Course Overview
This course equips dental professionals with practical, ethical, and communication-based strategies to recognise, manage, and resolve conflict constructively. It is aligned with the General Dental Council (GDC) ‘Standards for the Dental Team’, particularly regarding professionalism, mutual respect, confidentiality, and working in the patient’s best interests.
Course Aims
This course aims to:
- Increase awareness of the common sources of workplace conflict in dental settings.
- Reinforce the GDC’s ethical standards in managing and resolving disputes.
- Develop communication, listening, and mediation skills to support team cohesion.
- Encourage the use of conflict management to improve team performance, patient safety, and care quality.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will:
- Understand how conflict arises in dental practices and its impact on staff and patients.
- Apply GDC guidance to navigate conflicts while maintaining professional conduct.
- Practise conflict resolution techniques such as structured communication, active listening, and negotiation.
- Use mediation strategies where appropriate to reach fair and sustainable outcomes.
- Protect patient interests and ensure continuity of care throughout any conflict.
- Maintain confidentiality and document conflict outcomes in a manner aligned with ethical and legal expectations.
Learning Outcomes
Participants will be able to:
- Describe GDC expectations for managing conflict with professionalism, discretion, and fairness.
- Identify and assess the causes and effects of workplace conflict in dental teams.
- Apply evidence-based techniques for communication, problem-solving, and mediation.
- Resolve conflict in a way that protects team relationships, supports patient-centred care, and reduces disruption.
- Maintain appropriate documentation and confidentiality when handling workplace disputes.
- Promote a respectful and psychologically safe workplace culture.
GDC Outcomes:
A, B, D
Review Date:
January 2027
