Abstract

Objective To determine the level of patient and/or parent recall of previous consent to orthodontic treatment.

Design Patients and/or parents of children who had been consented for orthodontic treatment were asked to complete a questionnaire on consent at least six months into their treatment.

Setting Bristol Dental Hospital.

Subjects and methods Forty-one consecutive patients and eight of their parents, with a combined age range of 12-59 years, with 61% being female and 39% male. The patients, and where applicable their parents, were identified as having previously signed a consent form at least six months previously. Each was asked to complete a questionnaire on aspects of the consent process.

Results Patients and parents demonstrated a high level of recall for the consent process concerning appliance type (89.8%), the reasons for treatment (96%), risks (75.5%), length of treatment (83.3%), the opportunity to ask questions (96%), and whether other information was provided (94%). However, further questioning on risks demonstrated poor recall for important factors such as decay (36.8%), root resorption (less than 21%), retention (56.3%) and length of retention (35%).

Conclusions Overall the consent process works well but specific areas of concern centre around the risks of orthodontic treatment.

1. General Dental Practitioner, Clevedon, Somerset, BS21 6EW
2. General Dental Practitioner, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5PQ
3. General Dental Practitioner, Mill Hill, London, NW7 4QE
4. General Dental Practitioner, Penylan, Cardiff, CF23 5AF
5. General Dental Practitioner, New Malden, Surrey, KT3 4HS
6. Professor of Orthodontics, Child Dental Health, Bristol Dental Hospital and School, Lower Maudlin Street, Bristol, BS1 2LY
7. Senior Lecturer/Honorary Consultant in Orthodontics, Child Dental Health, Bristol Dental Hospital and School, Lower Maudlin Street, Bristol, BS1 2LY

Correspondence to: A. J. Ireland⁷ e-mail: tony.ireland@bristol.ac.uk