32^nd American Dental Health and Oral Care Congress

Regulatory and Ethical Issues in Dentistry

Ethics affect virtually every decision made in a dental office, encompassing activities of both judging and choosing. Ethics affect relationships with patients, the public, office staff, and other professionals. Without a solid ethical foundation, you simply cannot be a true professional. The dentist must be aware of patients’ legitimate needs for prescription drugs. There are five fundamental principles that form the foundation of the ADA Code: patient autonomy, no maleficence, beneficence, justice and veracity. Principles can overlap each other as well as compete with each other for priority.

Categories of Ethical Dilemmas:

• Breaches of confidentiality.
• Failure to disclose dental mistakes.
• Over treatment and poor quality dental treatment.
• Requests for fraudulent documentation.
• Requests for narcotic medications.
• Requests for inappropriate treatment.
• Deceptive dental marketing and advertisements.