A scoping review of patient safety checklists in dentistry

Not much is known about safety checklists use in dentistry. We aim to examine, assess, and provide a comprehensive understanding of the current knowledge concerning the use of checklists to improve patient safety in dentistry.

We conducted a comprehensive literature search using Medline and Embase for studies that use or describe the development of dental patient safety checklists. All study designs were included for citations published through December 2023.

Following abstract and full-text screening, 27 studies remained for data extraction and analysis. Oral surgery emerged as the main dental specialty where the utilization and evaluation of checklists were primarily concentrated (n = 15). The majority of the included studies described either checklist development, their implementation, or both (n = 18). Only 6 studies assessed the effectiveness of checklists in improving patient safety outcomes. Of the effectiveness studies, five found a decrease in incidents and dental adverse events, along with an improvement in patient care and safety, associated with the use of checklists.

This scoping review highlights the limited current knowledge regarding checklist use and effectiveness in reducing adverse events across dental practices; it demonstrates the need on how to best guide the profession towards implementing this important evidence-based patient safety tool.

Checklists are effective tools to improve patient safety and have become integral to medical practice. Dentistry can also benefit from these tools to improve patient safety.