The development and implementation of a biopsy safety strategy for oral medicine.

The development and implementation of a biopsy safety strategy is described in this article. Analysis of previous adverse incidents relating to biopsies acted as a catalyst to review our biopsy pathway at Liverpool University Dental Hospital. Input from all staff involved enabled us to develop a biopsy safety strategy which was divided into five stages: preoperative assessment of patient and procedure, team briefings, biopsy surgical safety checklist, surgical removal and handling of biopsy specimens, and post-biopsy follow-up. It is hoped that other clinical teams will take the opportunity to review their own biopsy processes, in the light of our experience.

The changing face of informed consent.

All healthcare professionals are required to gain a patient's consent before proceeding with examination, investigation or treatment. Gone are the days when consent was about protecting the professional. Following a recent landmark Supreme Court case, 'informed' consent is now embedded in UK law. Patients have the right to high-quality information that allows them to be involved in making decisions about their care. Dentists have a duty of care to provide this information and guide their patients through the process. This paper reviews key ethical, legal, and professional guidance available to dentists about informed consent and concludes by discussing how shared decision-making is a model of healthcare delivery with much to offer dentist and patient alike.