Safeguarding in dentistry: Why it’s the whole team’s responsibility
Published on 20/11/2025
By Lynn Watson, Denplan Academy Trainer
As dental professionals, you do more than just look after patients’ teeth; you play a vital role in protecting their overall wellbeing. Safeguarding is a key part of that responsibility, and it involves every member of the dental team.
The role of every team member
Whether you’re a dentist, dental nurse, hygienist, receptionist, or practice manager, you’re in a unique position. You build trusted relationships with patients and see them regularly, which means you might be among the first to notice when something doesn’t seem quite right, whether it’s a physical sign of harm or a change in someone’s behaviour.
Recognising signs and taking action
Safeguarding is about being alert, asking the right questions, and knowing what to do if you’re concerned. It’s also about creating a safe, welcoming environment where patients feel comfortable and respected. This is especially important for children, older adults, and people with additional needs, who may be more vulnerable.
Having clear safeguarding policies in place, ensuring everyone is trained and confident in using them, and knowing how to make a referral when needed is essential. It’s not just about ticking boxes; it’s about being ready to act, feeling confident to raise a concern with your safeguarding lead, and knowing they understand how to escalate it appropriately.
Safeguarding isn’t just about responding to problems; it’s also about prevention. By building trust, listening carefully, and treating patients with dignity, you help create a culture where people feel safe to speak up and where harm is less likely to occur.
Legal responsibilities and evolving training needs
It’s also a legal and professional duty. The General Dental Council (GDC) expects practices to put patients’ interests first and act to protect them from harm (see GDC Standards - Principle One). Regulatory bodies want to see safeguarding as a priority for the whole practice team.
Keeping up to date with training is vital. Safeguarding guidance evolves over time. In the last decade, topics like grooming, hate crime, radicalisation, and modern slavery have become essential parts of safeguarding awareness.
Safeguarding training opportunities at Denplan Training Academy
At the Denplan Training Academy, we offer a range of ways to access safeguarding training. For teams who want to learn together, we provide in-house sessions as part of our Tailor-made Training days. We also run live online sessions open to all team members, and Denplan Plus practices can access training at any time via our Learning Management System, which works seamlessly across all devices. For Safeguarding Leads, our Level 3 Safeguarding Course is available live online every 3 months.
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