Clinical deviation

Keeping up with the latest clinical guidelines can prove challenging, with new advice being released on what can often seem like a daily basis. Bodies such as the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP) are tasked with making recommendations based on the best available evidence of effective care. Other organisations also offer guidance on best practice including the Royal College of Surgeons and the Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK). Dentists and other dental care professionals are expected to take this guidance into account when making clinical decisions. But is it ever appropriate for a practitioner to exercise their clinical judgement and choose to depart from such guidance? MDDUS advisers regularly deal with calls on this topic and advise doctors and dentists to exercise caution before departing from guidance.