At Dino Kid’s Dentistry, we want you to feel comfortable asking questions about your child’s care. If you’re unsure about a procedure, want to understand why we’re recommending something, or simply need us to explain it again, please ask. Questions are never an inconvenience. They are an important part of taking good care of your child.
As a parent or guardian, you are an important part of every decision about your child’s dental care. This is the idea behind informed consent.
What Does “Informed Consent” Mean?
Informed consent is much more than signing a form. It means having a conversation about your child’s dental health and making sure you have the information you need before deciding about treatment.
Before treatment, we want you to understand:
- What we see in your child’s mouth
- What treatment we recommend and why
- What we expect the treatment to accomplish
- The possible benefits and risks
- Other reasonable treatment choices
- What may happen if you decide to wait or not treat the problem
You know your child better than anyone. Our job is to provide our dental knowledge and recommendations. Your job is to help us understand your child and decide what is right for your family.
This is also an important part of ethical dental care. The American Dental Association recognizes a patient’s right to make informed choices, and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) emphasizes involving parents and caregivers in decisions about their children’s care.
Your Child Gets a Voice, Too
Children may not be old enough to make healthcare decisions for themselves, but that doesn’t mean they should be left out of the conversation.
Whenever possible, we explain things in a way your child can understand. As children get older, we encourage them to ask questions and participate in decisions about their care. The AAPD calls this assent, which means giving a child or teenager an age-appropriate explanation and an opportunity to participate in the discussion.
This can help children feel more comfortable at the dentist and begin learning how to take an active role in their own health.
Why Do We Talk About Consent AND Ask You to Sign Forms?
The conversation is the most important part. We want you to hear our recommendations, understand your options, ask questions, and tell us about any concerns before making a decision. Sometimes people need to hear information more than once, and that’s completely fine.
Written consent forms serve a different purpose. They provide a record of what we discussed and the treatment you agreed to. Depending on the procedure, the form may include the diagnosis, recommended treatment, benefits, possible risks, and alternatives.
If you don’t understand something on a consent form, **please ask before you sign it.** We would much rather stop and explain something than have you sign a form while still feeling unsure.
Why Is There SO MUCH Paperwork?
We know. Sometimes it feels like the clipboard has a sequel. But the forms we ask you to complete help us keep your child’s care safe and up to date.
Children change quickly – A new medication, allergy, diagnosis, surgery, or hospital visit may affect dental treatment. Updating your child’s health information helps us catch those changes.
Some consent forms need to be renewed – Certain procedures, including sedation or general anesthesia, may require updated consent after a period of time. At Dino Kid’s Dentistry, we also ask families to renew our general consent approximately every six months. This helps keep the information fresh and gives us another opportunity to answer questions.
Families and caregivers change – Sometimes a parent brings a child, and another time it may be a grandparent or another caregiver. Keeping guardianship and authorization information current helps us know who is able to make healthcare decisions for your child.
Please Ask Us Anything
If something doesn’t make sense, ask us.
If you want to know why treatment is needed, what your child might feel, whether there are other options, or what might happen if you wait, we’re happy to talk about it.
And if you need time to think about a recommendation, tell us. When appropriate, the consent discussion can happen on a different day from treatment so your family has time to consider the options. You also have the right to decline treatment, ask about other options, or seek a second opinion.
There really are no silly questions. You can ask us in the treatment room, at the front desk, or call us after you get home. We would always rather answer one more question than have you leave feeling unsure.
Thank you for trusting Dino Kid’s Dentistry with your child’s care. We’re here to provide our expertise, explain your options, answer your questions, and help you make informed decisions for your child.
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