Using simulation to evaluate clinical competence after impairment.

It is important for individual dentists and the profession to have access to a process for evaluating the clinical competence of practitioners who are professionally impaired as a result of an accident or a medical disability. No common standards for such evaluations currently exist, however, as demand for this type of assessment is still rare. This article reviews the evaluative approach taken by a team of experienced dental educators in examining three dentists who suffered from medical disabilities. An attempt was made to standardize the evaluation process by using clinical simulation to create an environment that would be comfortable for the dentists and acceptable to the lawyers and the insurance companies. Following evaluation, recommendations on individual competence were made, contributing to a faster resolution of legal and insurance issues.