At CDI, we take professionalism seriously. Our Residents are examples to the other services, to our patients, and to each other. We cannot tolerate lapses in ethical standards or unprofessional behavior. Errors in judgement, while understandable, must be fully acknowledged and remedied to the best interest of all involved parties.
Ethical principles are aspirational goals that provide guidance and justification for the code of conduct which is expected of members of the profession (Mathur & Chopra, 2012). These principles are the moral rules that are applied to conduct ethical practice. The principles are, as follows:
The dentist offers the patient autonomy when the patient is given full disclosure about their dental condition, procedures to help the patient improve oral health, monetary investment, privacy, and confidentiality. Autonomy is demonstrated when the patient is informed completely and is part of making treatment decisions in a deliberate way. This extends to decisions about referrals and gives the patient full responsibility for choosing who will perform the procedure, what will be performed, and overarches the needs of the patient with the interests of the patient. Choosing not to pursue treatment is the patient's own decision. The dentist's motivation is not to "convince" the patient but to disclose and inform patients of advantages and disadvantages of pursuing their chosen course of action.
Offering beneficence is found when someone seeks another's good in the form of carrying out a duty or obligation. This principle incorporates promoting best practices by providing patient care in a timely and competent manner. If, for example, a dentist is not capable of performing a procedure at the standard required, it is beneficence that drives that dentist to help the patient to find someone who can provide the service. This concept is also illustrated when a dentist must act in the best interest of the patient when confronted with challenges from insurance companies who might refuse coverage. Under such conditions, the dentist is still obligated to inform the patient and encourage the patient to act in their own best interest.
Non-maleficence dictates that dentists not harm their patients, which includes ensuring that risk of harm to the patient is minimized. Keeping knowledge and skills current and relevant is part of this code of conduct, as is avoiding any abuse of substances that impair judgement or skills. Still further, this obligation extends outward to report misconduct, impairment, or negligence to the proper governing bodies.
Justice brings the connotation of fairness in the way a dentist serves colleagues, patients and the community. Patients must be treated without prejudice in all facets of a dentist's dealings with them. Justice is applying a type of blindfold over decision-making that intentionally refuses to alter best practices between one person and another. Types of treatment offered, selecting referrals, payment arrangements, and willingness to treat a patient should be uniform from person to person.
Take some time to reflect on these standards and read through the article reference below. At CDI, we expect our Residents to practice in an ethical manner and hold our Residents to these standards.
Mathur, S., & Chopra, R. (2012). Ethical issues in modern day dental practice. Online Journal of Health Ethics, 8(2).
