This reminds dentist that they have to put the patient first, to involve patient in treatment decisions in a meaningful way, and to treat the patient taking into account the patient’s desires, as long as those desires are within the bounds of accepted treatment.
Code of Ethics in Dentistry
What are the 5 principles of ethics in dentistry?
- Patient autonomy
- Non maleficence
- Beneficence
- Justice
- Veracity
This means acknowledging that patients who have decision-making capacity have the right to make decisions regarding their care, even when their decisions contradict their clinicians recommendations.
Patient autonomy (self governance)
Is usually expressed as the right of adults with the capacity to make informed decisions about their own medical care.
Autonomy
The dentist has a duty to refrain from harming the patient. This principle expresses the concept that professionals have a duty to protect the patient from harm.
Non maleficence (do not harm)
The dentist has a duty to promote the patient’s welfare. This principle expresses the concept that professionals have a duty to act for the benefit of others. Under this principle, the dentist’s primary obligation is service to the patient and the public-at-
large.
Beneficence (do good)
The dentist must treat people fairly. This principle expresses that professionals must be fair in dealing with patients, colleagues, and society. Under this principle, the dentist’s primary obligations include dealing with people justly and delivering dental care without prejudice.
Justice (fairness)
This principle expresses the concept that professionals have a duty to be honest and trustworthy in their dealings with people.
Veracity (truthfulness)
It is the science that guides judgment concerning the morality of human acts.
Ethics
It is the human conduct itself in the light of ethics; it is the application of ethics.
Morals
Refer to that type of behavior that tends to become customary because of the approval of practices of the group.
Ethics and morals
Dentist duties to his/her patients
- Must be properly licensed
- Must exercise reasonable skill, care, and judgment
- Must do only those things consented to by the patient
- Must refer unusual cases to a specialist
- Must use standard drugs, materials, and techniques
- Must complete agreed-upon treatment within a reasonable time
- Must hold inviolate the patient’s privacy
- Must give adequate instruction to the patient
- Must make a reasonable charge for the services rendered
Dentist duties to public?
- Dentist has to assume the leadership role in the community on matters related to dental health.
- Must act in a manner that will enhance the prestige and reputation of the profession.
- Must ensure not to mislead the public in respect of the scope of entitlement to care or limitation of
insurance coverage. - Must not either mislead the public or impugn the professional reputation or integrity of colleagues.
- May provide an information service but this must comply with the professional rules regarding, in particular, the independence, dignity, and honor of the patient, professional secrecy, and fairness toward the public and other members of the profession.
- Must comply with national legislation and any resulting national ethical code, concerning e-commerce in the country of his establishment for the provision of information society service.
Dentist duties to his/her colleagues?
- Every dentist should cherish proper pride in his/her colleagues and should not disparage them either by acts or words.
- When the dentist is entrusted with the care of the patient of another, during sickness or absence, mutual arrangements should be made regarding remuneration.
- A dentist called upon in any emergency to treat the patient of another dentist, should when the emergency is provided for, retire in favor of the regular dentist but shall be entitled to charge the patient for his service.
- If a dentist is consulted by the patient of another dentist and the former finds that the patient is suffering from previous faulty treatment it is his duty to institute the correct treatment once with as little comments as possible and in such a manner as to avoid reflection on his predecessor.
Dentist duties to his profession?
- To keep professionally fit
- To keep his professional knowledge, skills, and
efficiency up to date through Continuing Educational Programs. - To attend the annual convention of our own
organization. - To be updated on any Dental Law in aid of legislation.
