The dentist-patient relationship is based on trust, which is vital to achieving the best interests of patients. To ensure that patients receive the best dental care possible, the General Dental Council (GDC) holds the dental team to ethical principles which require effective leadership, management skills and clinical expertise. (GDC, 2013) Ethical dilemmas involving the dental team require a diplomatic approach to resolve so that the best interests of patients are not compromised. The dental team must not discriminate against any patient regardless of their culture, ethnicity and national background, as indicated in point 1.6. .1 in the GDC guidelines (2013). Clarke et al (2009) report that over three million people in the UK come from countries where English is not the main language and almost a sixth of these lack the skills needed to communicate in a social and work context. I was faced with a situation where a Polish patient came for in-depth treatment in outreach. Due to language barriers, professional interpreters are hired to enable communication. Professional interpreters have their own National Registry of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI) guidelines. This patient's treatment plan included dental hygiene education as it was poor and smoking cessation. I decided to approach the issue in such a way as to build on what he had learned during the previous appointment, thus ensuring that I was not overloaded with information. I intended to teach him basic brushing technique and then demonstrate how to use interdental brushes (which are relatively more complex to understand) at the next appointment. The interpreter has an excellent reputation in that clinic. However, I realized that more time was spent on translation rather than... half of the paper... used in the quality improvement process provided by the dental team and in the future I will ensure that patients have the opportunity to officially submit a complaint to the reception. I am disappointed that with my position little could be offered to the patient for my mistake, but in practice I would consider offering compensation for the delay. From this experience I have learned to regularly follow up on patients' technical work to ensure that any problems are addressed promptly. In conclusion, communication breakdown is evident in the described scenarios suggesting its importance for effective teamwork. I have demonstrated honesty and been successful in handling these situations. In practice, ethical dilemmas may arise, but the best interests of the patient are still paramount and depend on maintaining trust between the dental team and the patient