Introduction Dental non-disclosure is the act of failing or refusing to disclose information such as errors or mistakes to the patient, leading to lawsuits, health complications, and ethical concerns. Keeping hidden information can affect the patient; therefore, it's best to address dental issues as soon as possible so that they don't lead to other problems. The ethical and legal dilemmas inherent in dental non-disclosure emphasize the need for professionals to prioritize the patients’ well-being while maintaining professional responsibility and adhering to legal obligations, highlighting the importance of honesty, transparency, and integrity. Dentists are ethically obligated to inform their patients of mistakes that may have occurred during …show more content…
Patients want an acknowledgment of even small errors related to their health. Barriers such as inadequate training and fear of lawsuits often prevent disclosure. When doctors aren’t trained properly, they may become hesitant when discussing certain topics with patients. They may fear giving out incorrect information or not being able to explain things clearly. Consequently, the fear of lawsuits is another significant barrier. Some dentists may avoid disclosure due to the fear of legal issues. The patient has a right to know about any errors in order to prevent and manage them: “The dentist should give a narrative account of the event, describe the consequences, regarding the adverse event and its impact upon the patient and the implications for treatment”(The Canadian Dental Association, 2023). The dentist should always be honest with their patients. It is important to establish a transparent culture in the clinic to prevent any non-disclosure from happening. It is important to be well trained. Having clear policies and guidelines would help significantly. Establishing a healthy relationship with the patient can help prevent being dishonest with them. Maintaining documentation can help in case of lawsuits. Dentists should always be held accountable for all actions. Implementing such guidelines would help prevent non-disclosure and maintain a healthy environment. Discussion Summary Before researching this topic, I was unaware of the significance of dental non-disclosure. Dental non-disclosure is significantly prevalent, particularly in the Middle East, where laws aren’t adhered to. Dental mistakes have long-term consequences for the patient. If not disclosed, dental errors can potentially lead to serious health complications such as heart failure, leukemia, diabetes, chronic fatigue, and Alzheimer's if left undisclosed. Dental treatments including fillings, root canals, and bridgework can contribute to disease. Moreover, the utilization of hazardous materials
Silence or Omission: Not coming forward or withholding important information can be highly unethical if it leads to harm or damages
Ethics is the moral principle of doing that is right for our patients. However, there are some situations in where doing what is right conflict with other principles. As dental hygienist we have to provide the best care for our patients. The services we offer need to avoid injuring or hurting the patients. Also, they need to be able to remove any existing condition that is affecting patients. However, the first thing we need to have in mind is that patients have the right to accept or refuse treatment. When our duty conflict with the patient’s decision of not receive treatment, this put us in an ethical dilemma.
If the dental hygienist chooses to not report the suspected abuse and something was to happen to the child, it could have been prevented if the abuse was reported. Not reporting the assumptions of child abuse could develop a legal case involving the dental hygienist in the future. By not reporting the findings in the patient’s oral cavity the dental hygienist is also breaking the ADHA code of ethics by not promoting non-maleficence; In doing this the dental hygienist would be causing more harm to the patient than
In the Dental Hygiene field, many challenges come about every day and during different situations. Every day there are new challenges and unusual situations that occur in the dental field, but one challenge that continues to come about and has been a big dispute over the years is the ability to provide beneficial information about oral health care for the underprivileged. For the individuals that are not fortunate enough to pay to have services done in the dental office, lack the knowledge of how important good oral health care is. They do not receive the one on one conversations explaining the significance of taking care of your teeth and gums that the patients who can afford to make appointments and receive essential services do. That
The ethical issues faced by dentists in today’s society have become more complex and seem to arise more often than those faced by dentists in the past.2 Dentists are playing two roles at a same time those are of health professionals and individuals operating a small business. Each role presents them with distinctive and conflicting ethical demands.3 Dental professionals often encounters with ethical dilemma As deciding best dental
Moreover, dentists have to cater to the fears of the public. In today’s society many people have had bad experiences or have heard horror stories about dentists, so they are generally hesitant to get work done on their teeth. In many cases, people are consumed by so much fear at the dentist’s office that the dentist will have to administer an anesthetic and try to calm the patient’s fears.
Despite records breaking of medical malpractices and serious misconduct that put patients at risk, many doctors are still able to practice medicine. Whether narrowly avoided or followed as a consequence of patient injury, medical errors have increasingly taken a center stage in health care debates. Health care professionals, patients, policy makers and politicians have engaged in a close fight with the extreme consequences and facts of medical errors. Because of cases ranging from failure to disclose medical errors, wrong site surgery, negligence and incompetence, doctors should lose their medical license.
Imagine having to spend half your fortune on correcting your teeth.”Tooth decay was a perennial national problem that meant a mouthful of silver for patients, and for dentists a pocketful of gold.” (Wallis, 17) If patients don’t take care of their teeth, many issues can start to appear later in their life. Some patients are not knowledgeable of the correct procedures toward keeping a healthy smile. In order to keep a healthy smile patients must be better informed about the knowledge to achieve that success and also maintain.
For years, the welfare topic has been debated, and throughout history, both failed and thriving solutions have been seen to this dispute. The settlement of the matter of welfare came from independently sponsored programs only to be replaced by government funded organizations and devices to benefit the less fortunate using taxes, aids, and deductions. With the only hope to overcome the grief stricken state our country has been in over the centuries of seeing the destruction of nations over the word that stirs up a variety of emotions, welfare, to be the decreased amount and time government support should be offered. Most importantly, as seen through the effects of social welfare, the need for change in responsibility, the root of the problem, is to be Christians and the community rather than the government’s, whose failed efforts left our country in declining “poverty” as identified by the means-tested programs and raised taxes.
In conclusion, the Kokomo HIPAA violation article stated how a dentist in Indiana violated the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, by disposing of the residents information in the
“Medical malpractice occurs when a hospital, doctor, or other health care professional, through a negligent act or omission, causes an injury to a patient” (ABPLA). The problem with medical malpractice involves malpractice claims, unnecessary procedures, the general system, communication issues, and reform efforts. Although medical malpractice is a significant concern, much is being done to address this problem.
In the profession of Dental Hygiene, ethical dilemmas are nearly impossible to avoid, and most hygienists at some point in their professional life will have to face and answer ethical questions. Some ethical conflicts the dental hygienist may encounter can be quite complex and an obvious answer may not be readily available. In the article Ethical Decision Making, Phyllis Beemsterboer suggests an ethical decision-making model can aide the dental hygienist in making appropriate decisions when confronted with an ethical situation, and that the six-step model can serve dental hygienists in making the most advantageous ethical decision (2010).
I believe “Healthcare is a right, not a privilege”. It can’t be emphasized enough that healthcare should be accessible to all, irrespective of income status. Growing up in a developing country, I realized that limited access to care, lack of awareness and poverty were the major contributing factors for deteriorating health in people. Dentistry forms a crucial component as oral health is “a window to overall health”. These factors galvanized me to engage in the dental profession.
I decided to do my research report on dentistry because it is a perfect blend of science and art. It is a science in that you must fully comprehend on the different types of diagnostic and procedures you are doing. It is an art in that you are constantly working with your hands to create a beautiful smile. The impact you make on helping a person achieve an impeccable smile is not one to compare with materialistic things like money or cars. People often mistake dentist as only doing practices when in fact they could do more, like research. I was fortunate enough to have been given the opportunity to interview Dr. Sarah Pham, DDS, a close family friend who practices dentistry in her own private office in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Pham was
Nowadays the practice of dentistry is becoming more challenging and complex because of the information explosion regarding dental materials and equipment, increasing need for continuous professional development and an increasingly litigious society. Hence there has been a paradigm shift towards evidence-based healthcare .