'Climate of fear' in new graduates: the perfect storm?

Today's dental graduates are entering the profession in a difficult environment, where patient complaints, litigation and referrals to the regulator are commonplace. This has been cited as causing a 'climate of fear'. However, in order to understand the pressures facing our new graduates, we must first understand how recent changes in society have affected the way in which this generation has been raised. We should also accept the role of individuals, and the profession as a whole, in changing the current climate and promoting graduates' professional development through appropriate risk management, coaching and mentoring.