Belle Maudsley Lecture 2001. Risk management in orthodontics--making clinical practice safer.

Facing a civil claim for negligence or prosecution for breach of Health and Safety law is something that any sensible clinician wishes to avoid. This review discusses the main areas of risk in clinical practice and how such risks can be minimized when acting as a clinician and as an employer. Although orthodontic examples are used to highlight particular points, this paper is also relevant to general dental practice.