Are Dental Practitioners Aware About The Medicolegal Issues ?

Abstract

Background: In this 21^st century, there has been a tremendous change in the relationship of a doctor and patient, insisting the doctors to be more aware about the medicolegal issues. Aim and Objectives: To assess the knowledge and awareness about the medico-legal issues among the private practicing dentists in Ahmedabad city, Gujarat. Materials and methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 140 private practicing dentists. The Data was collected and analysed on the basis 20 question questionnaire surveys to assess their knowledge on the situation faced during a medico-legal issue. Results: Out of 140 private dental practitioners, 97.1% maintain dental records and 75.7% believes in taking consent for all the treatments. However, 83.6% do not know how to tackle a medical-legal issue neither aware about COPRA and thus 97% feels that medioclegal knowledge should be added in a curriculum at a graduation level Conclusion: The study mainly reflects the urgent need to spread knowledge and awareness regarding how to tackle a medicolegal issues under COPRA to be on a legally safer side , either through seminars, conferences, programs, newspaper and other sources [Patel D Natl J Integr Res Med, 2019; 10(3):29-33]