Recognition and Prevention of Medical Errors in the Dental Setting

Course overview

Overview: To err is human, to learn from our mistakes and prevent them from occurring in the future is our duty as healthcare providers. In the complicated world of today's healthcare, recognizing and preventing medical errors is an essential skill to ensure positive patient outcomes and minimize the cost of healthcare delivery. This course will provide the participant with the tools to help prevent medical errors in the dental office by becoming aware of common medical errors and their root causes, recognizing susceptible populations and establishing a root cause analysis mentality. Learning Objectives: Participants in this course will be introduced to information essential to understanding and identifying the root issues that lead to many common medical mistakes in dentistry including: 1. Defining various types of medical errors, 2. Recognizing factors which increase medical errors, 3. Recognizing populations particularly vulnerable to medical errors, 4. Being able to implement a root cause analysis, 5. Recognizing various common medical errors seen in dentistry, 6. Discussing strategies to reduce medical errors