Zero Tolerance Policy of All Aggression

The Practice places significant importance on the respectful treatment of its staff, including dentists and dental nursing team members.

The Practice aligns itself with the government’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ campaign for the welfare of Health Service Staff. This campaign upholds the principle that dentists, along with their staff, should be able to provide care without the fear of encountering violence or abuse. The provision of quality care relies on the foundation of mutual respect between staff and patients.

All our staff are committed to maintaining politeness, helpfulness, and sensitivity towards each patient’s unique needs and circumstances. It’s important to remember that staff often handle various tasks and challenging situations simultaneously. They understand that unwell patients may not always behave reasonably, and this is considered when addressing misunderstandings or complaints.

Nevertheless, any form of aggressive behaviour, whether violent or abusive, will not be tolerated. Such behaviour may lead to the removal of the patient from the Practice’s list and, in extreme cases, involvement of law enforcement.

To maintain a positive relationship with our patients, we kindly request all patients to be aware of and refrain from engaging in the following behaviours, which are considered unacceptable:

1. Using offensive language or swearing at practice staff.
2. Physically assaulting any member of the Smile Hub Dental Clinic Team or other patients, including pushing or shoving.
3. Verbal abuse towards staff, including insults.
4. Racial abuse and sexual harassment will not be tolerated.
5. Making persistent or unrealistic demands that cause stress to staff, with an understanding that staff will meet requests whenever possible and provide explanations when they cannot.
6. Damaging or stealing from the Practice’s premises, staff, or patients.
7. Obtaining drugs and/or medical services fraudulently.

We kindly urge you to treat dentists and their staff with courtesy at all times.

Patient Removal from the Practice List:

A strong patient-dentist relationship, built on mutual respect and trust, is fundamental to quality patient care. The removal of patients from our list is a rare and exceptional step, only taken as a last resort in cases where the patient-practice relationship has irretrievably broken down. When trust is compromised beyond repair, it is in the best interest of both the patient and the practice for the patient to seek care elsewhere. The only exception to this is immediate removal due to violent behaviour, such as cases involving the Gardai.

Removing Other Household Members:

In exceptional circumstances, it may be necessary to terminate responsibility for other family members or the entire household, primarily when home visits are required. The presence of a removed patient, who engaged in unacceptable behaviour, in the same household could pose a risk to the safety of our doctors and staff or make it challenging to continue care for the entire family. This situation is more likely when the patient has been removed due to violent or threatening behaviour.