How to Survive Dental Performance Difficulties

JANINE BROOKS MBE, DMedEth, MSc, FFGDP(UK), MCDH, DDPHRCS, BDS, FAcadMEd, is a Lead Clinical Tutor at the University of Bristol; Educational Inspector for the General Dental Council; Trustee of the Dentists' Health Support Trust; Coach for the Professional Support Unit, Thames Valley; CEO of Dentalia Coaching and Training Consultancy; Director of the Dental Coaching Academy and co-founder of Dental Mentors UK.

Foreword ix

Acknowledgements xi

Abbreviations xiii

Chapter 1 The basics of performance 1

Introduction 1

What is performance? 3

What is poor performance? 6

Fitness to practise 9

Red door/green door 10

Chapter 2 Background and contributory factors: How performance issues can arise 13

Introduction 13

Pressures on dentists 14

Factors that underpin poor performance 15

Chapter 3 Professionalism 27

What is professionalism? 27

What does professionalism encompass? 30

How should a professional behave? 30

Societal expectations of professionals 31

Character 32

Building blocks of character 33

Ethical frameworks within which professionals operate 34

How does character relate to professionalism? 36

Tests of integrity 36

Virtue ethics 37

Honesty and dishonesty 38

Communication 42

Criminal record convictions and cautions 43

Scotland 45

Protected conviction or caution 45

Chapter 4 Regulation of dentistry and dental professionals 48

Regulation 48

General Medical Council 49

General Pharmaceutical Council 50

General Dental Council 50

Registration 51

NHS England 52

Care Quality Commission 53

Healthcare Inspectorate Wales 54

Scotland 54

Northern Ireland 55

Professional Standards Authority 56

Regulation of Dental Services Programme Board 57

Health and Safety Executive 58

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency 59

Right?]touch regulation 60

Chapter 5 Organisations that play a supporting role 63

Specialist indemnity providers 63

Educational support 64

Health support 67

Mentoring/professional support 68

Advisory support 69

Conclusion 70

Chapter 6 The anatomy of a fitness to practise case 72

Introduction 72

Fitness to practise 74

General Dental Council 74

Fitness to practise process 75

Interim Orders Committee 77

Investigating Committee 77

Practice Committees 78

Sanctions 78

Convictions/cautions 82

Analysis 83

Erasure 86

Conclusion 91

Chapter 7 The registrant’s journey personal statements and case studies 93

How it can begin 94

The Hero’s Journey 95

Case studies 101

Stages of change or grief 111

Taking a preventive approach 113

Chapter 8 Building self?]awareness and insight 115

Self?]awareness 116

Insight 116

Learning styles 119

Tools to deepen self?]awareness 124

Conclusion 138

Chapter 9 Tools that can help 140

Personal development plan 141

Peer review 144

Professional discussion and dialogue 144

Case studies and presentations 145

Clinical audit 146

Staff meetings 148

Patient surveys (feedback) 148

360° multisource feedback 150

Standards national guidelines 151

Working with a mentor 151

Working with a coach 152

Appendix A Personal development plan template 154

Appendix B Patient engagement questionnaire 156

Appendix C Influencing skills questionnaire – 360° colleague feedback 157

Chapter 10 Supporting colleagues who struggle 160

Being non?]judgemental 160

Listening 160

Paraphrasing 161

Questioning 161

Guiding 161

Reflective practice/writing and learning 161

Working one to one 172

Force field analysis 176

Neurological levels 177

Conclusion 181

Index 183