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Practice More Safely // Risk Tips // Social Media in Healthcare: A Slippery Slope

Social Media in Healthcare: A Slippery Slope

August 2026

Reading time: 10 minutes

Dentist recording video for social media.

Background Facts

In the past two decades, social media has become ubiquitous in the United States and abroad. The widespread proliferation of electronic messaging, social networking, media sharing, discussion forums, blogging, and more has connected people in new and engaging ways that traditional forms of communication have not. The ability to quickly communicate and share information has shaped how people interact as well as their expectations related to those interactions.

Research shows that nearly 72 percent of U.S. adults use social media sites — such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn, and Pinterest — and the average person accesses seven different social media platforms per month.1 Because social media use is more prevalent with younger age groups, it is realistic to assume that its popularity and role in many types of communication will continue to grow.

In the past, healthcare was relatively slow to implement social media as marketing and communication tools, primarily because of concerns about violating patient privacy. However, as consumer demand has risen, and organizations attempt to find new ways to connect with patients, social media has become more of a mainstay for healthcare organizations of all types and sizes. Yet, with social media benefits come risks; leveraging social media for professional purposes can be a slippery slope, and its use in healthcare presents various challenges.

This article discusses opportunities and common risks associated with using social media for healthcare communication and delivery, and it also offers strategies that healthcare providers and their staff members can implement to reduce risks.

What Are the Potential Benefits of Social Media?

The use of social media can bring significant communication and educational benefits to both healthcare providers and consumers. Many healthcare providers use social media to connect with professional groups and peers, research medical information, and stay up to date with new information and research that might affect patient care and daily practice. Further, providers use social media to post educational content and other information for patients, to market and advertise services, and to enhance visibility and reputation.

For consumers, social media can assist with searching for new healthcare providers, keeping up with healthcare issues and concerns, finding support groups, researching alternative medications and side effects, tracking information from health apps, and more. Data from the Pew Research Center show that more than one-third of U.S. adults have used the internet to try to figure out a medical issue, and other research shows that social media tools influence the choice of a specific hospital, medical facility, or doctor for 4 in 10 people.2

What Are the Risks of, and Strategies for, Using Social Media?

Undoubtedly, social media offers various functions that may potentially enhance the dissemination of healthcare information and communication among healthcare providers and between providers and patients. But what about the risks? Like any type of technology, social media can create safety and liability issues if it is not used responsibly. Additionally, because social media changes rapidly, standards and best practices are not always well-defined.

To address these challenges, healthcare leaders, providers, and staff members should be aware of the potential risks associated with digital interactions, develop detailed social media policies, and implement risk strategies to safeguard their patients and practices.

Maintain Privacy and Security

In healthcare, one of the most significant concerns related to social media is the need to maintain strict confidentiality and safeguard patients’ protected health information (PHI). This obligation is addressed in federal law and governed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Many states also have laws related to privacy and security of patients’ PHI — and these laws might be more stringent than federal laws.

Because the boundaries between appropriate versus inappropriate and personal versus professional use of social media can easily blur, managing privacy risks can be challenging. For example, numerous instances have occurred in which healthcare workers have posted pictures of, or details about, their patients on their professional or personal social media pages without patients’ consent. Regardless of whether these actions were intentional or inadvertent, they violated confidentiality and the patients’ privacy rights.3 ECRI explains that social media can elevate privacy concerns because it “distributes information instantaneously to a wide audience; also, unlike in-person conversations, use of social media creates a permanent electronic record that is likely discoverable in litigation.”4

Various risk management strategies can help healthcare practices address privacy concerns related to social media. For example:

  • Ensure providers and staff members are aware of what types of information and personal identifiers are considered PHI under HIPAA.
  • Do no post or publish any content on social media sites that contains identifying information (including photographs and testimonials) without the patient’s permission and written consent. The consent should explicitly state how the information will be used.
  • Consider prohibiting the photographic use of cellphones and other portable electronic devices (PEDs) as part of organizational policy.
  • Have someone who is familiar with HIPAA and state privacy regulations review social media content to ensure information does not violate patient confidentiality.
  • Train providers and staff members on HIPAA and state privacy laws, and educate them about the consequences of violating these regulations.
  • Ask providers and staff members to sign confidentiality agreements, and maintain a signed copy of the agreement in each employee’s personnel file.
  • Be aware that responding to a patient post or review on a social media site might violate privacy laws.
  • Understand the technical limitations and terms and conditions of any social media sites that you plan to use. For example, information sent via messaging functions is likely not encrypted, and the site might maintain the right to access any personal information.

Taking steps to address privacy concerns by developing social media policies and implementing strategic safeguards can help protect patients and reduce liability exposure.

Establish Appropriate Boundaries

Social media can create a new dynamic in provider–patient relationships, and it also can generate ethical and legal challenges. Dr. Humayun Chaudhry, the Federation of State Medical Boards’ President and CEO, has warned that “Anything physicians post on sites can be forwarded, taken out of context, and accessed and retrieved in perpetuity. That’s a fact that many physicians don’t always think about when they engage in social media.”5

Because social media is used for both personal and professional purposes, the boundaries between the two can sometimes become difficult to distinguish. However, healthcare providers generally should assume that their staff members and patients are likely using some form of social media, and anyone could potentially see social media posts that the provider or a staff member creates as well as what anyone else writes about the healthcare practice on social media sites.

Because of these concerns about personal and professional boundaries, healthcare professionals are advised to keep their personal and professional social media activities separate and to “comport themselves professionally in both.”6 For example, healthcare providers should not “friend” patients on Facebook or mix social relationships with their professional relationships. Instead, they should apply the same ethical principles that govern their traditional patient encounters to their online interactions with patients, including privacy and confidentiality standards.

Further, providers should be aware of the implications of offering online information that might be construed as personal healthcare advice. Doing so could inadvertently trigger a duty to care, and it also may pose patient safety concerns. Because of this, electronic media should include standard disclaimers and disclosure language that explain the nature of the communication (e.g., for informational purposes only) and caution users against interpreting the content as healthcare advice.

Develop Social Media Policies

Developing and implementing social media policies and guidelines are essential steps for managing risks associated with social technology. Include staff members in the initial planning and drafting of policies, and ask them to help identify and assess potential issues.

Key areas to consider when developing organizational social media policies include:

  • The practice’s goals and target audience for social media communication
  • Acceptable and unacceptable use of social media, with explicit examples
  • Who is authorized to develop and post social media content on behalf of the practice
  • The review and approval process for social media content
  • Standard disclaimer and disclosure language
  • The patient consent process for using their words, images, stories, etc., on social media
  • Terms of use for visitors on the practice’s social sites
  • The process for reporting inappropriate use of social media

When developing these policies, keep in mind that social media is dynamic and constantly changing. To address this, create policies that are flexible and adaptable to new or changing social media technologies. Doing so will help avoid the need for constant updating.7

In addition to having policies for social networking websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), healthcare practices also should have written guidelines for the use of email and other types of electronic messaging, such as texting and portal communications.

The American Medical Association’s (AMA’s) Code of Medical Ethics outlines key strategies for managing electronic communication risks, which include:

  • Upholding professional standards of confidentiality
  • Maintaining privacy, security, and integrity of patient information
  • Notifying patients about the limits of electronic communication
  • Obtaining patients’ consent for using electronic communication prior to sending privileged information
  • Presenting medical information in a manner that meets professional standards
  • Being aware of laws that determine when a physician–patient relationship has been established

For more detailed information, see AMA’s Code of Medical Ethics Opinion 2.3.1 — Electronic Communication With Patients.8 Similar to the AMA, dental guidance also recommends that patients should be notified about, and accept the risks of, communicating electronically before such communication is used.9

When developing an electronic communication consent form, consider including the following information:

  • Types of services and information that are suitable for electronic interactions (e.g., nonemergent questions/concerns, prescription refills, appointment requests, etc.)
  • Criteria for establishing a provider–patient relationship
  • Notice of whether the electronic communications originating from the practice are encrypted
  • A statement notifying patients to contact emergency medical services if they are experiencing an urgent problem
  • The general turnaround time for responding to electronic communications
  • The right of the healthcare provider to refuse to make conclusions or decisions regarding treatment based on information obtained electronically

The electronic communication consent form should also include (a) a statement that the patient has read and accepted the policy, and (b) a place for the patient’s signature. The healthcare practice should maintain the signed release in the patient’s record.

Control Quality and Monitor Your Online Presence

Part of maintaining a professional presence online is monitoring the quality of information posted or sent on behalf of your practice. Information should be accurate, current, objective, and nonambiguous. Policies that establish who is responsible for developing content and how content is reviewed and approved will assist with quality control efforts.

Depending on the type of social media being used and/or the control settings, site users might be able to post content or comments to the practice’s social media pages. Understanding the types of media the practice is using and how users can potentially interface with it are important aspects of quality control.

Organizational social media policies should include a mechanism for monitoring online presence and managing negative, offensive, or inaccurate information. To ensure consistency with organizational policy, healthcare leaders or administrators might want to consider assigning one person to review external comments, posts, and responses and handle them accordingly. Keep in mind that comments and responses from staff members must comply with privacy standards.

Educate Healthcare Providers and Staff Members

Educating providers and staff members about how much and what types of personal and professional social media usage and tools are acceptable in the workplace is an essential risk management strategy.

A report from the Pew Research Center showed that the majority of workers use the internet and social media on the job for various personal and work-related activities.10 In healthcare settings, a significant challenge is instilling common sense and discretion regarding personal and professional use of these technologies. Organizational policy should define appropriate use of the internet and PEDs (such as cellphones and tablets). For example, the policy might require that employees turn off their personal phones during office hours and retrieve and respond to their messages during breaks.

Education about the practice’s social media policies as well as discussions about the potential risks and liability issues associated with social media, should be included as part of orientation training and ongoing staff education. Providers and staff members also should be aware of the disciplinary actions for violating the practice’s social media policy.

In Summary

Social media can serve many useful purposes in healthcare by facilitating communication, enhancing information sharing, and promoting services. However, with these opportunities come challenges. Maintaining privacy and confidentiality, establishing appropriate boundaries, developing written policies, monitoring online activities, and educating providers and staff members should remain in the forefront of healthcare practices’ risk management strategies for social media. Further, as these technologies continue to evolve, healthcare practices will need to adapt to ensure a safe and respectful environment for patients, staff, and providers.

Endnotes

  1. Pew Research Center. (2021, April 7). Social media fact sheet. Retrieved from www.pewinternet.org/factsheet/social-media/; Barnhart, B. (2022, March 22). 41 of the most important social media marketing statistics for 2022. Sprout Social. Retrieved from https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-statistics/
  2. Fox, S., & Duggan, M. (2013, January 15). Health online 2013. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from www.pewinternet.org/2013/01/15/health-online-2013/; Brimmer, K. (2012, June 13). PwC report shows importance of social media to healthcare. Healthcare Finance. Retrieved from www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/pwcreport-shows-importance-social-media-healthcare
  3. ECRI. (2021, January 12). Social media: Organizational risks. Health System Risk Management. Retrieved from www.ecri.org; Parsi, K., & Elster, N. (2015, November). Why can’t we be friends? A case-based analysis of ethical issues with social media in health care. AMA Journal of Ethics, 17(11), 1009-1018. doi:10.1001/journalofethics.2015.17.11.peer1-1511
  4. ECRI. (2021, January 12). Social media: Staff-related risks. Health System Risk Management. Retrieved from www.ecri.org
  5. Clark, C. (2013, April 12). ACP, FSMB issue stern guidance on social media. Retrieved from www.healthleadersmedia.com/strategy/acp-fsmb-issue-stern-guidance-social-media
  6. Farnan, J. M., Sulmasy, L. S., Worster, B. K., Chaudhry, H. J., Rhyne, J. A., & Arora, V. M. (2013). Online medical professionalism: Patient and public relationships: Policy statement from the American College of Physicians and the Federation of State Medical Boards. Annals of Internal Medicine, 158(8), 620–627.
  7. ECRI, Social media: Organizational risks.
  8. American Medical Association. Code of medical ethics opinion 2.3.1: Electronic communication with patients. Retrieved from www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/ethics/electronic-communication-patients
  9. Kouzoukian, J. G., & Anvar, B. (2019). Protecting electronic communications: Don’t let convenience trump compliance in your interactions with patients. Inside Dentistry, 12(15). Retrieved from www.aegisdentalnetwork.com/id/2019/12/protecting-electronic-communications; New Jersey Dental Association. (2014). Emailing patient information: A resource for dental practices. Retrieved from www.njda.org/docs/librariesprovider35/default-document-library/emailing-patient-records.pdf
  10. Lampe, C., & Ellison, N. B. (2016, June 22). Social media and the workplace. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from www.pewinternet.org/2016/06/22/social-media-and-the-workplace
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Dentists will learn how sedation missteps can lead to a malpractice claim and Dental Board action. This case highlights why understanding state sedation requirements, assessing patient risk, and preparing for emergencies are essential to managing malpractice risk.









Key concepts





    

  • Dentist sued after unpermitted sedation led to a medical emergency
    • 




  • Dental Board action tied to state sedation permit requirements
    • 




  • Why patient risk factors matter before providing sedation
    • 










Underlying facts





K was a 47-year-old man, who has been an asthmatic for all of his life. His medication regimen has changed over the years — to include, at times, corticosteroids, biologics, and rescue inhalers. At the time of his subject series of visits with Dr. F, K's long-time general dentist, he reported taking daily steroids and an occasional need for the inhaler, with asthmatic flare-ups not uncommon. K had skipped seeing any dentist for some time, so Dr. F found 3 carious lesions in the left posterior for which endodontic care was indicated, and he advised his patient of exactly that.





For some reason, K explained, he had developed a fear of dentistry, the reason he had stayed away, and the prospect of root canal therapy, in 3 teeth, was daunting. Dr. F told his patient that, while he does not often do so, he would prescribe an oral sedative to be taken shortly before each of the 3 procedures, as an adjunct to nitrous oxide/oxygen ("laughing gas") given through a nasal hood. K agreed to try that approach, and filled the prescription given to him.





Just before being driven to the dental office on a relatively humid day by his young adult daughter, K took 2 of the tablets — rather than one, as prescribed — and arrived in a surprisingly relaxed state. When Dr. F peeked into the waiting room, he asked "did you take the medication?" "Yes I did." K was soon seated by Dr. F's assistant, who placed the hood and dialed in N2O/O2 at 5 liters per minute and a 70%/30% ratio, all of which was Dr. F's custom.





When Dr. F entered the treatment room, he briefly made small talk with K before delivering a mandibular block and infiltration. K winced and became visibly upset, which led to his beginning to show difficulty in air exchange. Dr. F asked the assistant for a pulse oximeter, but it could not be located. Dr. F switched the gas flow to 100% oxygen, but he had no means of delivering it with positive pressure. K deteriorated, with his lips becoming bluish, and his respiratory efforts becoming more and more futile. The receptionist heard the commotion, came to see what was happening, and called 911; EMS came 17 minutes later, by which time K was breathing poorly and minimally conscious. With telephone instructions from an emergency department physician, a paramedic started an IV line and injected a muscle relaxant while an EMT squeezed oxygen through an Ambu bag, slowly raising the O2 saturation from 73% to 92%. 





K was transported to the hospital, where he was admitted for 4 days, undergoing a complete pulmonology work-up and medication regimen modification. K was left with large ambulance and hospital bills, for which no health insurance was in place, owing to his being new to his current job, which he could not attend for another 2 weeks, unpaid.





Legal steps taken





Intimidated by the amount of money he owed, K sought legal advice, and was counseled that suing Dr. F might cover his expenses and lost earnings, as well as money to compensate him for his physical and emotional injuries. The newly retained attorney obtained copies of the records from Dr. F, the ambulance, and the hospital, and sent them to dental and internal medicine experts for their input. The dental expert knew that dentists in that State were required to obtain a permit for providing sedation at any level, including orally, with predicates to obtaining the permit being (1) an office assessment by 2 dentists from the State Dental Board, to assure that resuscitation equipment and drugs were available and functional, as well as (2) basic life support certification for the dentist and at least 1 present staff member (or ACLS for the dentist for deeper levels of sedation), and (3) doctoral or post-doctoral training in sedation techniques. Dr. F was not aware of any of these requirements, so, as the dental expert found on publicly available platforms, Dr. F had never applied for a permit; in fact, neither he nor any staff member was current with BLS certification.





In addition to filing a dental malpractice lawsuit against Dr. F, K, with his lawyer's help, filed a Dental Board complaint. In his response to the complaint, one of the arguments posed by the attorneys provided to Dr. F by his malpractice insurer was that Dr. F had not intended to do more than simply "take the edge off,” and it was K's own action, by taking a higher medication dose than prescribed, that led to a deeper level of sedation and the apparent laryngospasm that flowed from that. The Board was unmoved: the statute set out strict requirements, for any level of sedation, with the dose provided by Dr. F falling into that category; Dr. F had violated that statute. The Board levied monetary sanctions and a stayed 6-month suspension from practice.





The Board's findings and actions, which would likely make their way to a trial jury in that jurisdiction, made the malpractice defense a steep uphill battle. A settlement followed, compensating K for both economic (medical costs, lost income) and non-economic ("pain and suffering") damages.





Takeaways





The old adage that "ignorance of the law is no excuse" clearly applies here. While dentists are not expected to have the degree of understanding of laws that lawyers do, they are expected to know and abide by the parameters of their State's Dental Practice Act; there is simply no getting around that. With this is mind, had the case proceeded to trial, it is foreseeable to believe that a legal principle known as negligence per se would have come into play: in basic terms, when a person violates a statute which is intended to protect the public safety, and that violation causes an injury, there is essentially a presumption of negligence/malpractice. Here, Dr. F's failure to obtain the needed permit is quite readily argued to have caused K's injuries, based upon the facts that his training was inadequate and his resuscitative inventory was lacking, leading directly to the inability to protect K's safety. Legally, negligence per se provides what amounts to a short cut for plaintiffs, yet one which is avoidable. 





Readers might wonder whether K's own improper action, namely taking twice the prescribed dose, could have alleviated Dr. F's liability, or at least a portion of it. The answer is maybe. When a settlement is made, as it was here, all of the potential legal arguments go away. But if the litigation had proceeded, and depending upon the State and locality involved, a jury might have been able to consider K's impropriety and reduce, or even possibly eliminate, Dr. F's liability. Taking that approach at trial is viewed by some lawyers as risky because jurors might see it as trying to blame the victim; but that does not mean that such a tactic does not ever occur, because it most certainly does. It ends up as a judgment call on trial strategy, left for lawyers to discuss with their clients, with a typical risk-benefit analysis playing a major role.





An issue underlying the facts in this case is the existing medical condition of K, as of the time of the procedure. He was a known, disclosed asthmatic, whose various medication regimens signaled a significant level of disease. Most practitioners would likely agree that such patients pose a higher risk profile when it comes to sedation, to any degree, such that a host of factors need to be considered beyond the "usual.” In terms of strict ASA classification, K would be viewed — based solely on his asthma condition — as a Class II (if the asthma was judged to be well controlled with management of it on an as-needed basis) or Class III (if the asthma was viewed as not being well controlled, with frequent episodes and constant treatment required) patient. Of course, there is subjectivity involved with assigning patients into these groups, but objective assessments ought to be used to guide the conclusion.





Finally, we address a defense that Dr. F raised with the Board, namely the level of sedation that was intended for K, rather than the one achieved. In some States, that difference might be determinative, but in the State of Dr. F's practice, that difference was irrelevant. Either way, it is a universal given that dose X of drug Y will necessarily produce different sedative results in different patients, even if nominally but potentially largely so; dentists are prudent to realize that sedative end points are unpredictable, that patients might become more deeply sedated than intended, that patients might have side effects generally associated with the deeper level, and that the dentist must be appropriately trained and otherwise prepared to handle even low likelihood, but severe, risk manifestations. There is often little room for error when a patient's state of consciousness is altered.





Summary of takeaways





    

  • Dentists are expected to know and follow their state’s sedation requirements.
    • 




  • Patient-specific risk factors can increase sedation-related liability.
    • 




  • Sedation outcomes can be unpredictable, so emergency readiness is essential.
    • 






Note that this case presentation includes circumstances from several different closed cases, in order to demonstrate certain legal and risk management principles, and that identifying facts and personal characteristics were modified to protect identities. The content within is not the original work of MedPro Group but has been published with consent of the author. Nothing contained in this article should be construed as legal, medical, or dental advice. Because the facts applicable to your situation may vary, or the laws applicable in your jurisdiction may differ, please contact your personal or business attorney or other professional advisors if you have any questions related to your legal or medical obligations or rights, state or federal laws, contract interpretation, or other legal questions.







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In this real-life case study, dentists will learn how a swallowed crown can quickly become a patient safety event and lead to a malpractice claim. See why prevention, timely follow-up, and patient communication are essential aspects of reducing risk.









Key Concepts





    

  • Swallowed crown led to malpractice lawsuit
    • 




  • Preventive steps to reduce swallow or aspiration risk
    • 




  • Compassionate communication and risk management
    • 










Background facts





E, a 64-year-old man who was markedly obese with type II diabetes and atrial fibrillation, presented for the insertion visit of a PFM crown on his upper right second molar, tooth #2. Getting to that point had been far from easy for both E and Dr. M, owing to limited opening ability and an excess of facial soft tissue. Preparation for the crown and impressioning had each taken a full visit for the very same reasons. Suffice it to say, as Dr. M later did, there was very little room to work in E's mouth. No local anesthesia was given for this visit; as Dr. M placed the crown for what would be the final try-in, his finger incidentally made contact with E's soft palate, causing him to gag and unexpectedly move forcefully, which then caused the crown to slip out of Dr. M's wet gloved hand, and out of sight. Dr. M, an experienced practitioner nearing the end of his career, who liked to work "solo", called an assistant into the room to suction the oropharynx of the supine patient, with the hope of finding the crown tucked into a tissue fold. The crown was not found.





Dr. M explained that he would need to take another impression because the crown had "slipped behind the mouth"; he did just that over the next hour. As E was being dismissed, Dr. M said that the crown will work its way down the intestines, to be voided in the stool: E should inspect his stool over the following few days, to the extent reasonable, but he shouldn't overly worry about it. E left the office, expecting to return in 10 days for the new crown to be inserted.





On the fourth day after this visit, E noticed that his stool was blood-tinged, so he called Dr. M to learn whether that might be related to the dropped crown, but Dr. M did not think so. He did, though, advise E to speak with his primary care physician if things worsened or even remained the same. The stool got redder toward the end of the week, so, that Sunday, he appeared at an urgent care center, where, upon hearing about the dental crown incident, the physician ordered an abdominal series of radiographs, which located the crown, appearing to be stuck in place at a sharp bend in E's colon. Arrangements were made for E to have a colonoscopy the following morning at a local hospital, where E was admitted for the night.





Under deep sedation, a gastroenterologist removed the crown from the colon by using a grabbing instrument. When the crown was examined after removal, the gastroenterologist reasoned that the metal edge of the crown that projected below the porcelain portion — the margin — had likely dug its way just a small amount into a fold in the wall of the colon, preventing it from moving beyond that point to be expelled. Because of E's underlying medical conditions, he was kept in the hospital until the next day, at which time he was discharged without any problems or complications.





Legal action





Although E was willing to let the situation end without any further action, his wife was particularly annoyed about the hospital, anesthesiology, and gastroenterology fees, which were not covered by E's high-deductible medical insurance policy, as well as what she viewed as Dr. M's lack of caring, as demonstrated by his having never followed up with E about what had occurred.





An attorney was brought on board to sue Dr. M for dental malpractice, so that the out-of-pocket costs and a sum for pain and suffering could be recovered. The attorney's first step was to contact Dr. M's malpractice carrier, specifically its regional claims consultant. When all records were obtained and reviewed, the claims consultant explained to Dr. M that a supportive defense expert was unable to be located, even by a local defense attorney, so that a liability defense could not be mounted, other than by way of Dr. M acting as his own liability expert.





Dr. M realized that this was far from an ideal approach, so he agreed to attempts to settle the case, which was accomplished for a relatively modest amount of money.







Takeaways





Under the best of circumstances, maintaining a grip on small objects placed in the mouth, using wet gloves, is fraught with the risk of losing control of the object — here a crown. When treatment is performed in the back of the mouth, that risk is magnified, and when the patient's anatomy makes the working space smaller than usual, the risk further increases. Adding to that, the gravitational considerations of a supine (rather than upright) patient maximize the likelihood of a dropped object being swallowed or aspirated. Each of these "weak points" can generally be mitigated: oropharyngeal packs are placed to try to physically block the backward and downward path, particularly when rubber dam cannot be used; working with a watchful, suctioning chairside assistant provides extra hands, extra eyes and extra protective devices; and seating a patient in as upright a position as possible can mean the difference between a dropped object falling harmlessly into the floor of mouth where it is easily retrievable, and a swallow/aspiration event.





Any and every time that an object is placed into the mouth, or one becomes free-floating in the mouth, and cannot be accounted for, it should be assumed to have been swallowed or aspirated unless proven otherwise, generally by radiographic evidence either way. As a general rule, the sooner the patient is able to be placed into the care of medical colleagues for locating and treating, the less the ramifications will be. That does not necessarily mean that dental procedures must always be stopped in their tracks, but it does mean that, as soon as it is safe for the patient to move on for definitive care, the better off they will usually be. Because physicians are often less than fully aware of dental materials and instruments, it is helpful to them if a photo example, or actual example, is provided to the patient to pass on to their physicians, so that they know exactly what they are looking to locate.





Two considerations which quite often lead patients to seek legal advice are unexpected and unreimbursed costs, and a perception that their dentist did not truly care about them, particularly when things did not go as planned. The former is unpredictable, and it ended up here as one of the main drivers toward legal action, but the latter can almost always be avoided. Prompt and repeated follow-up communication, by the dentist, rather than an office staff member, with patients; and demonstrating a genuine interest in patients, as people and not only "receivers of dentistry"; can go a long way toward heading off involvement of lawyers.





Not all patients and not all similar procedures are the same, whether because of underlying medical issues, patient anatomy, patient size, patient attitudes, or limited mobility. So, a one-size-fits-all approach is rarely, if ever, a helpful treatment mindset to adopt.





Finally, we address the circumstance here, where no liability expert could be found to help to defend Dr. M. While not very common in the defense of dental malpractice claims, it does occasionally pop up. In most, if not all, jurisdictions, dentists are legally permitted to serve as their own experts. But in the eyes of jurors, that is often a difficult sell. In this situation, as well as all other litigation-related issues, dentists are counseled by their defense attorneys, whether the news is easy to hear, or not.





Summary of takeaways:





    

  • Take an objective, measured approach to patient communication
    • 




  • Avoid criticizing prior care without full context
    • 




  • Maintain thorough documentation to support care decisions
    • 






Note that this case presentation includes circumstances from several different closed cases, in order to demonstrate certain legal and risk management principles, and that identifying facts and personal characteristics were modified to protect identities. The content within is not the original work of MedPro Group but has been published with consent of the author. Nothing contained in this article should be construed as legal, medical, or dental advice. Because the facts applicable to your situation may vary, or the laws applicable in your jurisdiction may differ, please contact your personal or business attorney or other professional advisors if you have any questions related to your legal or medical obligations or rights, state or federal laws, contract interpretation, or other legal questions.


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Sometimes criticizing a patient’s prior dental work can expose dentists to malpractice risk. Understand where the line lies between appropriate patient education and “jousting,” and how communication choices, documentation, and professionalism can influence legal outcomes.









Key Concepts





    

  • How criticizing prior work can increase malpractice risk
    • 




  • Keep communication objective and professional
    • 




  • The importance of strong documentation during a claim
    • 










Background facts





Dr. Y was a general, restorative dentist who recently moved into a suburban community—with great public schools—to both live and work. The area's dentists were, generally speaking, busy but not bursting at the seams, so Dr. Y realized that it would not be easy for him to establish his practice with so much competition. His approach would be to sign on to as many dental insurance panels as he could, hoping to use that platform as a foundation upon which to build a patient base. It took a couple of years, but his practice grew.





It was not that Dr. Y would "manufacture" dentistry to perform upon new patients where that need did not exist, but he was what other dentists in the neighborhood described behind the scenes as "hyper-critical" in his evaluations of the dentistry that had been done by prior dentists. R had been a long-term resident of the area, having never had dental insurance until her recent job change. She had completed implant-supported bridgework on both arches some 6-8 months ago, which had cost her a significant amount of money, and she was in the midst of a very slow process of getting used to functioning with the prostheses. With her new employer now providing her with dental insurance—a plan which Dr. Y, but not her prior dentist, Dr. K, accepted—she presented to Dr. Y as a new patient.





At the initial visit, Dr. Y took a full mouth series of radiographs and did a thorough clinical examination. When R mentioned that she "just didn't feel comfortable" with the new dentistry in her mouth, Dr. Y told her that he knew why: the abutments and pontics were overbuilt, with inadequate embrasure spaces; some of the margins were open, although slightly; and the overall dental anatomy did not allow for self-cleansing, making it "a set-up for periodontal disease.” Dr. Y suggested that all of the prosthetics be removed and replaced. Even with R's dental insurance contributing a fair amount to the cost of the proposed treatment, she would still have to pay a large amount of money out of pocket and endure a months-long process. R was very upset, to say the least, focusing that displeasure on Dr. K; she had always known that a replacement of Dr. K's work would likely be required down the road, but she did not expect that so soon after it was inserted.





Dr. Y removed the existing bridges, replaced the implant abutments, re-prepared the natural teeth, impressioned and temporized the mouth, and ultimately inserted new upper and lower cases. R was no happier with the new work, but Dr. Y told her that there was only so much he could do with the underlying foundation that Dr. K had "inadequately established,” so R would simply have to adjust. She never fully did.





Legal action





With R continually complaining to family members and friends about how unhappy she was, not only dentally, but also because of the money she had paid both Dr. K and Dr. Y, while exhausting her annual dental insurance benefits so early in the calendar year, she was encouraged to seek out an attorney who might have some solutions for her. R's newly retained attorney obtained the dental records of Drs. K and Y, as well as a narrative from Dr. Y, in which he was quite critical of Dr. K's work product, which was directly responsible for the need to exchange it and for the inability to create a more ideal replacement (due to the underlying damage it/he had caused).





When Dr. K reported the contact from R's attorney to his malpractice carrier, he was provided with defense counsel, who was able to obtain the records and report from Dr. Y. Dr. K was in literal disbelief at what he saw in writing, but he knew that it would be a difficult task, from a dental standpoint, to demonstrate the quality of his work, with it having been removed and replaced. At the same time, he felt bad for R, his patient of many years, whom he believed had been sold an inaccurate story, for the sake of Dr. Y's financial gain.





With Dr. K's counsel functioning as an intermediary at Dr. K's request, an offer was made to refund to R all that she had paid to Dr. K, in order to stave off the prospect of a lawsuit. R, through her attorney, accepted that offer, with the money changing hands once R executed a Release of Liability document.







Takeaways





As healthcare professionals, dentists are ethically obligated to advise patients regarding the conditions of their mouths, including the status of existing dental work. But without having ever stood in the shoes of a prior-treating dentist, and not knowing what challenges and limitations might have been placed upon them, or how the patient took care of themselves dentally after that treatment, blanket criticisms that do not take any of these potential factors into account are known in the malpractice world as "jousting" —not the medieval game involving horses and lances, but with similar effect. Part of professionalism is being able to candidly communicate with patients without denouncing the work of others, absent full knowledge of all contributing factors. Here, while Dr. Y acted appropriately by advising R of his findings—presuming that he did, in fact, find deficiencies and problems—he stepped into the jousting arena by doing so in a manner that made certain presumptions of blameworthy wrongdoing. It is a fine line to walk, and one to be figured out by all practitioners. Jousting, as compared with notifying, is a significant driver of dental malpractice claims; why that practice is as common as it is, perhaps more so than in other professions, is a speculative exercise for consideration elsewhere.





Dr. K's decision to try to resolve R's complaints by offering, and ultimately providing, a refund was a personal one, considering all of the issues involved with defending a protracted dental malpractice case, as compared with taking all of that off of his plate quickly. Refunds are far from uncommon in dental practice; when provided, dentists are wise to protect themselves legally by obtaining a Release of Liability (ROL), signed by the patient, in exchange for the returned money. In essence, a ROL in this context states that the patient is willing to accept a monetary benefit, while relinquishing the right to later sue the dentist regarding the course of conduct that led to that refund. As with all legal documents, ROLs are best prepared and overseen by attorneys, who can assure that the process is carried out in the most appropriate manner, so as to afford the best level of protection. We do note, however, that no ROL will prevent a patient from subsequently making a complaint to a state Dental Board, as the right to report to government entities cannot be given up through a civil process, such as a refund or a settlement. For better or worse, that is the way it is.





Dr. Y's preparation of a narrative for an attorney is an everyday occurrence. In many jurisdictions, attorneys for patient-plaintiffs are required to obtain some sort of statement, whether written or otherwise, from a dentist, in which that dentist states, in terms of varying specificity, that the treating dentist who is being considered as a potential defendant violated the standard of care, thereby leading to damage to the patient. Such statements are opinions, and opinions vary much of the time, but that is how the system works. To add to the difficulties in defending cases like this, particularly involving restorative dentistry, the work that is later claimed to have been deficient will, by definition, have been removed and replaced, so there can be no after-the-fact reviewing of the criticized work by the defendant and/or his/her defense expert. That serves as yet another reason that documentation (including post-placement radiographs, when appropriate) is so important, as it might well be the only "living" evidence of steps taken and rationales for doing so. Time-consuming as it is, documentation is not something to shortcut: that includes dentists writing their own chart entries, rather than having an assistant or other staff member do it for them.





Summary of takeaways:





    

  • Criticizing prior work without full context can increase malpractice risk.
    • 




  • Keep patient communication objective and avoid assigning blame.
    • 




  • Thorough documentation is critical for defending care decisions.
    • 






Note that this case presentation includes circumstances from several different closed cases, in order to demonstrate certain legal and risk management principles, and that identifying facts and personal characteristics were modified to protect identities. The content within is not the original work of MedPro Group but has been published with consent of the author. Nothing contained in this article should be construed as legal, medical, or dental advice. Because the facts applicable to your situation may vary, or the laws applicable in your jurisdiction may differ, please contact your personal or business attorney or other professional advisors if you have any questions related to your legal or medical obligations or rights, state or federal laws, contract interpretation, or other legal questions.


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Dentists will learn how sedation missteps can lead to a malpractice claim and Dental Board action. This case highlights why understanding state sedation requirements, assessing patient risk, and preparing for emergencies are essential to managing malpractice risk.









Key concepts





    

  • Dentist sued after unpermitted sedation led to a medical emergency
    • 




  • Dental Board action tied to state sedation permit requirements
    • 




  • Why patient risk factors matter before providing sedation
    • 










Underlying facts





K was a 47-year-old man, who has been an asthmatic for all of his life. His medication regimen has changed over the years — to include, at times, corticosteroids, biologics, and rescue inhalers. At the time of his subject series of visits with Dr. F, K's long-time general dentist, he reported taking daily steroids and an occasional need for the inhaler, with asthmatic flare-ups not uncommon. K had skipped seeing any dentist for some time, so Dr. F found 3 carious lesions in the left posterior for which endodontic care was indicated, and he advised his patient of exactly that.





For some reason, K explained, he had developed a fear of dentistry, the reason he had stayed away, and the prospect of root canal therapy, in 3 teeth, was daunting. Dr. F told his patient that, while he does not often do so, he would prescribe an oral sedative to be taken shortly before each of the 3 procedures, as an adjunct to nitrous oxide/oxygen ("laughing gas") given through a nasal hood. K agreed to try that approach, and filled the prescription given to him.





Just before being driven to the dental office on a relatively humid day by his young adult daughter, K took 2 of the tablets — rather than one, as prescribed — and arrived in a surprisingly relaxed state. When Dr. F peeked into the waiting room, he asked "did you take the medication?" "Yes I did." K was soon seated by Dr. F's assistant, who placed the hood and dialed in N2O/O2 at 5 liters per minute and a 70%/30% ratio, all of which was Dr. F's custom.





When Dr. F entered the treatment room, he briefly made small talk with K before delivering a mandibular block and infiltration. K winced and became visibly upset, which led to his beginning to show difficulty in air exchange. Dr. F asked the assistant for a pulse oximeter, but it could not be located. Dr. F switched the gas flow to 100% oxygen, but he had no means of delivering it with positive pressure. K deteriorated, with his lips becoming bluish, and his respiratory efforts becoming more and more futile. The receptionist heard the commotion, came to see what was happening, and called 911; EMS came 17 minutes later, by which time K was breathing poorly and minimally conscious. With telephone instructions from an emergency department physician, a paramedic started an IV line and injected a muscle relaxant while an EMT squeezed oxygen through an Ambu bag, slowly raising the O2 saturation from 73% to 92%. 





K was transported to the hospital, where he was admitted for 4 days, undergoing a complete pulmonology work-up and medication regimen modification. K was left with large ambulance and hospital bills, for which no health insurance was in place, owing to his being new to his current job, which he could not attend for another 2 weeks, unpaid.





Legal steps taken





Intimidated by the amount of money he owed, K sought legal advice, and was counseled that suing Dr. F might cover his expenses and lost earnings, as well as money to compensate him for his physical and emotional injuries. The newly retained attorney obtained copies of the records from Dr. F, the ambulance, and the hospital, and sent them to dental and internal medicine experts for their input. The dental expert knew that dentists in that State were required to obtain a permit for providing sedation at any level, including orally, with predicates to obtaining the permit being (1) an office assessment by 2 dentists from the State Dental Board, to assure that resuscitation equipment and drugs were available and functional, as well as (2) basic life support certification for the dentist and at least 1 present staff member (or ACLS for the dentist for deeper levels of sedation), and (3) doctoral or post-doctoral training in sedation techniques. Dr. F was not aware of any of these requirements, so, as the dental expert found on publicly available platforms, Dr. F had never applied for a permit; in fact, neither he nor any staff member was current with BLS certification.





In addition to filing a dental malpractice lawsuit against Dr. F, K, with his lawyer's help, filed a Dental Board complaint. In his response to the complaint, one of the arguments posed by the attorneys provided to Dr. F by his malpractice insurer was that Dr. F had not intended to do more than simply "take the edge off,” and it was K's own action, by taking a higher medication dose than prescribed, that led to a deeper level of sedation and the apparent laryngospasm that flowed from that. The Board was unmoved: the statute set out strict requirements, for any level of sedation, with the dose provided by Dr. F falling into that category; Dr. F had violated that statute. The Board levied monetary sanctions and a stayed 6-month suspension from practice.





The Board's findings and actions, which would likely make their way to a trial jury in that jurisdiction, made the malpractice defense a steep uphill battle. A settlement followed, compensating K for both economic (medical costs, lost income) and non-economic ("pain and suffering") damages.





Takeaways





The old adage that "ignorance of the law is no excuse" clearly applies here. While dentists are not expected to have the degree of understanding of laws that lawyers do, they are expected to know and abide by the parameters of their State's Dental Practice Act; there is simply no getting around that. With this is mind, had the case proceeded to trial, it is foreseeable to believe that a legal principle known as negligence per se would have come into play: in basic terms, when a person violates a statute which is intended to protect the public safety, and that violation causes an injury, there is essentially a presumption of negligence/malpractice. Here, Dr. F's failure to obtain the needed permit is quite readily argued to have caused K's injuries, based upon the facts that his training was inadequate and his resuscitative inventory was lacking, leading directly to the inability to protect K's safety. Legally, negligence per se provides what amounts to a short cut for plaintiffs, yet one which is avoidable. 





Readers might wonder whether K's own improper action, namely taking twice the prescribed dose, could have alleviated Dr. F's liability, or at least a portion of it. The answer is maybe. When a settlement is made, as it was here, all of the potential legal arguments go away. But if the litigation had proceeded, and depending upon the State and locality involved, a jury might have been able to consider K's impropriety and reduce, or even possibly eliminate, Dr. F's liability. Taking that approach at trial is viewed by some lawyers as risky because jurors might see it as trying to blame the victim; but that does not mean that such a tactic does not ever occur, because it most certainly does. It ends up as a judgment call on trial strategy, left for lawyers to discuss with their clients, with a typical risk-benefit analysis playing a major role.





An issue underlying the facts in this case is the existing medical condition of K, as of the time of the procedure. He was a known, disclosed asthmatic, whose various medication regimens signaled a significant level of disease. Most practitioners would likely agree that such patients pose a higher risk profile when it comes to sedation, to any degree, such that a host of factors need to be considered beyond the "usual.” In terms of strict ASA classification, K would be viewed — based solely on his asthma condition — as a Class II (if the asthma was judged to be well controlled with management of it on an as-needed basis) or Class III (if the asthma was viewed as not being well controlled, with frequent episodes and constant treatment required) patient. Of course, there is subjectivity involved with assigning patients into these groups, but objective assessments ought to be used to guide the conclusion.





Finally, we address a defense that Dr. F raised with the Board, namely the level of sedation that was intended for K, rather than the one achieved. In some States, that difference might be determinative, but in the State of Dr. F's practice, that difference was irrelevant. Either way, it is a universal given that dose X of drug Y will necessarily produce different sedative results in different patients, even if nominally but potentially largely so; dentists are prudent to realize that sedative end points are unpredictable, that patients might become more deeply sedated than intended, that patients might have side effects generally associated with the deeper level, and that the dentist must be appropriately trained and otherwise prepared to handle even low likelihood, but severe, risk manifestations. There is often little room for error when a patient's state of consciousness is altered.





Summary of takeaways





    

  • Dentists are expected to know and follow their state’s sedation requirements.
    • 




  • Patient-specific risk factors can increase sedation-related liability.
    • 




  • Sedation outcomes can be unpredictable, so emergency readiness is essential.
    • 






Note that this case presentation includes circumstances from several different closed cases, in order to demonstrate certain legal and risk management principles, and that identifying facts and personal characteristics were modified to protect identities. The content within is not the original work of MedPro Group but has been published with consent of the author. Nothing contained in this article should be construed as legal, medical, or dental advice. Because the facts applicable to your situation may vary, or the laws applicable in your jurisdiction may differ, please contact your personal or business attorney or other professional advisors if you have any questions related to your legal or medical obligations or rights, state or federal laws, contract interpretation, or other legal questions.







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Additional Risk Tips content

How Unpermitted Sedation Led to a Dental Malpractice Claim

This dental malpractice case study shows how unpermitted sedation, patient risk factors, and emergency preparedness gaps led to a claim and Dental Board action.

How a Dropped Crown Led to a Malpractice Lawsuit

A dropped crown became a malpractice claim. Learn how prevention, follow-up, and patient communication can help reduce dental risk.

Dentist’s Criticism of Prior Work Leads to Malpractice Claim

Criticizing prior dental work can heighten malpractice risk. Learn how communication, professionalism, and documentation influence legal outcomes.

This document does not constitute legal or medical advice and should not be construed as rules or establishing a standard of care. Because the facts applicable to your situation may vary, or the laws applicable in your jurisdiction may differ, please contact your attorney or other professional advisors if you have any questions related to your legal or medical obligations or rights, state or federal laws, contract interpretation, or other legal questions.

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