Date Milestones
Release Date
March 29, 2024
Review Date
Expiration Date
March 29, 2027
Course
Course Description
Ethics
Dentistry is a part of the medical community and, like other professions in the healthcare arena, should view the human being as a unit that integrates the “whole” of the human, the biological, spiritual, psychological, and social. Everything related to dentistry should be included among the rights and duties of medicine because the dentist treats patients and not only teeth. The ADA Principles of Ethics and Code of Conduct is a written expression of the obligations arising from the implied contract between the dental profession and society. Contained in the Code are the principles of biomedical ethics that guide the behavior expected of those in the dental profession. This class presents a basic understanding of the principles and theories of medical ethics, the difference between ethical, moral and legal and contains an ethical decision-making tool for resolution of ethical dilemmas faced daily by dentists. The Code is referenced in relation to those principles and theories and several case studies are included.
The educational teaching methodology used in this Dental CE Course is a self-study course presented via written materials. In addition to the information provided, case studies are included to enhance audience members’ understanding and retention of key concepts.
Course Objectives
At the completion of this course the participants should be able to:
- Explain the four principles of biomedical ethics.
- Discuss the difference between moral, ethical and legal.
- Describe moral distress and the causes.
- Present the steps in making a good ethical decision.
- List the primary obligation of a dentist in the five areas of ethics listed in the Code, those areas being autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice and veracity.
- Demonstrate how the steps in the decision-making process can be used on a specific case.
