Under which circumstances can you share patient information without consent?

• A. Risk of harm to patient or others
• B. For routine marketing purposes
• C. To improve staff morale
• D. If the patient requests a copy of their file

Answer: (A)

Confidentiality protects what a patient has shared, but there are times when safety overrides privacy. You can share information without consent when there is a real risk that not disclosing it could result in harm to the patient or to others. This is the legitimate exception that underpins safeguarding and public-safety duties in dental practice. For example, if there’s information suggesting imminent harm, abuse, or a threat to someone’s safety, disclosing the necessary details to the right person or authority can be justified to prevent that harm.

Options that involve routine marketing or boosting staff morale have no safety justification and would breach privacy. A patient asking for a copy of their file involves the patient exercising their own data-rights, typically through a formal access request, and isn’t an instance of sharing without consent. In all cases, document what you disclosed and why, and follow the proper procedures to ensure the disclosure is lawful and appropriate.