Expert discipline
General dental practitioner expert witnesses
The standard expected of the ordinary competent general dentist, which is the standard most dental claims actually turn on.
Instruction scope
What these experts report on.
Diagnosis and treatment planning
Whether diagnosis, planning and record-keeping met the standard across a course of care.
Working within competence
Whether the treatment provided was within the competence of a general practitioner.
Referral
Whether and when the patient should have been referred to a specialist or a hospital service.
Consent
Whether material risks and reasonable alternatives were discussed and recorded.
Recall and monitoring
Recall intervals, monitoring and the continuity of care over time.
Expert Allocation
How we match them to your case
A GDP expert where the treating clinician was a GDP, judged against the standard of a reasonably competent general practitioner.
Where a GDP undertook work ordinarily done by a specialist, the standard is that of a reasonably competent practitioner performing that procedure, and both a GDP and a specialist opinion may be needed. We tell you which before the CV is sent.
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01
General practice setting
GDP expert
The relevant author where a general dentist provided the care in issue.
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02
Specialist work by a GDP
GDP and specialist
Where a GDP took on work ordinarily done by a specialist, both opinions may be needed.
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03
Referral in issue
GDP expert
Whether and when referral was indicated is itself a question for a general practitioner.
The report you receive
Evidence on the standard of general dental care.
The care provided
Diagnosis, treatment planning and the adequacy of the records.
The standard that applied
That of a reasonably competent general dental practitioner.
The point of referral
Whether and when the patient should have been referred.
Why solicitors instruct us
The most senior expert is often the wrong one.
The right standard
A specialist criticising a GDP against specialist standards produces a report the defence will dismantle. We match the standard to the treating field.
Records are the case
GDP claims are built on years of routine entries. Our experts read the whole course of care, not only the disputed appointment.
A named case manager
One point of contact coordinates the instruction, expert correspondence and delivery of the report.
FAQs
Commonly asked questions
They can, but the standard remains that of a reasonably competent GDP. An expert who applies specialist standards to general practice will be corrected.
No. A GDP is a registered dentist. The specialist lists cover distinct branches of dentistry, and general practice is not one of them.
When the treatment fell outside their competence. That is itself a question for a GDP expert, because knowing the limits of one’s own competence is part of general practice.
Yes, and as single joint expert. The duty to the court is unchanged.
Discuss an instruction