Patient Rights & Responsibilities

Thank you for choosing the UNC School of Dentistry Dental Faculty Practice (DFP) for your dental care. The Dental Faculty Practice is part of a comprehensive care oriented research and educational institution committed to the highest quality of dental care. The patient care mission of the School of Dentistry and the DFP is to provide our patients with healthy and satisfying dental care experiences.

The Dental Faculty Practice is committed to the highest quality of patient care. We strive to work with patient(s) or parent(s)/guardian(s) of patients to develop satisfying professional relationships. We encourage patients to learn about their oral condition and to participate in the treatment of that condition. We want to develop relationships of mutual trust, cooperation, and respect between patients and their dentists.

YOU AS A PERSON...We strive to recognize and respect your dignity. You should expect to be treated with consideration and respect regardless of your race, creed, national origin, age, disability, gender, or income level.

SERVICES YOU NEED...The DFP provides our patients with diagnostic and treatment services consistent with the urgency of their needs. As a patient, you will be informed of the types of services the DFP can and cannot provide for you. You will be informed of your need for, and the availability of, appointments. If your relationship with the DFP ends, for whatever reason, we will inform you of any further treatment needs.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR PLAN OF CARE...You are entitled to a clear explanation of your oral condition, the treatment(s) recommended, the alternatives to treatment(s), any possible risks involved with the treatment(s) proposed, the estimated costs, who will provide your care, and approximately how long the treatment may take. If any complication(s) develop during treatment that could alter the treatment plan, the nature of the complication(s) will be explained to you.

CONSENT AND REFUSAL OF TREATMENT...You have the right to participate in making decisions about your dental treatment and to have your questions answered before beginning any course of treatment. Any treatment you receive will meet appropriate standards of care. You have the right to refuse treatment at the DFP in which case, you will be notified as to the possible results of refusing treatment.

CONFIDENTIALITY...Your treatment will be discussed with as much consideration as possible for your privacy. Information from your treatment record will not be released without your written permission, except as required by law or for the purposes of an insurance contract.

Your responsibilities as a patient or as the parent/guardian of a patient in our practice are:

• To be considerate and respectful of other patients, and the staff of the Dental Faculty Practice.
• To share complete and accurate information about your medical and dental history including: previous illnesses, hospitalizations, exposure to communicable diseases, medications you are taking, allergies, and any current medical care you are receiving.
• To inform us of any changes in your general health condition, and to inform us if you experience any unusual or unexpected discomfort or any complications following a treatment procedure.
• To ask questions in order to better understand the nature of your oral conditions and the treatment provided.
• To follow instructions given about your care.
• To keep your scheduled appointments or give us advance notice if you must cancel an appointment.
• To pay for all services at the time the services are provided unless other arrangements have been made through the Patient Accounting Office.

Last modified: December 14, 2007