Patient choice: the shape of consent post-Montgomery

Patient choice: the shape of consent post-Montgomery
Shaun Sellars, Lauren Sutherland
British Dental Journal, 12 May 2023; 234, pp 655 – 659
Abstract
The law relating to consent and the process dentists need to go through to gain valid and informed consent to treat patients changed significantly following the landmark ruling of Montgomery v Lanarkshire Health Board. In this paper, we revisit the history of patient consent, give an update on the current legal situation in the UK, and produce a unique ‘consent workflow’ to aid in the process of gaining valid and informed consent to treat. The aim is to clarify the legal standing and provide a framework that dentists and other healthcare professionals can adapt to their current clinical practice while increasing the confidence of those involved in the consent process; both professionals and patients.