You’re scheduled to see a new client who reports that they have not had a Dental Hygiene appointment in ten years. The client presents with deep pockets and heavy generalized calculus that can be seen on the radiographs. You believe it will take two appointments to complete the scaling and include this in your treatment plan. What does the client need to know before you begin?

Inform before you perform

Before performing any procedure, RDHs must obtain informed consent from the client. Informed consent is a process of sharing information while addressing the client’s questions and should include the following:

• Rationale for the treatment
• Benefits of the treatment
• Risks associated with the treatment
• Side effects of the treatment
• Any alternative options to treatment 
• Consequences of not having the treatment
• Anticipated time and costs to complete the treatment

Things to consider

When obtaining informed consent, consider the following:

• While a client may receive an estimate of treatment costs, these are estimates only and will not account for the RDH’s clinical findings. Remember to inform the client of your findings before you proceed and how this may impact the estimate. 
• Costs of treatment should be discussed with the client before beginning treatment, regardless of whether the services are being paid in full or in part by a third party.
• If the RDH determines during the treatment that additional scaling appointments are required, inform the client immediately, and not at the end of the appointment, as this will affect cost and time commitments for the client.
• The RDH should never assume that a client will agree to a treatment without knowing the cost simply because the services are being paid for in full or in part by a third party.

Discussing costs of treatment contributes to providing a collaborative and transparent therapeutic relationship with your clients. If you have questions about consent, please get in touch with us at advice@cdho.org or by calling 1-800-268-2346 (press 2).