Dentists are humans too - education in human factors within dental care

The role of human factors in healthcare has become increasingly well recognised, particularly following the Francis inquiry into the failings in care at the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and Berwick Reports. The recognition of human factors in dentistry, particularly in primary care, is less well developed. This paper aims to explore the relevance of human factors in dentistry and highlight the importance of considering their role in any adverse patient outcomes and, importantly for the future, the continued recognition and integration of teaching about human factors in healthcare in both undergraduate and postgraduate education.