at this link.
Editor’s note: This video first appeared in Through the Loupes newsletter, a publication of the Endeavor Business Media Dental Group. Read more articles at this link and subscribe here.
Stacey L. Gividen, DDS, a graduate of Marquette University School of Dentistry, is in private practice in Hamilton, Montana. She is a guest lecturer at the University of Montana in the Anatomy and Physiology Department. Dr. Gividen is the editorial codirector of Through the Loupes and a contributing author for DentistryIQ, Perio-Implant Advisory, and Dental Economics. She serves on the Dental Economics editorial advisory board. You may contact her at [email protected].
