ETHICS

PRESENTED BY: GUIDED BY :

K. Sowjanya DR . SriPriya Mam
Final Year BDS Dr . Jithendar Sir
 CONTENT

1 INTRODUCTION

2 ETHICAL PRINICIPLES

3 ETHICAL RULES FOR

DENTISTS

4 QUESTIONS
 INTRODUCTION
• The word "ethics" is derived from the Greek word “ethos”, meaning custom or
character.
• It is a philosophy of human conduct, a way of stating and evaluating principles
by which problems of behavior can be solved.
• Dental ethics would mean moral duties and obligations of a dentist toward his
patients, professional colleagues, and to the society.
 PRINCIPLES

• Micro-ethical principles - Set of principles, which support autonomy and

self determination , protect and promote the welfare and equality of
individual human being .
• Macro - ethical principles - Set of principles designed to protect the
human dignity, integrity, self-determination, confidentiality, rights and
health of populations .
 ETHICAL PRINCIPLES

To do no harm Justice
(Non – Maleficence)

ETHICAL
To do Respect For
PRINCIPLES Persons
good(beneficence)

Veracity or Confidentiality
Truthfulness
 ETHICAL PRINCIPLES

[Link] do no Harm(Non –
Maleficence) :
• This is considered to be the foundation of social morality.
• Although dentists theoritically follow and support this principle, some of the
traumatic injuries occur while performing the treatment procedures.
• Those are called Iatrogenic factors few of them are Overhanging restoration ,
accidentally exposing pulp , failure of sterilising instruments , etc.
 ETHICAL PRINCIPLES

[Link] do good (Beneficence) :

• It should be the role of dentists to benefit patients.
• The expectation of the patient is that the care provider will initiate beneficial action.
• In treating questionable dental Caries, it is not enough to say that it will not harm
the Patient.
• The point which has to be noted is whether patient It is of any good to the Patient.
 ETHICAL PRINCIPLES

3. Respect for Person:

• It incorporates 2 fundamental ethical consideration s –
(a) Autonomy :
 Autonomy is principle that dictates that healthcare professionals respect the
patients right to make decisions concerning treatment plan.
 patients should not be by standers in their treatment but active participants .
 dentists sometimes attempt to direct a patient towards a Particular modes of
treatment by stressing certain advantages and not Menitioning the disadvantage.
 ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
• dentists are often trained in a paternalistic way after graduation from dental school.

(b) Informed consent :

 It is a both legal and an ethical concept .
 Informed consent is the first stated and the largest principle of the Nuremberg code.
 The Nuremberg code identifies 4 attributes of consent without which consent
cannot be considered valid. Consent must be –
[Link]
[Link] competent
[Link]
[Link]
 ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
• The 'informed consent' is a two-step process. First, information is presented to the
patient by the doctor. Secondly, the patient satisfies himself or herself that he or
she understands, and based upon this understanding either agrees or refuses to
undergo the treatment. Informed consent consists of,
(1) A description of the procedures to be carried out.
(2) A description of any reasonably foreseeable risks or discomforts to the subject.
(3) A description of any benefits to the subject or to others which may reasonably be
expected from the treatment.
 ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
(4) A disclosure of appropriate alternative procedures or courses of treatment, if
any that might be advantageous to the subject.
(5) A statement describing the extent, if any,to which confidentiality of records
identifying the subject will be maintained .
(6) A statement that the patient has understood the procedure and is willing to undergo
the treatment.
(7) The signature of the patient and of a witness.
 ETHICAL PRINCIPLES

4. Justice:
• Justice is often described as fairness or equal treatment.
• Justice demands that each person be treated equally.
• The primary duty of the health professional is service irrespective of class , creed ,
etc .
• In providing dental care, it difficult to distribute services to all who are in need but it
should be the concern of health care professional to see that as even a distribution
as possible occurs.
 ETHICAL PRINCIPLES

• Dentists can provide some free or discounted care in their offices to those who are
truly needy, or they can provide financial support or donate some time to clinics for
low-income patients. On a larger scale they can support local or statewide
programs that seek to extend care to dentally needy clients.
 ETHICAL PRINCIPLES

5. Truthfulness:
• The patient – doctor relationships is based on trust.
• Lying shows disrespect to the patient and threatens relationship.

6. Confidentiality:
• patients have the right to expect that all communications and records pertaining to
their care as confidential .
• It is very natural to want to gossip about a patient, particularly if it is someone
famous or possibly a neighbor.
• But doing so would break a bond of the trust between the dental
professional and the patient.
 RULES
Ethical rules for dentists (prescribed by the DCI)
1. Duties of dental practitioners - Responsibility to patients
a. Service –
• It is the responsibility of the dental Surgeon to provide patients with the highest
quality of care.
• The dental surgeon should value and advocate the dignity and self-respect of
patients.
• The dental Surgeon shall be fair and show no discrimination.
 RULES

b. Competency –
• He must keep knowledge current and strive medical Continuously to improve
medical knowledge and skills by participating in professional meetings and
continuing dental medical education programs.

c. Treatment according to an approved and accepted plan –

• The dental surgeon should provide treatment as discussed and agreed upon with
the patient.
 RULES

d. Provision of Information:
• A dental surgeon is obligated to provide to patients an honest comment and opinion
of their oral health.
• He shall also display the registration number accorded to him by the State Dental
Council in his clinic and in all his prescriptions, certificates and money receipts.
• He should also announce his fees before rendering service and not after the
operation or treatment is under way.
 RULES

e. Proper management of records:

• A dental surgeon must maintain accurate and comprehensive medical and dental
records, for a minimum period of three years from the date of commencement of
the treatment and which must be released to the patient, when requested, having
obtained a valid receipt for all documents.
• When there is a transfer of patient care to another dental surgeon, a copy of the
patient's record must be readily available to the new practitioner.
• The dental surgeon must not falsify or misuse patient records in any manner.
 RULES

2. Duties of dental practitioners - Obligations to patients.

• A dental surgeon is not bound to treat each and every person asking his Services,
but refusal to treat Should not be on the basis of any discrimination of color ,caste
religion nationality or the presence of ailments or the such as HIV or other
contagious diseases.
• Attend emergencies reporting to clinic and well trained in basic life Support.
 RULES

• He shall observe the laws of The country in regulating the practice of his Profession
including the Dentists Act 1948.

3. Responsibilities of dental surgeon towards one another.

• Dependence of dental surgeons to each other - A dental surgeon should

consider it as a pleasure and privilege to render gratuitous service to other dentists,
physicians and their immediate family dependants.

• Conduct in consultation - In consultations, no insincerity, rivalry or envy should

be indulged in towards another dental surgeon/physician.
 RULES

• Consultant not to take charge of the case - When a specialist dental surgeon
has been called for consultation, the consultant should normally not take charge of
the case and shall not criticize the referring dental surgeon.

• Appointment of substitute - Whenever a dental surgeon requests another dental

surgeon to attend his patients during his temporary absence from his practice,
professional courtesy requires that all such patients should be restored to the care
of the latter upon his return.
 RULES

4. Duties of the dental surgeon towards the public, and paramedical profession.

• Dental Surgeons - Dental surgeons, as good citizens, possessed of special

training should disseminate advice on public health issue and play their part in
enforcing the laws of the community.

• Public and community health - Dental surgeons, especially those engaged in

public health dentistry, should enlighten the public concerning oral health and
prevention of oral diseases such as dental caries, periodontal health, precancerous
lesions and oral cancer and should notify the constituted public health authorities of
every case of communicable disease under his care.
 RULES

• Pharmacists or nurses – Dental Surgeons should recognize and promote the

practice of different paramedical services such as dental hygienist, dental
mechanic, pharmacy and nursing as professions and should seek their cooperation
wherever required.
 QUESTIONS

I. List out ethical Principles.

II. Define Autonomy.
III. What are the four attributes of consent.
Thank You