Human Factors in Dentistry

The term “human factors” has been batted around in the healthcare setting, and more recently in relation to dentistry. You may think this doesn't relate to you, but in reality, human factors encompass every member of the team in every process and procedure we carry out. It is by recognising that human factors exist that we also recognise that as professionals we cannot be perfect all the time. Recognising and attempting to mitigate those errors forms a fundamental part of human factors. In our everyday life we make numerous errors which have little consequence normally, but they are all the result of human factors. If we translate the causes of these to healthcare, then to be distracted, to change routine or not make a list, for example, has consequences that may be much more serious.