The words to use
- Material risk
- Under Montgomery, a risk a reasonable person in the patient's position would be likely to care about, or that you know this patient would. No percentage threshold applies.
- Reasonable alternatives
- Other options a responsible body of dentists would consider reasonable for this patient (McCulloch, 2023). Discuss them, and what happens with no treatment (GDC 3.1.3).
- Therapeutic exception
- The narrow exception in Montgomery allowing a clinician to withhold a risk if disclosure would seriously harm the patient's health. It is not a licence to steer their decision.
- Mixed practice
- A practice offering both NHS and private treatment. The GDC requires it to make clear which is which and forbids pressuring patients into private care that the NHS provides.
