Consent and capacity — considerations for the dental team part 1: consent and assessment of capacity

Consent and capacity legislation varies across the UK, however, the principles remain similar, with protective and supportive roles and responsibilities in place. Appropriate information should be shared in order to empower the patient. Every effort should be made to overcome barriers to communication, and it is essential for the dental team to have a sound understanding of legal and ethical principles underpinning assessment of capacity, thereby ensuring continued, valid consent. Patients lacking capacity to consent attempt to access primary care dental services frequently and with difficulty, with the increasing complexity of chronic medical conditions, dementia, mental ill health potentially causing social challenges. CPD/Clinical Relevance: This paper defines common terms relating to consent and capacity, provides an overview of UK legislation, and discusses practical dilemmas that the dental team may face.