Dr Raj Rattan, Dental Director at Dental Protection

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Raj Rattan

Earlier this year Dental Protection published the results of a survey which revealed that over half of dental professionals (57%) have experienced or witnessed verbal or physical abuse from patients or their relatives in the past 12 months. The majority (64%) said the incidents stemmed from frustration over long waiting times for appointments and 59% said it related to the treatment they received.

Patients who are seeking either routine care or treatment for dental emergencies are becoming increasingly frustrated. The environment is challenging and of course there is a limit to how many patients can be accommodated given available capacity.

Anger and frustration from patients strain professional relationships. The fall-out is felt by the whole dental team, and sadly dental nurses are not immune.

In our survey, nearly three in five dental nurses (59%) told us they had either experienced or witnessed abuse from patients or their relatives in the past year, with 44% stating it affected their mental health.

Some of the anonymous comments from the dental professionals who took part in the survey are disturbing and highlight the daily challenges faced by some teams. One member explained how the team were 'physically threatened because a patient could not access care anywhere due to closed lists'. The police were called and the patient received a caution.

The effects of abuse can have a lasting and profound impact on mental health. This is damaging for the individual and also impacts patient care. It can also result in dental professionals needing to take time off work, and even quitting dentistry altogether. Indeed, in our survey nearly a third of the dental nurses (32%) said increasing abuse or intimidation from patients has made them reconsider their career in dentistry.

We simply cannot afford to lose skilled and committed dental nurses. At Dental Protection we are calling on Police and Crime Commissioners, and police forces across the UK, to be aware of this threat and consider what can be done to support local dental practices by offering practical advice such as recognising early warning signs or implementing de-escalation techniques.

The UK has a zero-tolerance policy in place with regard to abuse, aggression and violence. It is vital that this policy is rigorously enforced so the whole team feel their safety is the first priority. The policy must be visible to patients and should emphasise the importance of mutual respect between staff and patients. We also encourage practices to provide a forum where those who witness or experience any kind of abuse from patients can talk openly about it and seek appropriate support, rather than bottle things up or accept it as 'part of the job'. The whole team needs to be aware of what support is available and how to access it.

Every possible step to tackle abuse must be taken and at Dental Protection, we will continue to raise this issue on behalf of dental nurses. I would also encourage members experiencing work-related stress to make use of our 24/7 counselling service, provided through a third-party partner and completely confidential: https://www.dentalprotection.org/uk/dentolegal-advice/counselling-service.