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Dental Malpractice Elements — NDEB AFK MCQ

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ModerateBehavioural Sciences & Practice ManagementDental Malpractice ElementsNDEB AFK

In a dental malpractice claim, which of the following elements must the plaintiff (patient) prove?

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Correct answer: B — That the dentist owed a duty of care, breached the standard of care, the breach caused harm, and actual damages resulted

For a successful dental malpractice (professional negligence) claim, the plaintiff must establish all four elements: (1) Duty — a dentist-patient relationship existed; (2) Breach — the dentist failed to meet the standard of care expected of a reasonably competent dentist; (3) Causation — the breach directly caused the injury (proximate cause); (4) Damages — actual harm (physical, financial, emotional) resulted. Failure to prove any one element defeats the claim.

Reference: Graskemper – Professional Responsibility in Dentistry, 2nd ed., 2017