Informed consent comprehension and recollection in adult dental patients

Drs. Narjara Moreira and Carlos Flores-Mir from the University of Alberta, spoke with Dr. Chiraz Guessaier about their recently published article in the Journal of the American Dental Association, titled: Informed consent comprehension and recollection in adult dental patients. A systematic review (August 2016)

Highlights

• Patients’ ability to recollect and comprehend treatment information plays a fundamental role in their decision making.
• The authors considered original studies assessing recollection or comprehension of dental informed consent in adults.
• Nineteen studies were included: 5 randomized clinical trials, 8 cross-sectional studies, 3 qualitative studies, 2 mixedmethods studies, and 1 case series.
• Patient self-reported understanding ranged positively, with most patients feeling that they understood all or almost all the information presented. Results of qualitative data analyses indicated that patients did not always understand explanations, although dentists thought they did. Some patients firmly stated that they did not receive any related information. Only a few patients were able to remember complications related to their treatment options.
• Results of this systematic review should alert dentists that although patients in general report that they understand information given to them, they may have limited comprehension. Additional media may improve conventional informed consent processes in dentistry in a meaningful way.