The following is an excerpt from the American Dental Association’s (ADA) Dental Patient Rights and Responsibilities Statement:
Your dentist is the best source of information about your dental health and wants you to feel comfortable about your dental care. Maintaining healthy teeth and gums means more than just brushing and flossing every day and visiting your dentist regularly. As an informed dental patient, it also means knowing what you can expect from your dentist and dental care team and understanding your responsibilities in support of their efforts to provide you with quality oral health care.
The abbreviated rights and responsibilities provided by the ADA and listed below do not establish legal entitlements or new standards of care, but are simply intended to guide you through the development of a successful and collaborative dentist-patient relationship.
Patient Rights – You have a right to:
- choose your own dentist.
- know the education and training of your dentist and the dental care team.
- know what the dental team feels is the optimal treatment as well as the right to ask for alternative treatment options.
- an explanation of the purpose, probable (short and long term) results, alternatives and risks involved before consenting to a proposed treatment plan.
- know in advance the expected cost of treatment.
- accept, defer or decline any part of your treatment recommendations.
- receive considerate, respectful and confidential treatment by your dentist and dental team.
Patient Responsibilities – You have the responsibility to:
- to provide, to the best of your ability, accurate, honest and complete information about your medical history and current health status.
- to report changes in your medical status and provide feedback about your needs and expectations.
- to participate in your health care decisions adn ask questions if you are uncertain about your dental treatment or plan.
- for consequences resulting from declining or refusing treatment or from not following the agreed upon treatment plan.
- to keep your scheduled appointments.
- to adhere to regular home oral health care recommendations.