Ethics in dentistry

1. G.Ramakanth Reddy

2. CONTENTS
 INTRODUTION
• HISTORY
• WHY CODE OF DENTAL ETHICS ?
• ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
 ETHICAL RULS FOR DENTISTS
 SOME UNETHICAL PRACTICES
 DOCTOR-PATIENTS CONTRACT
 CONCLUION
 REFERENCE

3. INTRODUCTION
 The dental profession Is a vocation in which
knowledge and skill is used for the service of others.
 Characteristic of profession is adherence to code of
ethics.
 The word ethics derived from Greek word “ETHOS”
meaning custom or character.
 Ethics is philosophy of human conduct, a way of
stating and evaluating principles by which problems of
behavior can be solved.
 It is a science of what morally right

4. Ethics
ethics is a branch of philosophy concerned with
the study of those concepts that are used to
human activities , in particular the concepts of
goodness and obligation.
Dental ethics
would mean moral duties and obligations of
the dentist towards his patients ,professionals
and colleagues and society.
 These help support autonomy and self
determination , protect the vulnerable and
promote the welfare and equality of human
beings.

5. Micro ethical principles
 Focus primarily on individual's right and duties and do
not see individual's as a part of a wider social order.
Macro ethics
 Set of principles designated to protect human dignity
,integrity , self-determination, confidentiality, rights,
and health of population and people comprising them.
[ethics and epidemiology-international guidelines,
1998]

6. Macro ethical principles
 Guide the conduct of population-based research and
practice.
 Establish positive moral responsibilities of persons,
authorities who sponser,conduct or oversee research on
population

7. Philosophy of ethics
• ethical concept based upon MYSTICISM.
• Man’s interest in destiny & belief in life
found in history of EGYPT then BABYLONIA.
• 3500 BC Egyptian “BOOK OF DEAD”.
• 1000 BC- India produced Vedas.
• Upanishads describe about ethics, god, death&
immortality.
• 470 BC Greek philosophers
ARISTOTLE,PLATO&SOCRATES.
• European civilization influenced philosophy of ethics.

8. History of ethics
 HIPPOCRATIC OATH: has been regarded as summing
of a standard of professional ethics.
 Theory of utilitarian ethics
 Theory of dentologic ethics
 Virtue ethics
 Descriptive theory;

9.  PRESCRIPTIVE THEORY;
 those that define ethical terms in as carrying
mandatory force enjoined by some kind of authority.
 e.g. ; ethical rules of dentists initially formed by
Dental council of India.
The code of ethics framed by dental council in 1975
and later notified by government of India as “dentists
(code of ethics )regulations 1976” which is force from
1976.

10. WHY CODE OF DENTAL ETHICS?
 A systemic body of rules is needed “IN ORDER
THAT DIGNITY AND HONOUR OF THE DENTAL
PROFESSION MAY UPHELD,ITS STANDARDS
EXALTED,ITS SPHERE OF USEFULNESS
EXTENDED AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF
DENTAL SENSE PROMOTED AND THAT THE
MEMBERS OF THE DENTAL ASSOCIATION MAY
UNDERSTAND CLEARLY THEIR DUTIES
OBLIGATIONS TO THE DENTAL PROFESSION,TO
THEIR PATIENTS,AND TO THE COMMUNITY AT
LARGE”[Indian dental association-constitution,
by laws and code of ethics 1988]

11.  DENTISTRY AS APROFESSION:
 Professional person is expected to have respect for
human beings ,competence in this chosen field,
integrity and primary concern with service rather than
with prestige or profit.
In dentistry the code of ethics Is the American dental
associations principles of ethics and code of
professional conduct.
 FIVE MAJOR SECTIONS:
 1)service to the public and quality of care
 2)education
 3)government of a profession
 4)research and development
 5)professional announcement

12. DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF A
DENTIST
 TOWARDS PATIENTS OR POPULATION:
 Doctor first duty is to his or her patients
(HIPPOCRATIC OATH)
 A)To do no harm; (non-maleficence)
 doctor induced illness should be avoided

13.  B)To do good (beneficence)
 It should be the role of dentist and dental hygienist to
benefit patient as well as not to inflict harm.
 There is an agreement between doctor and patient that
some good will result.
 C)RESPECT FOR PERSONS:
 1)AUTONOMY: health care professionals respect the
patients right to make decisions concerning the treatment
plan
 2)INFORMED CONSENT: first stated and ,by for , the
largest principle of NUREMBERG code.
 FOUR ATTIRBUTES OF IT:
 Consent must be “voluntary, legally competent , informed
and comprehending”

14.  D)JUSTICE:
 The primary duty of health professional is service
irrespective of class, creed etc…….
 It demands that each person is treated equally
 Dentist can provide some free or discounted care in
their offices to those who are truly needy, or they can
provide financial support or donate some time to
clinics for low income patients

15.  E)TRUTHFULLNESS:
 Patient doctor relationship based on trust
 Lying fails to show respect for persons and their
autonomy, violates explicit agreements and treatment
relationship based on trust
 F)CONFIDENTIALITY:
patients have the right to expect that all
communications and records pertaining to their care
will be treated as confidential

16. TOWARDS PROFESSION OR
PROFEESSIONAL COLLEGUES:
 The dentist has to be sober, courteous, sympathetic ,
helpful, modest and punctable.
 He has to be morally, mentally and physically clean.
 It is unethical to “PUT DOWN” another dentist to the
patient
TOWARDS THE SOCIETY
 Dentist has to assume leadership in the community
on matters pertaining to dental health.

17. SOME UNETHICAL PRACTICES
 Practice by unregistered persons.
 Untrue, misleading are improper certificate issued by
dentist under his sign.
 Use of bogus diplomas
 Allowing commission
 Any contravention of the drugs
 Immorally involving abuse professional relationship
 Aiding in any kind of illegal practices
 Employing any agent for the purpose of obtaining
patients

18. • Promise of radical cure by employment of secret methods
of treatment
• Mentioning after the dentist name any other abbreviation
except those indicating dental qualifications as
• 1)RDP
• 2)MIDA
• 3)FICD
• 4)MICD
• 5)FACD
• 6)MRSH

19. Ethical rules for DENTISTS;
(prescribed by DCI)
Duties and obligations of dentist towards the
patient.
1. Every dentist should be courteous, sympathetic,
friendly & helpful.
2. Should observe punctuality in fulfilling his
appointments.
3. The welfare of the patient should be conserved to
the utmost of the practitioners ability.
4. Dentist should not permit considerations of religion
, nationality, race, party politics or social standing to
intervene btwn his duties & his patients.

20. 5. Information of personal nature which he come to
know about patient directly or indirectly in the
course of professional practice should be kept in
utmost confidence.

21. Duties of dentist towards one another
1. Dentist should cherish proper pride in his or her
colleagues & should not disparage them either by
act or word.
2. Mutual arrangements should be made regarding
remuneration.
3. Dentist called upon emergency to treat the pt of
another dentist , retire in favour of regular dentist.
4. Institute correct treatment with the least comment.

22. Duties of dentist to the public
(police & law courts)
1. A dentist should not bound to disclose professional
secrets untill called upon by magistrate or judge to
do so.

23. contract
Doctor-patient relationship
when it begins ?
 At the movement a dentist expresses a professional
opinion to an individual
when it ends ?
1. Both parties agree to end
2. Death of dentist or patient
3. Patient cured
4. Patient ends by words or by act
5. Dentist unilaterally terminates

24. EXPRESS TERMS
A written agreement to prevent misunderstanding
 It define items such as
Fee,
treatment and
Manner in which payments are to be made

25. conclusion
 “Ethics warms the heart and cools the mind”

Ethics means that majority of professional
accept the right and also condemn the wrong
 Ethics can be printed , can be sermonized, can
be dictated, or even documented ,but if not
practiced it is only words.
 Ethics is not an object , it can’t be bought or
sold or bartered, but it can be shared.

26. REFERENCE
 “ Ethics hand book for dentists” -
JOHN.E.GURLEY
“Essentials of preventive and community
dentistry” - SOBEN PETER