The Law of Agreement to Medical Treatment (WGBO) in the dental practice: a survey]

On the basis of some pilot studies and several decisions on cases in the Dutch dental disciplinary jurisdiction issues are discussed about the introduction of new legislation in the field of patients rights in dental practice. The following matters are discussed: complaints of patients about the information they got from dentists; opinions of dentists about issues in the field of informed consent: the obligations of a good dentist; issues concerning the answering of difficult patient questions and problems concerning files of dental patients. It is concluded that there might be a discrepancy between the basic assumptions of the new legislation and the practice of dentistry.