In today’s legal environment, a owner of a dental practice may be vicariously liable for the errors and omissions of staff members. As a general rule, the risks are clinical in nature, however, a substantial amount of errors or omissions occur as a result of miscommunication. In matters of alleged patient miscommunication, a patient alleges that they were told the wrong clinical information, or were never told the correct clinical information at all.
Although, claims arising from a dentist’s vicarious liability for the clinical error or omission of a staff member may not be very common, dental malpractice claims arise from a patient’s dissatisfaction with staff member interaction. A dental practice owner can manage the risks of staff members by hiring qualified individuals, who can project the desired image of the practice, are well trained, and communicate in a clear manner.
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