Informed consent is not signing a form. It is making your own decision after you understand what the treatment is, its risks, the alternatives and the consequences. The signature is the record of that process. It does not replace it.
Turkish patient rights rules expect medical treatment to rest on the patient's informed consent, given after the person carrying it out has informed the patient. For foreign patients, authorised facilities are also expected to prepare the consent form in the patient's language, signed by the patient and the doctor. Do not sign a form you do not understand, or before you have heard the alternatives.
What consent is, and what it is not
Consent is
- A decision made after being told, in a language you understand, about the treatment, risks and alternatives.
- A clear agreement on what will be done and who will do it.
- Ongoing: if the plan changes, you are asked again.
- Inclusive of your right to refuse or stop.
Consent is not
- A signature put in front of you in the chair, when treatment is about to start.
- An open-ended sentence such as “I accept any procedure”.
- A document you sign once and forget.
- A promise that stops you from changing your mind.
The General Dental Council (GDC) standards make the same distinction: the signature matters, but it is the conversation with the patient that decides whether consent is valid. Legal writers also stress that a signed form alone does not prove the patient was informed.
The legal framework in Türkiye
- Patient Rights Regulation
- Published 1 August 1998 (RG 23420). It recognises the patient's consent and the right to be informed, and defines consent as accepting a medical intervention freely and with information. The current text is on mevzuat.gov.tr.
- 2014 amendment
- The patient is informed orally by the health professional who will carry out the procedure. Legal articles say this made consent and information a duty of the doctor, with rules on proving that information was given.
- Written consent
- Some procedures need it. Which dental procedures do depends on practice and rules that vary. University dental faculties use separate forms for implants, root canals and fillings.
- Enough time
- Except in emergencies, information should be given with reasonable time and respect for privacy (as summarised in hospital guidance notes).
- Foreign patients (Annex 1)
- The consent form is in the patient's language, signed by the patient and the treating doctor, and a treatment summary is given at discharge.
- Case law
- Legal articles report that the Court of Cassation has held that a general consent to surgery does not show informed consent. This is from a secondary source and needs a lawyer's check.
- Patients under 18
- Where a child cannot make the decision, the legal representative (parent or guardian) gives consent.
Eight things good consent covers
| Element | The question | Dental example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The procedure | Exactly what will be done? | Which procedure on which tooth (by number): implant, veneer, crown, root canal |
| 2. The reason | Why is it recommended? | A health problem or cosmetic? Were less invasive options tried? |
| 3. Alternatives | What else is possible, and what if I do nothing? | Bridge or denture instead of an implant; whitening or orthodontics instead of veneers |
| 4. Risks and complications | What can go wrong, and how often? | Infection, implant loss, nerve effects, sensitivity, a restoration coming off |
| 5. Irreversibility | Can it be undone? | Where tooth is removed (tooth preparation), it cannot be put back |
| 6. Who does it | Which dentist? Will an assistant or another dentist be involved? | The name of the dentist who will carry out the treatment |
| 7. Time, cost, guarantee | How many sessions, what total, what guarantee? | How the price and your approval work if an extra procedure is needed |
| 8. Afterwards | Healing, check-ups, care | The check-up schedule and who to contact in an emergency |
What a university implant form says (an example)
Consent forms published by Turkish dental faculties for implants explain what the treatment is; the alternatives (no treatment, a bridge or a removable denture); possible complications (infection, loss of the implant, problems with the prosthesis); that the first plan may change; that extra procedures such as bone grafting may be needed; and the patient's right to stop or refuse. This shows what sections a good form can contain. This site does not recommend or endorse any institution's form.
Before you sign: step by step
- Ask for the form in advanceand read it at home, calmly. If you can, ask for it to be emailed before treatment day.
- Check it is in a language you understand.If a section is unclear, ask, and request an interpreter or a written translation.
- Compare the form with the treatment plan.Are the teeth, procedures, materials and dentist's name the same?
- Hear the alternatives and risks from the dentist.Reading the form does not replace talking to the dentist.
- Leave no blank fields.Every field should be filled before you sign. Spaces left to be filled in later are risky.
- Question vague sentences.For example, “additional procedures may be performed if necessary”: which ones, at what price, with your approval?
- Ask for a copyof the signed form and the treatment plan.
- No changes after signing.Ask that nothing on the form or plan changes afterwards, and that your approval is requested again if it does.
- Take your time.Asking for time to think, or for a second opinion, is your right.
Phrases you can use
Tap a phrase to copy it.
Warning signs
- The consent form is only in Turkish, with no translation or interpreter.
- You are asked to sign on treatment day, in the chair, in a hurry.
- Blank fields, or open-ended wording such as “I accept any treatment”.
- Alternatives and risks are never explained, with only “success rate” and “guarantee” stressed.
- You are refused a copy.
- The form and the written plan do not match (for example, veneers in the plan and crowns on the form).
- The dentist who will treat you is not named.
- The form or the price changes after you sign.
One warning sign alone does not show that an organisation is bad. If several come together, stop, ask questions and, if needed, get a second opinion.
If the plan or price changes
Under GDC standards, if the planned treatment or the estimated cost changes, the patient must agree to the change again and this must be recorded. Turkish competence criteria and the regulation also stress information and consent duties.
Secondary summaries of the regulation say that in urgent situations that cannot be postponed, the scope of an intervention may be widened without asking. That exception is no reason to widen the procedure or the price in cosmetic or planned dental care. If something changes in planned treatment, stop and ask for your approval again.
Sedation and anaesthesia
GDC standards require written consent for conscious sedation or general anaesthesia. If sedation or general anaesthesia is planned in Türkiye, also ask who will give it (an anaesthetist), where, what the risks are and what the emergency plan is. Which rules apply depends on the type of facility, so ask the clinic which rules it follows.
Withdrawing consent and stopping
You can stop or refuse treatment even after giving consent (see the patient rights page). Ask what the consequences would be, for example the risk of unfinished treatment or extra cost. GDC guidance says the consequences of not continuing, and who is responsible for later problems, should be explained, so ask for this in writing before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
I signed but did not understand. Is it valid?
Whether it is valid depends on the case in law, and a form alone does not prove that you were informed. If you did not understand, stop before signing. If you have already signed, ask the organisation in writing for an explanation straight away and keep your documents (see the complaints page).
The form says crown, but I asked for veneers. What do I do?
Stop before the procedure, ask for a written explanation, and clarify with the dentist the difference between a veneer and a crown (how much tooth is removed). Get a second opinion if needed.
Who signs the consent form?
At authorised facilities, the patient and the doctor sign (Annex 1). The person who gives the information is expected to be the health professional who will carry out the procedure. A sales representative or coordinator does not replace the dentist.
Is written consent compulsory?
Legal sources say consent must be written in some cases, and that written consent is strongly advised in others. Which dental procedures legally need it is not set out clearly in the sources we used. For your own safety, ask for written consent and a plan for every important procedure.
What about a child under 18?
For a child who cannot decide, consent comes from a parent or guardian. Ask an expert for details.
Sources
- Patient Rights Regulation (text)
- NTV: the 2014 amendment (news, secondary)
- Informed consent in Turkish law (legal article, secondary)
- Adequacy of surgical consent forms (academic study)
- Patient rights lecture slides (university, secondary)
- Regulation annexes, 2025 (Official Gazette PDF)
- GDC Standards for the Dental Team, principle 3: valid consent
- DDU: quick guide to consent in dentistry (secondary)
- DWF Group: informed consent to dental treatment (secondary)
- Example university consent form: dental implant
- Example university consent form: implant surgery