Informed consent, dementia and oral health care provision

Managing patients with dementia requires a practitioner to exercise diverse skills. Communicating with the patient (as their dementia allows), relatives, caregivers and medical personnel are essential elements in the care process. Diagnosis of oral health problems may not be straightforward, clinical examination and treatment planning may be hampered by poor cooperation from the person with dementia. Practitioners must view any treatment from the patient's perspective and balance this with the requirements for sound clinical care. The consent process must be approached in a manner that fulfils the ethical responsibilities that acknowledge patient rights. This can be difficult when managing a patient with dementia. This paper will explore issues surrounding the consent process and the provision of oral health care to people suffering from dementia. It is hoped that readers will be stimulated to review their practice; especially related to informed consent, whether they routinely manage patients with dementia or not. Such practice evaluation should consider the wants and needs of patients and families on a broader than clinical basis and thus enhance the care that is brought to this group of interesting and often challenging patients.