PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

Quality of Care
• Quality assessment= measurement of quality of care
• Quality assurance= measurement of quality of care and implementation of any
necessary changes
1. Structure → layout and equipment of the practice
2. Process → dental services
3. Outcome → change in health status of patient after care

ADA Code
• Implied contract between dental profession and society (dentists have
special privileges afforded by society and in return make an ethical
commitment to society)
• Principles of Ethics
1. Veracity= truthfulness
▪ Primary obligation → communicating truthfully and without deception
▪ Replacing amalgam with composite on the basis that it is toxic is
unethical
▪ Dentist must diagnose or cure conditions based upon accepted scientific
knowledge
2. Justice= fairness
▪ Primary obligation → delivering dental care without prejudice
▪ Dentists must make reasonable arrangements for emergency care (even
for patients who are not their own)
▪ Patients should be informed of current oral health status without
disparaging comments about prior dentists or their service
3. Autonomy= self-governance
▪ Primary obligation → include patient in treatment decisions
▪ Dentist must treat a patient according to that patient’s desires
4. Beneficence= do good
▪ Primary obligation → service to patient and public
▪ Most important is competent and timely care
▪ Dentists that choose to enter contracts are not excused from putting
patient welfare first
▪ Dentist must provide care and information, but patient is ultimately
responsible to maintain his/her oral health
5. Nonmaleficence= do no harm
▪ Primary obligation → keep knowledge and skills current and know one’s
own limitations and when to refer
▪ Specialist must return patient to previous dentist after care unless
patient reveals different preference or inform patient of the need for
further dental treatment if they do not have a dentist
• Code of Professional Conduct
• Advisory Opinions
Americans with Disabilities Act
• Disabilities include physical or mental impairments that substantially limit one or
more major activities, a record of such an impairment, or being regarded as having
such an impairment
• Dentists cannot deny any patient or employee due to a disability
• Dental offices must undergo structural changes to allow access for the disabled

Informed Consent
• Risks, benefits, and prognosis of proposed treatment
• Risks, benefits, and prognosis of alternative treatments

Written Treatment Plan

Dental Supervision
• Refers to the legal relationship between the dentist and hygienist in practice
• General → dentist recommends procedure, but is not present
• Direct → dentist recommends procedure, remains on premises, and approves the work
before patient is dismissed
• Personal → dentist and hygienist simultaneously perform a procedure

Disciplinary Penalties
• Censure= disciplinary sentence written to express criticism or disapproval for a
particular type of conduct or act
• Suspension= loss of membership privileges for a certain period with autonomic
reinstatement
• Probation= specified period without loss of rights in lieu of suspension, but may need
to practice under supervision
• Revocation of license= absolute severance from the profession

Financial
• Overbilling= misrepresentation of a fee as higher than it is
 • Dentist cannot accept a co-payment from a dental insurance company as payment in
full for service and not request the patient’s portion; this is considered unethical
overbilling without full disclosure to the insurance company
• Dentist cannot charge different fees to different patients for the same services
• Dentist cannot recommend and perform unnecessary dental services

Names
• Use of the name of a dentist no longer actively associated with the practice may be
continued for a period not to exceed one year unless that dentist has given permission
• Cannot announce as a specialist unless they have met existing standards by ADA