‘Satisficing’ in dentistry: who decides? who benefits?

• DOI: 10.12968/denu.2024.51.2.86
• Publication Date: 2024-02-15T17:27:46Z
• Authors: Martin Kelleher; Kevin Lewis
• Keywords: Satisficing

This series of articles challenges some popular myths about supposedly ‘ideal’ treatment plans, and is designed to provoke reflection stimulate debate. It explains the concept ‘satisficing’ (as opposed ‘maximizing’) in dentistry, illustrates how subconscious bias self-interests might lead supposed experts promote arbitrary aspirational standards confuse them with what law expects (the Bolam Test standard) genuinely best interests an individual patient. argued that sound, patient-centred pragmatic planning equally valid, wider applicability than routinely defaulting a self-serving ‘maximalist’ approach, often on spurious grounds. CPD/Clinical Relevance: The has wide profound application across many fields dentistry; this first part basic principles why it relevant various aspects practical dentistry also our understanding professionalism.