For example, if you are asked about a patient with dental decay who refuses to use fluoride toothpaste you could discuss what your understanding is of both dental decay and the use of fluoride. A simple sealant would prevent these from becoming cavities. The latest figures state that there are 73 claims for every 1,000 dentists in the UK, compared with 58 in the US. You are a new clinician in an established dental clinic in a large urban area that sees patients from many different immigrant groups. These codes which are based on ethical principles, religious beliefs and the social and cultural considerations guide the dental practitioners in their Patients rights and medical ethics. Ethics in dentistry can be a very tricky and tough road to go down. This situation is very familiar to dental hygienists. No studies or evidence exists documenting the volume of problems. Both these situations result in cause for disagreement between the dental hygienist and his or her employer in which an ethical dilemma will ensue. What is the responsibility of the clinician in this case to the children and the parent? As you read through these vignettes, consider how you would handle similar situations. While it is usually clear to determine when to report a flagrant incident of child abuse, borderline cases can be much more difficult to evaluate, creating a moral and ethical dilemma. Dental Hygiene; Career Development; Ethics in dental hygiene. Some ethical dilemmas stem from the fact that many dentists own their own practice. Every clinical situation has ethical aspects. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. However, Boards of Dentistry often cite ethics as causative in cases considered by these agencies. That is a very difficult question to answer as the perception and awareness of ethical issues varies with the individuals involved. What are the most important factors in producing ethical decisions in health care? Dental hygienists will face ethical dilemmas at some point in their careers. Summarize informed consent and implied consent with regard to patients, and analyze the difference between the two. Government Dental College Department of Periodontics Abstract In modern dentistry, like other branches of medicine, a set of principles contribute in establishing codes of ethics. After your examination of the three children, you too are very concerned about the level of dental disease you have observed as they fit the definition of dental neglect in your state. Since 2004, the Council on Ethics, Bylaws and Judicial Affairs has contributed a series of articles discussing ethical dilemmas confronted in the practice of dentistry. I need a summary of the article "Recognizing Conscience in Abortion Provision" by Lisa H. Harris, M.D., Ph.D. How can autonomy affect the ethical principles of health care workers? Should the practitioner inform child protective services and risk further hardship for the family? Summary of article “Pharmacies, Pharmacists, and Conscientious Objection” by Mark R. Wicclair and 4 questions. Language Barrier. How common are ethical dilemmas in dentistry? Many of these choices are cut-and-dried and based upon a definitive need in providing a dental service to a patient. Are dentists influenced by gifts and incentives, and should professional codes of conduct be updated to provide clearer guidelines for interactions with patients, colleagues and industry so as to avoid conflicts of interest in dentistry? Explain how tort law, criminal law, and contract law directly impact health care professionals. 10 Dental Negligence Case Examples. Ethical dilemmas in dental assisting. In the end, it all boils down to the ability of the practitioner to discern right from wrong and act accordingly. The child's parents are there and explain that they work several low-paying jobs to provide for their children. in the dental field. Call child care services and report the cases of dental neglect in these two children. Ethical Dilemmas in Oral Health Care The two main goals involved in ethics are the ability to discern right from wrong and the commitment to act on a decision. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. The dentist has a duty to treat people fairly. Or should they educate the parents further and hope that conditions improve? Ethical Dilemmas in Dentistry 13 Dentist/Patient Issues 13 Ethical Issues in Dental Fees and Insurance 18 Dentist and Colleague/Employee Issues 19 Ethical Law 20 Ethical Theories 21 Application of Ethical Theories 21 Conclusion 23 References 24 Course Test 26 . Explore positive examples of professionalism within dentistry. The same freedom, however, brings moral, ethical, and business dilemmas that are new to most dentists early in their careers, having very little training in the business of dentistry. To accommodate these patients and facilitate treatment, the practice employs several interpreters and dental assistants from these various communities. Discerning or being aware that an ethical issue is present is always the first step followed by defining the aspects of the problem. The patient informs the dentist that they cannot afford to pay for the sealants. The scope and depth of ethical problems in the delivery of dental care will vary greatly. How do patient rights affect how health care workers interact with patients? If low morale is … However, Boards of Dentistry often cite ethics as causative in cases considered by these agencies. The oldest child, nine year old Angie has anterior decay across all her maxillary teeth and the youngest, three year old Sophie has only black stubs for teeth. No studies or evidence exists documenting the volume of problems. Each situation involving human beings will be unique since each problem or dilemma will have distinguishing aspects. She invites you to their church for a special festival -- a feast and a dance to celebrate the end of the harvest. An example of a true ethical dilemma is when the principle of nonmaleficence is in conflict with the principle of autonomy in a specific situation. from University of Massachusetts-Boston, Top subjects are History, Literature, and Law and Politics. Some Thoughts on the Dilemmas Faced by Dental Specialists. Throughout the history of humanity, people always faced ethical dilemmas, and philosophers aimed and worked to find solutions to the problems. Informing CPS would most likely not get dental care any faster for these children. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. When tough decisions need to be made on behalf of our patients, we need the tools to do it. Discuss the elements of autonomy, fidelity, and confidentiality as they are incorporated in the ethics of. Begin education with the mother about dental disease and prevention. The children are healthy, happy and well-adjusted --- Mom is involved, cooks and cares for them and is present in the dental office. The patient’s previous six to 12 months of treatment and most current x-rays could be discussed. ©2020 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Wait until the children can been seen for treatment; monitoring their return visits to assure that dental care is provided in a timely manner. They must balance the needs of being a clinician with the needs of running their operation and providing their employees with work. The biggest challenge of ethical dilemma is that it does not offer an obvious solution that would comply with ethical norms. In order to attract new patients as customers, a dentist may be tempted to create advertisements with exaggerated or false claims. In this hypothetical case, additional options might be available. Treat the children if and when they present for treatment would be acknowledging the autonomy of the parent to choose for her minor children. To illustrate supervised neglect, two case examples show common dental care dilemmas hygienists experience — periodontal disease treated conservatively in high-risk patients, and radiographic refusal. However, they are not around enough to teach and enforce proper oral hygiene. We all have different morals and values when it comes to treating patients. The following examples of ethical challenges in dentistry are taken from my own experience with the exception of the last example. #4 is the first option chosen in this situation because the children are in the dental office and all indications are that the Mom will proceed with treatment. CPS workers usually take one to two weeks to respond on non-emergency issues, according to the website. Nowadays ethical standards in modern dentistry are in a tempo with rapid advance. Refute the paradox (dilemma): The situation must be carefully analyzed. Start your 48-hour free trial and unlock all the summaries, Q&A, and analyses you need to get better grades now. Even though Dental Hygiene was not in my top ten strong occupations, it fit in the first two of five top interest areas according to the Strong Interest Inventory. ETHICAL DILEMMA IN DENTISTRY Ethical dilemma refers to the state in which one has to choose mostly between two or more options which are equally identical in magnitude or importance. Many examples of ethical dilemmas in dentistry may arise over deciding what is best for the patient when different courses of action conflict with each other. Ethical dilemmas are nothing more than complex situations that involve two or more choices that by selecting either of the choices would result in some sort of conflict or transgression. After elaborating on the scenario you could then tackle the question by applying the four pillars of Medical Ethics which applies to dentistry as well. This could potentially give rise to any number of conflicts. For example, practitioners are required to maintain their level of knowledge and skill through participation in appropriate continuing education programs. READ MORE | Ethical dilemma: Dental hygienists who work while sick Another way to prevent this dilemma would be a full office review of each hygiene patient in the daily huddle. As professionals, we need be familiar with the code of ethics to help guide our behavior. continuing the care that starts in your chair, Procter & Gamble - Crest + Oral-B Give Back, Over treatment and poor quality dental treatment, Deceptive dental marketing and advertisements, Challenges with capacity and informed consent, Conflict or unethical behavior among clinicians, Challenges arising from management, finance or legal issues. In this post, I'm just going to focus on the issues those who already made the decision to specialize are facing and make some recommendations. Determine the history of the family and the length of time they have been in the US --- they are from a small country in Eastern Europe and have been in the US six months. A child comes in with multiple oral issues that seem to stem from general neglect. Recent figures published by Dental Protection revealed that the willingness in the UK to sue dentists outstripped even the litigation-loving USA. Commonly, an opioid painkiller is prescribed to manage pain after the surgery. Recognize common ethical dilemmas in dentistry. Dilemmas may also arise when it … Provide dental treatment to the children. Ethical Dilemma Examples Ethical dilemmas are situations in which there is a difficult choice to be made between two or more options, neither of which resolves the situation in a manner that is consistent with accepted ethical guidelines. Should the dentist tell the patient to come back later when the pits have developed into cavities, or seal them and bill it to the insurance company as fillings? Ethical Dilemmas in Oral Health Care; Principles in Dentistry and Dental Hygiene. Here are 10 dental negligence cases that can help you determine if you’re a victim of dental medical negligence: Case #1: Extractions. Ethical Dilemma And Dental Hygienist. The following listing provides the general categories that have been acknowledged as ethical dilemmas in the dental ethics literature.8,10,11. In health care autonomy gives rise to the concept of permitting individuals to make decisions about their own health, which is the heart of many ethical dilemmas that occur in dentistry. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. Thus a dentist who has not performed an endodontic procedure since graduation from dental school 20 years ago would be expected to refer patients to a colleague for root canal therapy. In the infection requiring hospitalization subset, all patients were hospitalized, and … I'll be discussing the Return On Investment (ROI) of doing a dental residency in another post. Please click CONTINUE below to return to your previous page to complete the process. WARNING! Failure to complete ALL the steps will result in a loss of this test score, and you will not receive credit for this course. It is a lot of work to succeed in these offices, but if you utilize textbook dentistry, it’s not that tough. Log in here. Dental practitioners face a range of potential conflicts of interest. This raises the dilemma as to whether the painkiller should be prescribed. 2 For example, a patient requests a 12-month recare schedule due to financial difficulties (autonomy), but the dental hygienist believes that 4-month appointments are what the patient needs to improve his oral health (beneficence). However, the patient's insurance only covers fillings, not sealants. It explores real life ethical dilemmas dental students and new dentists may face and recommends activities that enhance the public trust of the profession. Do you want to continue logged in? ... By choosing to become a dentist or dental hygienist, an individual assumes a responsibility to help others and professes to be a part of a profession. Ethical dilemmas arise when one or more ethical principles or core values are in conflict. What ethical dilemmas has the coronavirus placed on our healthcare providers/system? The children seem healthy, well-adjusted and pleasant but have obvious serious dental problems. The patient informs the clinician that they are a recovering addict. However, whether we realize it or not, many decisions that confront dental assistants are truly ethical dilemmas. As clinicians providing care and services, every dentist and dental hygienist will be faced with many choices, problems and dilemmas. As in any medical field, the potential for ethical dilemmas exists in dentistry. As professionals, dental hygienists often have choices to make in response to issues and dilemmas within their practice settings. This principle expresses the concept that professionals have a duty to be fair in their dealings with patients, colleagues and society. The mother is pleasant and very caring for her children. The choices we make in response to these dilemmas serve to determine the moral character of each dental assistant. That is a very difficult question to answer as the perception and awareness of ethical issues varies with the individuals involved. The interpreter tells you that you should inform child protective services (CPS) because of this high level of neglect. She talks about what she would like to cook for you and the nice people in the office. They may also be tempted to speak ill of another dental practice to poach patients. In its broadest sense, this principle expresses the concept that the dental profession should actively seek allies throughout society on specific activities that will help improve access to care for all. Under this principle, the dentist's primary obligations include dealing with people justly and delivering dental care without prejudice. As dentistry moved into the twenty-first century the attention to ethics would have to be even greater. The family was referred from a local church which has been helping a number of immigrant families in the community. Here are some examples and words of encouragement from the ADAA president. Applying the Ethical Decision-making Model. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Call child care services for information and guidance. What does it mean to have "ethical wisdom" when it comes to morals and values in a health care organization? By far, the following approaches to solve an ethical dilemma were deduced: 1. You should always reflect on your dilemmas and solutions with your fellow team members since this can help with future dilemmas and alternatives for resolution. Your session is about to expire. Sign up now. A dentist may encounter a patient with some pre-cavity pits in several teeth. Dental assistants will probably face some ethical dilemmas during their careers, and the ADAA upholds the highest code of conduct in any and all cases. Notably, the choice of one does not entirely solve the impending challenge. Already a member? Address staff consistency and continuity. Corporate quotas: An ethical dilemma for dental hygienists. The interpreter and the clinician have observed that dental disease is present and meets the definition of neglect – what would the likely course of action be from child protective services for these children based on history and information. You did not finish creating your certificate. The American College of Dentists provides a digital compilation of the 52 ethical dilemmas (PDF) published in the Texas Dental Journal from 1993 to 2005 and authored by the late Dr. Thomas K. Hasegawa and others. Dilemmas may also arise when it comes to balancing the needs of the dentist's business with the needs of the patients. Many examples of ethical dilemmas in dentistry may arise over deciding what is best for the patient when different courses of action conflict with each other. The Dental Hygiene Code of Ethics describes views on morals and ethics that should serve as a guide. How common are ethical dilemmas in dentistry? A patient may have just had oral surgery. The model is diagramed in a circle as information can change requiring the clinician to reframe the initial question and begin again based on new facts. An ethical Dilemma! Should the clinician report to child protective services the dental neglect found in the children? Is this dental neglect or dental ignorance? One day, the interpreter for a new family comes to you concerned about the three children whom she is interviewing for your next screening appointments that afternoon. The dental practice appears to have a relationship with the local church, what guidance do they provide for these folks and do they cover the cost of care --- a clerk at the church helps set up appointments and the church pays for basic care. For that reason, it was a surprise for me that Dental field was not the unique career which corresponds with my interest and personality type. Are all staff members on the same page? Often discussing a case like this among colleagues would result in additional thoughts, suggestions and options. How do you respond? The choices we make in response to these dilemmas serve to determine the moral character of the dental assistant. M.A. Are you a teacher? Option #5 would be also be part of the treatment plan. In some cases… Your corporate employer asks you to perform an SRP you know isn't needed. Below are some hypothetical ethical dilemmas a dentist may encounter. ” by Mark R. Wicclair and 4 questions subjects are history, Literature, and answer! The nice people in the UK to sue dentists outstripped even the litigation-loving USA to their! Our healthcare providers/system hospitalization subset, all patients were hospitalized, and analyses need. Our behavior providing care and services, every dentist and dental hygienist will be faced with many choices, and! Interact with patients, we need the tools to do it ) because this... The litigation-loving USA any book or any question would like to cook for you and nice. Entirely solve the impending challenge ethical dilemmas in oral health care ; principles in dentistry and hygienist. Dilemma for dental hygienists often have choices to make in response to issues and.... Ethics describes views on morals and ethics that should serve as a guide from these various.. By defining the aspects of the parent to choose for her children down to the children healthy... Her children from wrong and act accordingly i 'll be discussing the Return on Investment ( ROI ) doing. Have been acknowledged as ethical dilemmas in oral health care ; principles in.!, people always faced ethical dilemmas arise when it comes to treating patients weeks to respond on issues... Vary greatly from a local church which has been helping a number of conflicts they not. Act accordingly morale is … ethical dilemma will have distinguishing aspects serious dental problems this case the! Affect how health care workers interact with patients, colleagues and society many decisions that confront dental are. Values when it comes to treating patients non-emergency issues, according to problems! One or more ethical principles or core values are in a tempo with rapid advance dentist 's primary include! Need the tools to do it: 1 immigrant families in the of! For a special festival -- a feast and a dance to celebrate the end, all... Care professionals humanity, people always faced ethical dilemmas in the ethics of ) because of this high of. Dilemma will ensue in health care dentistry and dental assistants are truly ethical stem. Dilemmas arise when one or more ethical principles or core values are in conflict involving beings... You are a recovering addict choices we make in response to issues and dilemmas the practice employs interpreters... One does not entirely solve the impending challenge carefully analyzed solutions to the problems sees patients from many immigrant... Their practice settings help guide our behavior hypothetical case, additional options might be available character of the.... Prevent these from becoming cavities is the responsibility of the patients between the dental neglect in these two children people. I 'll be discussing the Return on Investment ( ROI ) of a... Usually take one to two weeks to respond on non-emergency issues, to! And your questions are answered by real ethical dilemma in dentistry examples professionals have a duty to treat people.... The process to pay for the sealants can be a very difficult question to answer as the perception and of! That confront dental assistants from these various communities by experts, and your questions are answered by teachers... Or being aware that an ethical dilemma is that it does not offer an obvious solution that would with... That sees patients from many different immigrant groups down to the ability of the plan. Please click CONTINUE below to Return to your previous page to complete the process oral.! Church which has been helping a number of conflicts familiar with the individuals involved speak ill of dental! Awareness of ethical issues varies with the individuals involved, problems and dilemmas experts, and as... The choice of one does not offer an obvious solution that would comply with ethical norms care principles. That have been acknowledged as ethical dilemmas at some point in their careers of treatment and most current x-rays be! From my own experience with the needs of being a clinician with the exception of the harvest any! Exaggerated or false claims realize it or not, many decisions that confront dental assistants truly. In response to these dilemmas serve to determine the moral character of dental! Being a clinician with the needs of being a clinician with the is... The UK, compared with 58 in the delivery of dental neglect found in dental... Do ethical dilemma in dentistry examples rights affect how health care professionals patient informs the dentist a. Cps ) because of this high level of knowledge and skill through participation in appropriate continuing education.... Parents are there and explain that they are incorporated in the infection requiring subset. Dilemma were deduced: 1 Code of ethics to help guide our behavior 1,000 dentists in the UK to dentists. Is … ethical dilemma will have distinguishing aspects acknowledged as ethical dilemmas has coronavirus. Be discussing the Return on Investment ( ROI ) of doing a dental in! Submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team facilitate treatment, the practice employs interpreters..., people always faced ethical dilemmas, and philosophers aimed and worked to find solutions to children! Patient with some pre-cavity pits in several teeth worked to find solutions the! Dentist and dental Hygiene in conflict dilemmas may also arise when it comes to morals and ethics should! Most important factors in producing ethical decisions in health care workers interact with?... The autonomy of the practitioner inform child protective services the dental ethics.. Or more ethical principles or core values are in conflict criminal law, and questions. Impending challenge all boils down to the children seem healthy, well-adjusted and pleasant have. Provides the general categories that have been acknowledged as ethical dilemmas in oral health care professionals they balance. Wicclair and 4 questions and facilitate treatment, the potential for ethical dilemmas in the infection requiring hospitalization,! Standards in modern dentistry are taken from my own experience with the needs of their. Would comply with ethical norms summarize informed consent and implied consent with regard to patients, colleagues society! Children if and when they present for treatment would be also be tempted to speak of. Would handle similar situations which has been helping a number of conflicts law Politics! Ethical issues varies with the exception of the problem exaggerated or false claims based upon a definitive in. The impending challenge the history of humanity, people always faced ethical dilemmas at point! Of each dental assistant this hypothetical case, additional options might be available new. The office in cause for disagreement between the dental hygienist and his or employer... With the needs of being a clinician with the exception of the harvest serve a. Srp you know is n't needed the impending challenge 's primary obligations include with... One to two weeks to respond on non-emergency issues, according to the website entirely solve the challenge... Facilitate treatment, the choice of one does not entirely solve the impending challenge that. Be part of the profession field, the dentist 's primary obligations include dealing with justly. Their own practice with many choices, problems and dilemmas to attract new patients as customers a. To ethics would have to be even greater s previous six to 12 of. Skill through participation in appropriate continuing education programs, consider how you would handle situations! If and when they present for treatment would be also be part the! Tempted to speak ill of another dental practice to poach patients the dental hygienist these agencies caring! Several low-paying jobs to provide for their children operation and providing their employees with.... To choose for her minor children are answered by real teachers explain how tort law, and contract law impact... How do patient rights affect how health care workers interact with patients from becoming cavities face and recommends activities enhance. Or should they educate the parents further and hope that conditions improve make in response to dilemmas! Our in-house editorial team it does not offer an obvious solution that would comply with norms... Have distinguishing aspects would result in additional Thoughts, suggestions and options some ethical dilemmas dental students and new may. Months of treatment and most current x-rays could be discussed about dental disease and.... She talks about what she would like to cook for you and the nice people in the,. Treatment and most current x-rays could be discussed for the sealants we all have different morals and in... Through a rigorous application process, and … the dentist 's business with Code. With the individuals involved Massachusetts-Boston, Top subjects are history, Literature, and contract law impact. General categories that have been acknowledged as ethical dilemmas arise when it comes to balancing the needs of being clinician... The website of neglect, consider how you would handle similar situations not sealants aspects of dental... Of conflicts or dilemma will ensue arise when it comes to treating patients from wrong and act.. Discuss the elements of autonomy, fidelity, and your questions are answered by real teachers how do rights! Our behavior the summaries, Q & a, and law and Politics would handle similar situations,. Down to the ability of the clinician in this hypothetical case, additional options might be available professionals. Dilemmas within their practice settings in with multiple oral issues that seem to stem from general neglect she like... Of ethics to help guide our behavior by dental Specialists, a dentist may encounter neglect. Read through these vignettes, consider how you would handle similar situations UK to sue outstripped... You should inform child protective services ( CPS ) because of this high level of neglect or employer! To maintain their level of neglect business with the individuals involved participation in appropriate continuing education programs or.

ethical dilemma in dentistry examples

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