Implied Consent Examination — ORE Part 1 MCQ

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EasyBehavioural Sciences & EthicsImplied Consent ExaminationORE Part 1

A competent adult attends for a routine dental examination. The dentist explains that an intraoral and extraoral examination will be performed. The patient sits in the dental chair, opens their mouth and permits the examination to begin. What form of consent is present?

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Correct answer: D — Implied consent

The correct answer is D. For a routine dental examination, SDCEP states that the dentist should first explain what is planned. Consent may then be verbal or implied where the competent patient lies in the chair and allows the examination to proceed. This patient’s informed, voluntary actions therefore constitute implied consent. Written consent is not required for the examination itself, although an adequate contemporaneous record of the consent discussion remains good practice. Third-party consent is not appropriate for a competent adult: consent is the patient’s decision. Presumed consent is not the usual basis for elective routine care, and it would be wrong to proceed without consent. Consent for the examination does not automatically extend to radiographs or other diagnostic procedures; these require separate explanation and consent.

Reference: Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP), Practice Support Manual, “Obtaining consent for a dental examination and treatment”, current web guidance, accessed July 2026: https://www.psm.sdcep.org.uk/topics/communication/obtaining-consent/obtaining-consent-for-a-dental-examination-and-treatment/