Ethical Issues In Dental Care

In a lot of ways, ethics can be very opinionated. Sure, there are guidelines such as code of conduct, but, just like things such as religion, it can be based all in how you interpret it and how you apply it. Unfortunately, many bad things are done for the “greater good.” As dentistry is gearing more towards aesthetics, ethical issues have been becoming more on the raise than ever before. Some ethical issues of concern in the dental chair would be things like patient autonomy or over-diagnosis/treatment. Now a days, more and more people have sought after that perfect “hollywood” smile. With this becoming in higher demand, restorations, such as veneers or crowns, are being used to cover up defects in the teeth rather than as a treatment to restore

Overall the patient had excellent homecare and was a Calculus Level One. There weren’t any risk factors discussed with this patient, but her concern about the throbbing in her upper jaw was addressed. Her general goal of the appointment was to keep her plaque score the same or lower since she was at 14%. She was a Periodontal Case Type Two based on the bleeding from probing, bone loss, and previous radiographs. The patient said she has been flossing more and is really trying to maintain her plaque score.

The way the on-site dental assistants are asking the dental assistant student to treat the patient presents an ethical dilemma that needs to be dealt with. This circumstance should be seen as a prima facie duty, which means, there is an obvious way to respond to the present situation. The obvious problems to confront are the violation of the patient’s rights as well as transgressing a portion of infection control, standard precautions. Following standard precautions means treating every patient as if they already have an infectious disease. When treating a patient, there should be no extra precautionary measures outside of the standard precautions. This patient trusts us to provide them with optimal care. They trust us to treat them with equality. These on-site assistants are treating this patient like a rabid animal. It is as if the on-site dental assistants fear the patient because of his condition. If standards precautions are being followed, the dental assistant should not need to wear a different gown, wear extra face protection, or follow a different sterilization method. The dental assistant also shouldn’t have to run the instruments through the autoclave twice. If I were the patient, and I realized I was being treated differently than the other patients, I would be

According to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services, the Affordable care Act from President Obama gives consumers more options and benefits when seeking coverage from insurance company. It offers lowering cost as well as gets more access to high quality of care. This law creates Patient’s Bill of Rights that is very effective to protect consumers from any abuses or fraud from insurance company. Some preventive services are available to many Americans especially Medicare recipients at no cost. Not just that, they also receive a special offer of 50 percent discount for any well-known drugs in the market place under Medicare named “donut hole.” The Affordable Care Act helps other organizations and programs to convince healthcare providers

the oral cavity? This research paper was written to provide information, to those who will

The patient was keen to get her oral hygiene up to a good standard and prevent any

On Tuesday, September 19th I had the opportunity of doing my second outside rotation at First Choice. I was very excited to see that the patient I saw last week was the first patient of the day. However, it was Jess turn to work as the hygienist, and I got to assist her with the suction. I was very happy to see that the UR quadrant I did the SRP was improving. The fistula on tooth #7 was smaller and the gums were not bleeding. I suggested that it will be good for the patient to use chlorhexidine as a home mouth rinse for the deep pockets areas, especially on tooth # 7 in where she had a pocket depth of 8mm. The patient asked if the mouth rinse was the one that causes staining of the teeth.

Two of the ethical principles can be applied to this case, veracity and societal trust. We as Dental Hygienists are obligated to be always truthful, not only to our patients and associates, but also with ourselves. We must value our knowledge and express treatment options in an honest and fair way. Societal trust is an obligation and it is very important to remember that patients trust on us as health care professionals, and this trust has to be earned based on our actions and behaviors. In my opinion Sally’s behavior is considered fraud, even though she has good intentions.

Administration of this clinical skill involved undertaking an assessment of my colleague’s mouth before delivering any care in order to help determine the most appropriate means of delivering oral care. Malkin (2009) asserts that this is a critical component of the procedure and was one I was keen not to overlook. The World Health Organisation (WHO 2010) describes a healthy mouth as being free of chronic mouth and facial pain and in the situation described; this is the condition I found my partner’s mouth to be in. I was therefore happy to proceed with cleaning his teeth as instructed. I selected to use a soft bristled toothbrush and toothpaste. The use of these adjuncts are described by many writers as being the most appropriate in terms of removing plaque and preventing trauma to the gums (Holman et al 2005,McCauliffe 2007).Despite this it has been identified that they are also most

He endured periodontal disease. The American Academy of Periodontology says that “Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease that affects the soft and hard structures that support the teeth.” Because the correctional facility was short staffed, Mr. Love had to wait twenty- seven months before having his teeth cleaned and examined. Since he did not receive prompt treatment, Mr. Love had several teeth that were estimated to fall out. When he finally had, his teen cleaned, there was so much tartar build up, that he was scheduled for another appointment two months later. Love faced many issues with his teeth, and occupied unfilled

Protecting the public trust is of paramount consideration and a standard of care in the field of dentistry, and of particular interest to policymakers, practitioners, and patients (Jacquot). When some caregivers violate this trust, a proactive holistic approach must be sourced in order to restore patient confidence by authorities and members of the field. As most ethics violations go undetected or unreported (attribution), employing protocols to promote oversight and transparency serve as a deterrent and enable patients to better understand expert recommendations, risks, costs, and options available for treatment. This reassurance of the public trust can help overcome distrust and insecurity deriving from ethics violations by dental practitioners.

My job shadowing experience with Dr. D. Lance Taylor has helped me in learning about the quality of education and intensive clinical training conducted at the SIU School of Dental Medicine. In addition, the clinical certification course will aid in enhancing my knowledge and developing skills required to make a smooth transition into the class. More importantly, opportunities to serve at the Give Kids a Smile and Mission of Mercy clinics will help in continuing my passion for community service. Also, it will be a great opportunity to learn from the ongoing clinical research at the school and improve my critical thinking. I am particularly interested in the research of Dr. Nathalia Garcia about the role of biomarkers in the progression of periodontal

A 49-year-old, Middle Eastern male presented to the Northern Virginia Community College dental hygiene clinic for both an oral prophylaxis. He was in good health and did not use any medications or supplements and, therefore, was classified as a health status of ASA I. The patient’s vital signs included a blood pressure of 112/78 RAS, pulse of 64 beats per minute, and a respiratory rate of 14 respirations per minute, which further concluded his health status. Patient had no history of any tobacco use, nor did he consume any alcohol.

Upon annual dental consult 4BWXs were completed, Dr. Jackson indicated that he will required dental treatment under general anesthesia due to lack of cooperation. Annual vison with no acute findings but dry eye syndrome which requires the use of artificial tears. Annual hearing test revealed normal hearing, cerumen was removed at the office.

No known allergies, no sinus, tenderness, no epistaxis, no bleeding gums, patient has partial dentures, one dental carrier noted, tongue is slightly coated, no swelling, lumps or tenderness noted in throat,