STANDARD 8: Risk Management

8.1 Planning, Assessment, and Management

1. The dental organization shall consider, prioritize, and identify significant risks to the facility. These considerations shall address methods to prevent and mitigate risks to the: 

a) safety of all personnel, patients, and interested parties; 

b) preservation of physical/life safety component; 

c) maintenance of necessary resources including human, educational, infrastructure, and financial resources; 

d) other operational and strategic risk.

2. The elements of 8.1.1. above shall define the establishment and required content of a risk register. This risk register shall be maintained as documented information and contain details of: 

a) risk identification; 

b) risk prioritization; 

c) risk assessment (probability vs consequence); 

d) risk reporting (documentation in the risk register); 

e) risk mitigation and corrective actions if necessary; 

f) investigation of adverse events; 

g) management of related claims;

h) any requirements specified in 4.1.

NOTE 1 Risk register methodology is a process to define, record, analyze, and learn from incidents that impact the dental organization including but not limited to:

a) errors relating to adverse patient events including improper identification; 

b) medication errors; 

c) opiate associated mal occurrences; 

d) low volume, high risk procedure; 

e) other acute or long-term risk to patient focus, safety, or facility integrity as determined necessary; 

f) grievance and other claims; 

g) infection prevention and control issues as described in standard 14 h) errors or mal-occurences associated with moderate sedation.

3. The dental organization management shall review the results of risk management efforts in order to:

a) monitor and measure the results of changes and their outcomes to ensure and enhance desired results; 

b) inform patients and or their families of adverse events or medical errors according to national law; 

c) manage associated claims as required by this standard or national law; 

d) prevent, or reduce, undesired outcomes; 

e) achieve continual improvement; 

f) promote customer satisfaction.