When to decline a case — and how
UniDent editorial team · July 28, 2026
Medically reviewed by: Dr Aleks Aleksiev · reviewed July 28, 2026
Not every case belongs in a teaching clinic, and saying so is not incompetence — it is part of the judgement. The problem is never the refusal itself but its timing: said at the start it is care; said after treatment has begun it is abandonment.
When a case usually is not for here
- An emergency — swelling, fever, severe pain right now.
- A scope of work that cannot finish in the time remaining.
- A medical condition calling for a specialist approach.
- Expectations a teaching clinic cannot meet.
Say it early
A patient told no at the first conversation loses an afternoon. A patient told no after treatment has started loses time, money and trust — and tells everyone who asks.
How to say it
Explain what about the case makes it unsuitable rather than that it "cannot be done". Say where they might get help. Do not diagnose, and do not promise what they will find elsewhere — just be clear and specific about the limit.
A form of words that works: "This case needs more than I can take on in a teaching clinic. I would rather not start something I cannot finish properly. Let me point you towards where to go next."
A refusal is not a lost patient
Someone turned down honestly often comes back with a different case, or sends a friend. Someone left halfway through never comes back at all.
What to do next
- Discuss a doubtful case with your supervisor before arranging an appointment.
- If the case is unsuitable, say so at the first conversation.
- Point the person to where they can go next, without diagnosing.
Sources
- Dental medicine curricula (public information)