ABSTRACT
There are limits to how much responsibility one person can shoulder. Delegation of authority confers the right of decision making. The decision making process carries an element of responsibility to ensure at least minimum standards of performance. Responsibility is the consequence of authority, although it must be remembered that although the managerial responsibility is carried by the subordinate, the ethical and clinical responsibility of many delegated tasks ultimately rests with the dentist. Many dentists are understandably reluctant to relinquish any control, just like doting parents refusing to leave their infants with baby-minders, and may back away from the challenge of choosing suitable employees. The scope for delegation of clinical duties is limited in the UK. Dental assistants are not able to carry out expanded duties as they are in the US, for example, where dental assistants are able to perform numerous tasks on behalf of the dentist.
