Gold, glorious gold!

In my practice, Dr. B Dentistry, there is a common concern regarding the signing of forms before gold onlays are placed. The short answer to this is that it is our responsibility as healthcare providers to ensure we do not harm our patients. We have to make in good faith decisions on what is best for you, but we cannot decide anything for you. The first thing you will notice about our practice is that we ask, “how can we help you?” This enables us to understand your world, your perspective, and what matters to you most.

As professionals, we cannot dictate our views onto our patients. We are perfectly able to provide a consultation and some assistance. However, there are times when certain aspects of a patient’s request do not align with what they have been trained to do. In such scenarios, we will instruct the patient and furnish them with the requisite information to make a sound decision. Should the patient remain adamant about a certain treatment that is not advisable, we shall request them to fill out a document that shows they are making a voluntary decision. In the event that we cannot provide the treatment, we will refer the patient to another provider.

In terms of gold onlays, we do ask our patients to sign a form because the procedure for placing an onlay is quite extensive as it involves removing a fair amount of healthy tooth material which can be damaging. At Dr. B Dentistry, we make an effort to be as noninvasive as possible. We do not recommend that healthy teeth be cut into to place gold onlays, although we will do so if that is the patient’s choice.

To sum up, as we had noted, Dr. B Dentistry recognizes and acts upon the responsibility placed upon us. We will always do whatever is within our powers to make sure that you are well informed of decisions concerning your dental health. We aim to achieve the highest quality of care while attempting to do the least amount of harm or injury.