An AGD member recently requested guidance after a concerning incident with a patient during a scheduled appointment: 

“The patient has come to the practice for appointments while intoxicated and occasionally reeks of alcohol. At her last appointment, she admitted to taking tranquilizers before coming in. Because the patient drives herself to and from appointments, I am concerned that she might harm herself or someone else. How should I proceed?”

Given the prevalence of substance use and abuse, this is a scenario that will likely happen to most dentists, and it presents legal, ethical and practical challenges. AGD Impact Legal Matters columnist Jake Kathleen Marcus, Esq., tackled the many layers of this and similar scenarios.

Read the breakdown in the September issue of AGD Impact.

If you have a question you’d like one of our columnists to address in a future issued, please contact impact@agd.org.