Dental Council Ireland Exam key terms

A patient's voluntary agreement to a procedure after receiving and understanding relevant information about its nature, benefits, risks, alternatives, and the consequences of declining, given by someone with capacity.

A patient's ability to understand, retain, weigh, and communicate a decision about their care at the time it is made; it is decision-specific and presumed present unless shown otherwise.

A risk or complication that a reasonable patient in that person's position would consider significant when deciding whether to accept treatment, and which therefore must be disclosed during consent discussions.

The standard used when making decisions for an adult lacking capacity, weighing benefits, risks, the person's previously expressed wishes, and the least restrictive option that meets their needs.

The professional duty to keep patient information private and share it only with those who need it for care, or where disclosure is required or permitted by law or the patient agrees.

European data protection law governing how personal and health data are collected, used, stored, and shared, giving patients rights over their records and requiring lawful, fair, transparent processing.

A patient's formal request to obtain a copy of their personal data held by the practice, which must normally be answered within one month and generally without charge.

Sharing confidential information without consent where necessary to prevent serious harm or a serious crime; the justification must be proportionate and the minimum necessary information released.

The principle that a minor under 16 may consent to treatment without a parent if they have sufficient understanding and intelligence to fully comprehend the proposed intervention.

A legal arrangement in which a person nominates someone to make decisions on their behalf should they lose capacity, potentially including decisions about health and personal welfare.

Coverage that protects a dental professional against claims arising from clinical work; maintaining adequate cover is a condition of registration and practice in Ireland.

The requirement that a registered dental professional remains competent, ethical, and healthy enough to provide safe care; concerns are investigated by the regulator through a formal process.

Ongoing learning and training activities that a registered professional must complete to maintain and improve competence, usually recorded and audited against regulator requirements.

The range of clinical and professional activities a dental professional is trained, competent, and permitted to undertake, determined by their qualification, training, and the regulator's guidance.

The process of transferring responsibility for a patient's care, for a specific problem or procedure, to a practitioner with appropriate expertise, while retaining overall responsibility for the patient.

An arrangement where two or more practitioners jointly manage a patient's treatment, with clearly agreed responsibilities and communication about who does what and when.

Oversight of a less experienced or less qualified practitioner's work by a suitably trained professional, who remains accountable for the standard and safety of care provided.

Entry on the official register maintained by the dental regulator, permitting the person to practise and use a protected title; registration may have conditions attached.

A systematic comparison of current practice against an agreed standard, followed by changes and re-measurement, used to improve quality and demonstrate ongoing competence.

Infection control measures applied to all patients regardless of known infection status, including hand hygiene, gloves, protective clothing, and safe handling of sharps and waste.

Cleaning hands with soap and water or alcohol-based rub at the correct moments, using correct technique, to reduce transmission of microorganisms between patients and staff.

An accidental puncture or cut from a needle or other contaminated instrument; it requires immediate first aid, reporting, risk assessment, and possible post-exposure prophylaxis.

Treatment, such as antiviral medication or vaccination, given after exposure to a bloodborne pathogen to reduce the chance of infection developing.

A validated process that destroys all microorganisms including bacterial spores on reusable instruments, typically by autoclave, with monitoring to confirm effectiveness.

The combined process of cleaning, disinfection, and where required sterilisation of instruments and surfaces to remove or destroy contaminants before reuse.

The radiation protection principle that an exposure is only permitted if it produces sufficient benefit to outweigh the individual detriment, considering alternatives.

The principle of keeping radiation doses as low as reasonably achievable, taking economic and social factors into account, through good technique and equipment use.

A benchmark dose for a standard radiographic examination used to identify unusually high exposures and prompt review of technique or equipment.

Restricting the X-ray beam to the smallest area consistent with the clinical need, reducing the volume of tissue irradiated and improving image contrast.

Planned checks and maintenance of radiographic equipment and processes to ensure consistent image quality at minimum dose, including equipment testing and record keeping.

A sudden, potentially life-threatening event during dental care, such as syncope, anaphylaxis, or hypoglycaemia, requiring immediate recognition and management using the practice's emergency protocol.

A severe, rapidly developing allergic reaction affecting breathing or circulation; it requires immediate intramuscular adrenaline, oxygen, and emergency services.

The set of skills used to maintain circulation and breathing in a collapsed patient, including airway opening, rescue breaths, chest compressions, and use of an automated external defibrillator.

A drug-induced depression of consciousness, usually with midazolam, in which the patient remains responsive and maintains their own airway, used to reduce anxiety during treatment.

A written or electronic instruction from a prescriber authorising the supply of a medicine, which must be legible, complete, and include dose, route, frequency, and duration.

The responsible use of antibiotics, prescribing them only when clinically indicated and choosing the narrowest effective agent, to limit resistance and adverse effects.

A list of medicines approved for use in a particular setting, with guidance on indications, doses, and restrictions, supporting safe and consistent prescribing.

A drug, such as lidocaine or articaine, that reversibly blocks nerve conduction to produce numbness in a specific area, used to allow comfortable dental treatment.

The upper limit of a drug, often calculated by body weight for local anaesthetics, that should not be exceeded to avoid toxicity; it varies with the agent and patient factors.

Measuring the depth of the gingival sulcus or pocket around each tooth with a calibrated probe, used to detect and monitor periodontal disease.

Inflammation and destruction of the tissues supporting the teeth, caused by plaque bacteria, leading to pocketing, attachment loss, and potential tooth loss if untreated.

Localised destruction of tooth tissue by acids produced by bacteria fermenting dietary sugars, progressing from enamel into dentine and potentially the pulp.

The repair of a tooth, usually with amalgam, composite, or other material, to replace lost tissue and restore form, function, and appearance.

Inflammation of the dental pulp, often causing pain, which may be reversible or irreversible and can progress to pulp necrosis and periapical infection.

Removal of inflamed or infected pulp from the root canal system, followed by cleaning, shaping, and filling, to retain a tooth that would otherwise require extraction.

Systematic examination of the mouth and neck for suspicious lesions or swellings, with urgent referral of persistent abnormalities for specialist assessment.

A two-dimensional image produced by X-rays passing through tissues, used to detect caries, bone loss, and pathology; each exposure must be justified and optimised.

The professional obligation to be open and honest with patients when something goes wrong in their care, explaining what happened, apologising, and describing what will be done.

The documented process by which a practice receives, investigates, and responds to patient complaints, with clear timescales and a route to escalate unresolved concerns.

The requirement to give patients clear, accurate information about the cost of treatment, including likely additional charges, before they agree to proceed.

The creation and retention of accurate, contemporaneous clinical records, including consent discussions, treatment details, and radiographs, in line with legal and professional requirements.

Immunisation of dental staff against bloodborne and other transmissible diseases, recommended to protect both staff and patients as part of occupational health measures.