Ethics for the Practice of Dentistry

AGD Course Code: 555 (Ethics in Dentistry)

Course Description: This course will serve as an introduction into key ethical principles and standards of conduct that govern the practice of dentistry. The course will be structured around the American Dental Association Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct, and discuss in detail the topics of patient autonomy, nommaleficence, beneficence, fairness and truthfulness. The course will also discuss the interactions between the ADA Code of Ethics with laws that apply to the practice of dentistry. The course is designed to offer dentists and their staff common ethical quandaries that they may face, and tools to help resolve these problematic situations.

Course Objectives: Upon the completion of this course, the dental professional should be able to:

1. Understand key concepts associated with informed consent and patient confidentiality.
2. Recognize common ethical and legal issues concerning the supervision of hygienists and dental assistants.
3. Recognize common ethical and legal issues concerning the termination of the doctor-patient relationship.
4. Understand laws prohibiting discrimination and mandating reporting of misconduct or impairment on the part of other dentists.