Questions and Answers for Dental Nurses. Carole Hollins

in front of friends or girlfriends/boyfriends. It is best to provide their oral hygiene instruction away from others, in a face‐to‐face session where they can ask questions without appearing silly and where difficult topics such as smoking can be discussed without others overhearing.

      2 The correct answer is h). Modern hearing aids have switches that enable normal sound to be received differently when activated around a hearing loop device. When in use, amplified background noise is blocked while speech is transmitted clearly so the patient and reception staff can converse normally through the glass.

      3 The correct answer is g). Eye rolling when being confronted about an issue indicates a lack of care or interest by the person being challenged. It can be interpreted as almost saying ‘so what?’ or ‘not again?’ by the challenger and is rude, dismissive and inflammatory.

      4 The correct answer is b). Facing someone while they are talking to you indicates that you are listening to what they say and they have your attention. It is polite to do so and can often diffuse a tense situation.

      5 The correct answer is d). When a group of individuals, especially of a similar age, require oral hygiene instruction and information it is best to provide it in a group session. That way, everyone is engaged and occupied at the same time so that no one is left out and no one becomes bored.

1a Consent and Record Keeping

      Multiple choice questions

      1 One of the requirements of gaining valid consent from patients is to ensure that they understand the decisions they are being asked to make about their dental care and treatment. Which one of the following options is the most efficient technique of showing that a patient has the necessary understanding of the proposed treatment?Pay for the treatmentRepeat back the information they have been givenSign a consent formTell their family about the treatmentUndergo the treatment

      2 The issue of consent is a complicated one but of great importance to the dental team. All team members must have a suitable understanding of the issue to allow them to work in line with the GDC’s Standards requirements of the dental professions. Which one of the following options is the term used to describe consent that has been given by the patient without coercion or threat from another person?AbilityInformedSpecificValidVoluntary

      3 To give informed consent the patient must be deemed competent to give it and have the mental capacity to show understanding of the situation. Which one of the following options is not a requirement for a patient to be deemed competent and have mental capacity?Ability to verbally agree or disagreeUnderstand consequences of declining treatmentUnderstand consequences of having treatment Understand treatment is requiredUnderstand what is wrong

      4 To be able to give consent for their own treatment, patients must be deemed competent to do so and have the mental capacity to show they have a full understanding of the situation. In some circumstances a patient may be deemed to be ‘Gillick competent’ and therefore able to give consent. Which one of the following options is the group of patients most likely to be deemed ‘Gillick competent’?Child to age of 16 yearsCompetent adultHolder of Lasting Power of AttorneyParent of child to 16 yearsPatient 16–18 years old

      5 The ability of others to give consent for treatment on behalf of a patient is enshrined in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice. Which one of the following options is the main principle that all those acting on behalf of someone deemed incompetent must follow, in line with this Act?Access minimal care whenever possibleAccess NHS care whenever possibleAcquire most cost‐effective treatmentAct in best interests of patientKeep appointment times

      6 The Data Protection Act 1998 was updated in 2018 to include the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). These require organisations to be more accountable in the way they collect, use, store and dispose of personal information. Which one of the following options is the main aim of the GDPR?Allow data access between hospitalsAllow data access between primary and secondary careEncourage market researchPrevent data being destroyedPrevent data being shared without consent

      7 Patient records may be kept as hard (paper) copies, as digital records on a computer or as a combination of both. Whichever method is used, they must be written at the time of seeing the patient or as soon as possible after, so that they are in date order. Which one of the following options is the correct term for this particular requirement?AccurateComprehensiveContemporaneousData protectionProbity

      8 As all members of the dental team have access to, and deal with, patient information on a daily basis, it is a requirement under the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2018 that all healthcare personnel understand the regulations and how to comply with them. Which one of the following options is the section of GDPR that explains the procedure to be followed by the workplace when patients wish to read their own dental records?ConsentIndividual rightsLawful basisPrivacySubject access request

      9 Occasionally a dental workplace may have more than one patient with the same first name and surname. It is vitally important that two patients and their records do not become mixed up, otherwise incorrect or inappropriate treatment, non‐referral or wrong charges may occur. Which one of the following options is the minimum amount of information that should be checked with patients to confirm their correct identity?Name, address, clinicianName, address, date of birthName, clinician, date of birthName, clinician, reason for attendanceName, reason for attendance

      10 The Data Protection Act 1998 was updated in 2018 with the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). Their aim is to protect the confidentiality of sensitive personal data held at the workplace, including dental and health records. Which one of the following is the medico‐legally recommended length of time that dental records of adult patients should be retained by the workplace before they are securely destroyed?2 years6 years11 years25 yearsNever destroyed

      11 Patients have the right of access to their own manual or computerised medical and dental records written since November 1991, under the Data Protection Act 1998, the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2018 and the Access to Health Records Act 1990. Strict provisos are in place to ensure the release of these records is carried out appropriately. Which one of the following options is not a requirement for the correct release of a patient’s dental records?Data controller must approve accessData controller must respond within 1 monthDental terminology must be explained on request Patient must pay an administration feePatient request must be made in writing

      12 As all members of the dental team have access to, and deal with, patient information on a daily basis it is a requirement under the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2018 that all healthcare personnel understand the regulations and how to comply with them. Which one of the following options is the section of GDPR that explains how a patient’s information is shared with others?ConsentIndividual rightsLawful basisPrivacySubject access request

      13 Under the General Data Protection Regulations 2018 the dental workplace must identify the legal reason for which it holds information about both staff and patients. There are six legal bases identified, and one or more of these must be stated for each area of information held. Which one of the following options is the legal basis for NHS workplaces to hold statistical information about their patients, such as how many fall into a certain age range?ConsentContractualLegal obligationLegitimate interestPublic interest

Extended matching questions

      For each of the following consent and record keeping questions, select the single most appropriate answer from the option list. Each option might be used once, more than once or not at all.

      1 Access to Health Records 1990

      2 Consent

      3 Contractual

      4 Data Protection Act 1998

      5 Freedom of Information Act 2000

      6 General Data Protection Regulations 2018

      7 Legal obligation

      8 Legitimate interest

      9 Mental Capacity Act 2005

      10 Public