Ethics and Dental Hygiene

1. Ethics andDental Hygiene By Pamela Larrabee RDH, BAS

2. For there was never yet philosopherThat could endure the toothache patiently.~William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing

3. What is Ethics? Ethics is a branch of philosophy that is a system of moral principles within a culture, a group, an organization, etc. Some examples include: • Dental hygiene ethics • Educator ethics • Religious ethics

5. ADHA Code of Ethics • Helps dental hygienist attain and maintain “ethical consciousness, decision making, and practice”1 • Outlines the beliefs and responsibilities a dental hygienist has to educate, prevent, and treat oral disease • Describes the core values a dental hygienist should have • Describes the responsibilities a dental hygienist has to

6. Core Values • Autonomy isan Individual’s right to make his/her own educated decisions about treatment, and we should respect that. For example, a patient refuses x-rays because of the radiation. He has done the research, knows the pros and cons, but he still opts not to have x-rays. • Beneficence is the act of doing something good or kind for someone, the community, society, etc. For example, volunteering in a school fluoride program to help children, or making sure your instruments are sterilized properly so they don’t cause harm to the anyone.

7. Confidentiality is a promise to another person that the information shared will not be disclosed to a third party. For example, it would be unethical to share the information on a health history of one patient with another patient. • Justice is how we treat others: equally and fairly. For example, treating someone differently because of his/her socioeconomics would be treating someone unequally. • Nonmaleficence is the obligation that we should never cause harm to a patient. For example, if the hygienist cements a crown permanently but her license does not allow her to do so, then there is a potential for harm, thus “violate[s] the principle of nonmaleficence.”1

8. Societal Trust is the trust that patients and the public have in us and our profession “based on our actions and behavior.”2 It is to act in accordance to the ethics described by the ADHA for dental hygienist so that society can maintain its trust in our profession. For example, patients trust that we have the education, experience, and knowledge to provide the best oral health care possible without prejudice of any sort. • Veracity is being truthful. For example, if you bill for a root planning and only do a routine teeth cleaning, then that is dishonest.

9. Ethical Responsibilities • Clients (Patients): We must communicate, educate, treat, and maintain patients’ oral health without any bias.We must maintain the core values described in the ADHA Code of Ethics. • Colleagues: We should be respectful, “honest, responsible, and appropriately open and candid”2 with other professionals. We should create a work environment that is safe, supportive, and educational. • Community and Society: We should obey the laws and codes of ethics (whether it is “local, state, or federal”)2 of the dental hygiene profession. It is our responsibility to report any wrong or inappropriate actions that can result in harm to anyone.

10. Employees and employers: We should work together as a team by doing the following: • Respect one another • Communicate with one another • Be honest with one another • Be supportive of one another • Keep up to date with clinical and technological advances • Family and friends: We should be there for each other and respect each other’s choices. • One self: We should always be true to ourselves and strive to better ourselves through knowledge. Some other responsibilities include: • Maintain a safe and happy work environment • Report any wrong doings • Stay current on all licenses and continuing education

11. Science and research: It is our responsibility to following “our ethical beliefs in compliance with universal codes, governmental standards, and professional guidelines for the care and management of experimental subjects.”2 We must also know what research is credible and reliable, how to interpret the scientific information, and how to translate the relative information to society, our community, and our patients. • The profession: Be a part of the dental community and contribute knowledge where and when you can. Volunteer and educate people about oral health. Lastly, be professional, ethical, and most importantly, love what you do!

12. References 1In Darby, M. L., & In Walsh, M. M. (2015). Evidence-Based Decision Making. In Dental hygiene: Theory and practice (4th ed., pp. 30-38/). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Saunders. 2 Wilkins, E. M., & Wyche, C. J. (2013). Evidence-Based Dental Hygiene Practice. InClinical practice of the dental hygienist (11th ed., pp. 14-23). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.