Ethics In Medicine And Dentistry
Question 1. What is ‘dental ethics’? Discuss various ethical considerations with reference to dental professional practice in India.
Or
Write short note on ethics for dental profession.
Or
Write short note on ethics in dental practice.
Or
Write short note on dental ethics.
Or
Write briefly on dental ethics.
Answer. Ethics is defined as the part of philosophy that deals with moral conduct and judgment.
Dental Ethics
Dental ethics would mean moral duties and obligations of the dentist towards his patients, professional colleagues and to the society.
Code of Ethics
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 17A of the Dentists Act, 1948 (16 of 1948), the Dental Council of India hereby makes the following regulations for laying down standards of professional conduct and etiquette or the code of ethics for dentist.
Declaration
Every dentist who has been registered (either on Part A or Part B of the State Dentists Register) shall, within a period of thirty days from the date of commencement of these regulations, and every dentist who gets himself registered alter the commencement of these regulations shall, within a period of thirty days from such registration, make, before the Registrar of the State Dental Council a declaration in the form set out for the purpose in the Schedule to these regulations and shall agree to abide by the same.
Duties and Obligation of Dentists Towards Patients and Public
Every Dentist Shall
- Be mindful of the high character of his mission and the responsibilities be holds in the discharge of his professional duties and shall always remember that care of the patient and treatment of the disease depends upon the skill and prompt attention shown by him and always remembering that his personal reputation, professional ability and fidelity remain his best recommendations.
- Treat the welfare of the patients as paramount to all other considerations and shall conserve it to the utmost of his ability.
- Be courteous, sympathetic, friendly and helpful to, and always ready to respond to, the call of his patients, and that under all conditions his behavior towards his patients and the public shall be polite and dignified.
- Observe punctuality in fulfilling his appointment.
- Deem it a point of honor to adhere with as much uniformity as the varying circumstances may admit, to the remuneration for professional services.
- Not permit consideration of religion, nationality, race, caste and creed, party politics or social standing to intervene in his duties toward his patients.
- Keep all the information of a personal nature which he comes to know about a patient directly or indirectly in the course of professional practice in utmost confidence; and be mindful that the auxiliary staff, viz. dental hygienists and dental mechanics and other staff employed by him also observe this rule for the reason that knowledge or information of a patient gained during the course of examination and treatment is privileged, and a dentist is not bound to disclose professional secrets, except with the consent of the patient, or on being ordered to do so by a court of law.
Read And Learn More: Public Health Dentistry Question And Answers
Duties of One Dentist Towards Another
Every dentist shall:
- Cherish a proper pride in his colleagues and shall not disparage them either by actions, deeds or words.
- Retire in favor of the regular dentist after the emergency is over, when a dentist called upon in any emergency to treat the patient of another dentist.
Note: He shall be entitled to charge the patient for his services. - Institute correct treatment at once, with the least comment, and in a manner that will avoid any reflection on such other dentist if a dentist is consulted by a patient of another dentist, and if the later finds indisputable evidence that such a patient is suffering from previous faulty treatment.
- Regard it as a pleasure and privilege to render gratuitous service to another dentist, his wife and family members, although there is no legal bar to a dentist from charging another dentist for professional service.
Unethical Practices
The following shall be the unethical practices for a dentist, namely:
- Employment of a dentist in his professional practice of any professional assistant (not being a registered dental hygienist or a registered dental mechanic) whose name is not registered in the State Dentists Register, to practice dentistry as defined in clause (d) of section 2 of the Act.
- Styling by any dentist or a group of dentists his/their ‘Dental Clinic’ or Chamber’s by the name of “Dental Hospitals”.
- Any contravention of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 (23 of 1940), and the rules made thereunder as amended from time to time, involving an abuse of privileges conferred thereunder upon a dentist, whether such contravention has been the subject of criminal proceedings or not.
- Signing under his name and authority any certificate which is untrue, misleading or improper, or giving false certificates or testimonials directly or indirectly concerning the supposed virtues of secret therapeutic agents or medicines.
- Immorality involving abuse of professional relationship.
- Conniving at or aiding in any kind of illegal practice.
- Promise of radical cure by the employment of secret methods of treatments.
- Advertising, whether directly or indirectly, for the purpose of obtaining patients or promoting his own professional advantage.
- Acquiescing in the publication of notice commending or directing attention to the practitioner’s skills, knowledge, service or qualifications, or of being associated with or employed by those who procure or sanction such advertising or publication through press reports.
- Employing any agent or canvasser for the purpose of obtaining patients; or being associated with or employed by those who procure or sanction such employment.
- Using or exhibition of any sign, other than a sign which in its character, position, size and wording is merely such as may reasonably be required to indicate to persons seeking them the exact location of and entrance to, the premises at which the dental practice is carried on.
- Using of sign-board larger than 0.9 meter by 0.6 meter and the use of such words as ‘Teeth’, Painless Extraction’ or the like, or notices in regard to practice on premises other than those in which a practice is actually carried on, or show cases or flickering light signs and the use of any sign showing any matter other than his name and qualifications as defined under clause U of section 2 of the Act.
- Affixing a signboard on a Chemist’s shop or in places where the dentist does not reside or work.
- Insertion of any paragraphs and notice in the press and also the announcement of names in the trading lists and the display of their names or announcements at places of public entertainments; other than the change of his address.
- Allowing the dentist’s name to be used to designate commercial articles such as tooth paste, tooth brush, tooth powder, liquid cleaners, or the like or on circulars for such items, or permitting publication of his opinion on any such items, in the general or lay papers or lay journals.
- Mentioning after the dentist’s name, any other abbreviations except those indicating dental qualifications as earned by him during his academic career in dentistry and which confirm to the definition of ‘recognized dental qualification’ as defined in clause (i) of section 2 of the Act, or any other recognized academic qualifications.
- Using of abbreviations like (i) RDP for Registered Dental Practitioner, (ii) MIDA for Member of Indian Dental Association, (iii) FICD for Fellow of International College of Dentists, (iv) MICD for Master of International College of Dentists, (v) FACD for Fellow or American College of Dentists, (vi) MRSH for Member of Royal Society of Hygiene, etc. and the like, which are not academic qualifications.
Question 2. Write briefly on code of ethics in dentistry.
Or
Write in brief on dentists (Code of Ethics) Regulation, 1976.
Answer. In exercise of the powers conferred by section 17A of the Dentists Act, 1948 (16 of 1948), the Dental Council of India hereby makes some of the regulations for laying down standards of professional conduct and etiquette or the code of ethics for dentist.
The regulations may be called as the Dentists (Code of Ethics) Regulations, 1976 The means the Dentist’s Act, 1948 (16 of 1948).
Question 3. Write short note on principles of ethics.
Or
Write short answer on principles of ethics.
Answer.
Principles of Ethics
There are several principles that healthcare professionals must be aware of in the practice of their profession.
The major principles are:
- To do no harm (non-maleficence)
- This principle is attributed to Hippocrates and is considered to be the foundation of social morality.
- Dental professionals should support this principle in theory and dentists are at times guilty to break a law or rule.
- To do good (beneficence)
- It should be the role of dentists and dental hygienists to benefit patients as well as not to inflict harm.
- Expectation of patient is that the dentist will initiate beneficial action and there is an agreement between doctor and patient that some goodwill occur.
- Attempts should be carried out to maximize benefits and minimize harms.
- Respect for person
- It consists of two fundamental ethical considerations, i.e. autonomy and informed consent.
- Autonomy is the principle that dictates that healthcare professionals respect the patient’s right to make decisions concerning the treatment plan. Patient should not be a bystander in their treatment but active participants.
- Dentist sometimes attempts for directing the patient at a particular mode of treatment by stressing on various advantages and not mentioning the disadvantages.
- Informed consent is a legal as well as ethical concept and is a component of patient’s right to autonomy.
- Informed consent consists of two steps, i.e. in first step information is presented from the dentist to patient and secondly patient satisfy himself that he or she understand and based on the understanding he or she refuses or undergo the treatment.
- Justice
- The primary duty of the health professional is service irrespective of class, creed, etc.
- Justice demands that each person be treated equally.
- Principle of justice is to protect the weak and to ensure equality in rights as well as benefits to groups and individuals.
- Trustfulness
- The patient-doctor relationship is based on trust.
- Lying shows disrespect to the patient and threatens relationship.
- Confidentiality
- Patients have the right to expect that all their care will be treated confidential.
- If there is loss in confidentiality related to a patient a bond of trust between dental professional and patient breaks.
- Confidentiality must be maintained at all times.
Question 4. Write short note on informed consent.
Or
Write short answer on informed consent.
Or
Write short answer on consent.
Answer. Informed consent is a legal as well as ethical concept and is a component of patient’s right to autonomy.
- Informed consent should be first stated and is the largest principle of Nuremberg code. This code identifies four attributes of consent without which consent cannot be considered valid.
- Informed consent can be voluntary, legally competent, informed, comprehending.
- Informed consent consists of two steps i.e. In first step information is presented from the dentist to patient and secondly patient satisfy himself that he or she understand and based on the understanding he or she refuses or undergo the treatment.
- Informed consent consists of:
- Description of procedures to be done.
- Description of reasonably foreseeable risks or discomfort to the subject.
- Description of any benefit to subject or to others which may reasonably be expected from treatment.
- Disclosure of appropriate alternative procedure or course of treatment, if any which is advantageous to subject.
- Statement which describes the extent, if any to which confidentiality of records which identify the subject is maintained.
- A statement mentioning that patient has understood the procedure and is willing to undergo treatment.
- Signature of the patient and witness.
Question 5. Write short answer on ethical rules for dentist by DCI.
Answer. Following are the ethical rules for dentist by DCI:
Duties and Obligation of Dentists Towards Patients
Every Dentist Shall
- Be mindful of the high character of his mission and the responsibilities be holds in the discharge of his professional duties and shall always remember that care of the patient and treatment of the disease depends upon the skill and prompt attention shown by him and always remembering that his personal reputation, professional ability and fidelity remain his best recommendations.
- Treat the welfare of the patients as paramount to all other considerations and shall conserve it to the utmost of his ability.
- Be courteous, sympathetic, friendly and helpful to, and always ready to respond to, the call of his patients, and that under all conditions his behavior towards his patients and the public shall be polite and dignified.
- Observe punctuality in fulfilling his appointment.
- Deem it a point of honor to adhere with as much uniformity as the varying circumstances may admit, to the remuneration for professional services.
- Not permit consideration of religion, nationality, race, caste and creed, party politics or social standing to intervene in his duties toward his patients.
- Keep all the information of a personal nature which he comes to know about a patient directly or indirectly in the course of professional practice in utmost confidence; and be mindful that the auxiliary staff, viz. dental hygienists and dental mechanics and other staff employed by him also observe this rule for the reason that knowledge or information of a patient gained during the course of examination and treatment is privileged, and a dentist is not bound to disclose professional secrets, except with the consent of the patient, or on being ordered to do so by a court of law.
Duties of One Dentist Towards Another
Every dentist shall:
- Cherish a proper pride in his colleagues and shall not disparage them either by actions, deeds or words.
- On no account contemplate or do anything harmful to the interest of the members of the and at emity.
- Honor mutual arrangements made regarding remuneration,etc. when one dentist is entrusted with the care of a patient of another dentist during the later’s sickness or absence.
- Retire in favor of the regular dentist after the emergency is over, when a dentist called upon in any emergency to treat the patient of another dentist.Note: He shall be entitled to charge the patient for his services.
- Institute correct treatment at once, with the least comment, and in a manner that will avoid any reflection on such other dentist if a dentist is consulted by a patient of another dentist, and if the later finds indisputable evidence that such a patient is suffering from previous faulty treatment.
- Regard it as a pleasure and privilege to render gratuitous service to another dentist, his wife and family members, although there is no legal bar to a dentist from charging another dentist for professional service.
Duties of Dentist Towards Public
Dentist has to assume a leadership role in the community no matters related to dental health.
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