Sir, wrong side surgery is a rare occurrence but can have serious implications. In oral surgery taking a tooth out constitutes 83% of serious untoward incidents (Beware of wrong tooth extraction; Medical Defence Union, 8 December 2004).

The WHO surgical safety checklist is used in all theatres in hospitals across the country prior to every surgical procedure. In Whipps Cross University Hospital a Surgical Safety Checklist was instituted for all minor oral surgical procedures carried out under local anaesthetic as a measure to improve the standards of patient care. We are delighted to say that we have not had any wrong side surgery since then and audits being carried out every six months have shown 100% compliance.

To the best of my knowledge we are the first maxillofacial unit to implement the use of such a checklist and Barts and the London NHS Trust has recently followed our example. I strongly feel that this is a milestone in ensuring patient safety and should be instituted by all maxillofacial units and even dental surgeries to improve quality of care.