Patients’ Refusal of Proposed Treatment or Referrals in Orthodontic Practice
Orthodontic claims involving missed diagnoses or failure to refer often arise when an orthodontist does not direct a patient to another provider whose specialized expertise is needed for proper evaluation or treatment. Even as specialists, orthodontists must recognize when a patient’s needs call for referral to another provider — to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon for impacted canines, extractions or orthognathic surgery; to a periodontist for active periodontal disease; to [...]
