Malpractice Minefields: How Dentists Get Sued - and How to Stay Clear

Featuring: David L. Alvord, DDS

Thursday, January 28, 2027, 7 pm to 9 pm MST

Location: The University of Utah, School of Dentistry,  530 S. Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84108

Dinner and Registration: 6:30 pm to 7:00 pm; Presentation: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

CDE Hours Awarded: 2 Lecture Hours

Conflicts of Interest: No Conflicts

Education Methods:  Live Lecture

Required Experience: Dental Professional

AGD subject codes: 565

External Funding: N/A

COURSE INFORMATION & WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

Every day in clinical practice, dentists navigate hidden risks, small missteps that can trigger outsized legal consequences. In today’s post-COVID landscape, those risks have multiplied, and the terrain has become far more volatile.

Dr. Alvord has handled dozens of malpractice cases each year and brings a front-line perspective on where practices most often go wrong. This course maps the most common “pressure points” that lead to lawsuits, highlights the non-negotiable documentation that can make or break your defense, and shares what attorneys are looking for when they build a case against you.

You’ll also gain insight into why litigation has surged in recent years and how shifting patient expectations, communication breakdowns, and record-keeping gaps are turning routine encounters into legal flashpoints.

Most importantly, this course equips you with practical strategies to identify danger zones early, strengthen your documentation, and protect both your patients and your professional standing. Because in a minefield, it’s not enough to move forward; you need to know exactly where to step.

After completing this program, the dental professional should be able to:

• Identify the most common clinical, communication, and documentation pitfalls that lead to malpractice claims against dentists.
• Recognize the non-negotiable records, consent forms, and charting practices essential to legal protection and defense.
• Apply practical risk-management strategies to reduce exposure to litigation and protect professional licensure and reputation.

Featured Speaker: David L. Alvord, DDS

David L. Alvord, DDS. From 2004 to 2021, Dr. Alvord practiced general dentistry in South Jordan, Utah. During those years, Dr. Alvord became involved in local politics, served as South Jordan Mayor from 2014 to 2018, and later served on the Salt Lake County Council from 2021 to 2025. In 2021, Dr. Alvord sold his private practice and became CEO of Professional Insurance Exchange (PIE), which insures nearly 2/3 of Utah’s dentists. In this role, Dr. Alvord has handled a wide range of lawsuits and has begun to identify patterns and trends that uniquely qualify him to share his insights with Utah dentists. 

Disclosure: 

*Neither the speaker(s), planner(s), nor anyone in control of content for this live activity has any financial relationship with commercial products or services discussed.