1. Dental EthicsDental Ethics

2. Dental EthicsDental Ethics
Ethics deals with MORALEthics deals with MORAL
CONTACT, duty, and judgmentCONTACT, duty, and judgment..
It’s concerned with standards forIt’s concerned with standards for
determining wither actions aredetermining wither actions are
right or wrongright or wrong..
These are voluntary controls, notThese are voluntary controls, not
laws, and serve as a method oflaws, and serve as a method of
self-polishing within a professionself-polishing within a profession

3. American Dental AssistantsAmerican Dental Assistants
Association Principals ofAssociation Principals of
EthicsEthics
This code of ethics functions as aThis code of ethics functions as a
standard of ethics for all practicingstandard of ethics for all practicing
dental assistantsdental assistants

4. Principles of EthicsPrinciples of Ethics
**Each individual involved in the practice of dentistryEach individual involved in the practice of dentistry
assumes the obligation to maintain and enrich theassumes the obligation to maintain and enrich the
professionprofession
**Each member may choose to meet this obligationEach member may choose to meet this obligation
according to the dictate of personal conscience basedaccording to the dictate of personal conscience based
on the needs of the human beings the profession ofon the needs of the human beings the profession of
dentistry is committed to serve. The spirit of thedentistry is committed to serve. The spirit of the
Golden Rule is the basic guiding principle of thisGolden Rule is the basic guiding principle of this
conceptconcept..
**The member must strive to maintain confidentialityThe member must strive to maintain confidentiality
and to exhibit respect for the dentistand to exhibit respect for the dentist

5. Principles of EthicsPrinciples of Ethics
**The member shall refrain from performing anyThe member shall refrain from performing any
professional service that is prohibited by state lawprofessional service that is prohibited by state law
and has obligation to prove competence prior toand has obligation to prove competence prior to
providing services to any patientproviding services to any patient
**The member shall constantly strive to upgradeThe member shall constantly strive to upgrade
and expand technical skills for the benefit of theand expand technical skills for the benefit of the
employer and the consumer publicemployer and the consumer public
**The member should additionally seek to sustainThe member should additionally seek to sustain
and improve the local organization, stateand improve the local organization, state
association, and the American Dental Assistantsassociation, and the American Dental Assistants
Association by active participation and personalAssociation by active participation and personal
commitmentcommitment

6. The Assistant as aThe Assistant as a
representative of the Dentalrepresentative of the Dental
ProfessionProfession
Each DA, in both his or her professionalEach DA, in both his or her professional
& personal life, acts at all times as a& personal life, acts at all times as a
representative of the dental teamrepresentative of the dental team
She’s NOT qualified to make aShe’s NOT qualified to make a
diagnosis, to establish a fee for a dentaldiagnosis, to establish a fee for a dental
service, or to comment on the quality ofservice, or to comment on the quality of
dental treatment that has beendental treatment that has been
performedperformed

7. The Dental TeamThe Dental Team
Although the individual membersAlthough the individual members
of the dental health team haveof the dental health team have
specific duties and areas ofspecific duties and areas of
responsibility, they are ALLresponsibility, they are ALL
working together toward theworking together toward the
shared goal of providing the bestshared goal of providing the best
possible care for their patientspossible care for their patients

8. The Dental TeamThe Dental Team
The composition of the dentalThe composition of the dental
health team within an individualhealth team within an individual
office or clinic may vary, yetoffice or clinic may vary, yet
there’s no question that the dentistthere’s no question that the dentist
is the leader of the teamis the leader of the team

9. The Dental TeamThe Dental Team
The dentist is in charge and mustThe dentist is in charge and must
retain ultimate responsibility for theretain ultimate responsibility for the
well-being of the patients and thewell-being of the patients and the
actions of the employeractions of the employer

10. The Dental TeamThe Dental Team
All members of the team mustAll members of the team must
give their complete support andgive their complete support and
loyalty to the dentist who’s theloyalty to the dentist who’s the
leader of their teamleader of their team

11. The Dental TeamThe Dental Team
The success of the dental team,The success of the dental team,
like that of any other team, islike that of any other team, is
dependant upon the attitudes anddependant upon the attitudes and
cooperation of all team memberscooperation of all team members

12. The Dental TeamThe Dental Team
They must be able to workThey must be able to work
together in close harmony and betogether in close harmony and be
willing to help each other at allwilling to help each other at all
timestimes

13. The Dental TeamThe Dental Team
Team members must have theTeam members must have the
flexibility of personality necessaryflexibility of personality necessary
for close cooperation and mutualfor close cooperation and mutual
supportsupport

14. The Dental TeamThe Dental Team
Anyone who’s unable to work andAnyone who’s unable to work and
cooperate with the others may becooperate with the others may be
on the wrong teamon the wrong team