Rethinking DNA

What effect is there on missing a dental consultation? What action might you need to take? And is there is an opportunity to protect that child? Now a call for the terminology of dental appointments to be made more sensitive to the needs of children has been made by Jenny Harris, a member of the BSPD executive and the Society's lead on child protection issues. She wants dentists to drop the acronym DNA (Did Not Attend) and change to WNB for Was Not Brought. The reason for the change, she explains, is to remind dental teams that the child who does not turn up for an appointment is not responsible for his or her absence. To benefit from dental care, they are reliant on others to bring them. If they miss an appointment without explanation, enquiries need to be made of their parent or guardian.