Malpractice--the dentist's perspective

A lawyer with more than twenty years of experience defending dentists in malpractice situations reflects on the attitudes he typically sees in dentist defendants. The "professional" orientation that patients should expect nothing more than that the dentist does his or her best, is often at odds with the patient plaintiff view that they will have their feelings recognized at almost any price. The lawyer's role is often one of education. As the facts and perspectives involved are revealed through disclosure, resolutions begin to emerge. The best approach is for dentists to learn to communicate with patients--from their perspectives.