CUSPID Institute helps dental teams create safer environments for patients and prevent avoidable incidents that can damage patient trust and lead to costly malpractice claims.
Dentistry is generally safe. However, adverse events do occur, and research shows that a notable proportion of these events result in serious harm, including permanent injury or even death. In a review of published dental incident reports, nearly a quarter of patients involved in an adverse event experienced permanent harm, and about one in ten of those reported events resulted in death. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
While most harms in dentistry are mild or moderate, these findings highlight opportunities to make dental care even safer by applying harm‑prevention science and learning from past incidents to prevent future ones. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
CUSPID Institute™ leverages nationally recognized patient safety frameworks, including the Pediatric Dentistry Safety Toolkit and the Johns Hopkins CUSP model adapted for dentistry, to help dental professionals prevent patient harm and raise the standard of care across dental practices. Using the proven Safety CUSP framework, we created CUSPID (Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program In Dentistry), an innovative model designed to advance patient safety in every dental setting.
Our Mission
Guided by the ethical principle “First, do no harm,” our mission is to advance patient safety in dentistry by intercepting preventable errors before they lead to an adverse event and reaching a zero-harm environment by empowering dental professionals with evidence-based education.
Unlike OSHA, which focuses on workplace regulations, CUSPID focuses on preventing patient harm through safety culture and system improvement.
Why Patient Safety in Dentistry?
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recognizes patient safety as an essential component of quality oral health care for infants, children, adolescents, and those with special health care needs. The AAPD encourages oral health care professionals to consider thoughtfully the environment in which they deliver health care services and to implement practices to improve patient safety. While pediatric dentistry offers a strong model for safety, patient safety cannot be limited to pediatric offices alone, as incidents can occur in every dental setting.
Research shows that up to 80% of incidents that cause patient harm are preventable. That is why CUSPID’s training for dental professionals is developed based on proven safety practices from medicine that not only protect patients but also reduce costly malpractice claims and strengthen your practice’s reputation.
Did You Know?
In South Carolina, a patient went to a dental clinic to have a few upper teeth extracted for a partial denture, but due to a preventable error, the wrong teeth were removed. The dentist and clinic were found negligent, and a jury awarded $2 million in damages, including $1.5 million in punitive damages.
How CUSPID Training Differs from Traditional OSHA Training
👉 OSHA protects providers. 👉 CUSPID protects patients.
OSHA focuses on provider safety. OSHA protects dental staff through regulatory compliance and workplace safety measures, such as PPE protocols, exposure control plans, and infection prevention systems.
CUSPID focuses on patient safety. CUSPID protects patients by preventing clinical errors, adverse events, and communication breakdowns during dental care. CUSPID equips dental teams with practical, proven tools, including safety checklists, time-out protocols, just culture, root cause analysis, and systems that encourage staff to speak up for safety.
Simply put: OSHA protects you. CUSPID protects your patients. When both are done right, everyone wins.
Patient Safety Training & Quality Improvement Overview
We start with the SafeSmile Survey™ (S³) to assess your team’s safety culture, followed by customized training for your dental team. You can also receive advanced training and 4 CE credits, which makes your office eligible for SafeSmile Certified Office™ recognition, a prominent display in your reception area that demonstrates your commitment to patient safety. Additionally, to address your specific patient safety concerns, we provide in-depth consultation using quality improvement tools such as Root Cause Analysis (RCA) toolkits and Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles.
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The SafeSmile Survey™ (S³) measures your team’s safety culture and identifies strengths and areas for improvement. Based on the results, we provide customized training tailored to your dental team.
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After your initial safety training, you may choose to receive advanced 2-hour safety sessions to deepen your team’s skills. Completing this training makes your office eligible for SafeSmile Certified Office™ recognition, which can be proudly displayed in your reception area as a testament to your commitment to patient safety.
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We provide consultations to address your office’s specific patient safety challenges. Using proven tools like Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, your team learns how to investigate incidents, implement effective changes, and continuously strengthen safety practices.
After successful completion of SafeSmile Survey™ (S³), customized training, and advanced training, dental practices will be awarded the SafeSmile Certified Office™ recognition. This certificate can be proudly displayed in your office and used in marketing to showcase your commitment to maintaining a safe dental environment and prioritizing patient safety.
