title: [Dentistry and healthcare legislation 6. The effect of self-regulation in dental healthcare].
abstract: Regulations which have been established by the professional community or by an organization of which a dentist is a member (self-regulation) have a more significant legal effect on dental care than many dentists realize. A dentist can only deviate from these regulations if he does so when motivated by the patient's best interests. Self-regulation can be relevant at the level of the professional community, the organization or the individual dentist. Self-regulation should satisfy a number of criteria if it is to be applicable to an entire professional community, specifically: it must be sufficiently authoritative, it must harmonize with existing laws and regulations and it must be easily accessible to both professionals and patients. The application of self-regulation is sometimes limited to a specific group, for example dentists who have signed a working agreement with a certain health insurance provider or who work in a certain institution. Self-regulation can entail liability not only on the part of the healthcare professional but also, in theory, on the part of those who establish the regulations.
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Brands
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: van der Ven
authors.forename: M A J
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Eijkman
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003729:Dental Care; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007879:Legislation, Dental; D009426:Netherlands; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists'; D017009:Professional Autonomy