Basic Ethics in Dentistry

~ Exam ~

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1. Ethics
  a. Comes from the Greek word, ethos, and originally meant character or conduct.
  b. Are informal and formal rules of behavior that guide individuals or groups.

  c. Are the rules and regulations by which a society is governed.
2. Ethics laws are:
  a. Found in the Constitution of the United States.
  b. informal or formal rules of behavior that guide individuals or groups of people.
  c. the formal rules and regulations by which a society is governed.
  d. the same as the Code of Ethics.
  e. b and d.

3. Doctors Ozar and Sokol in their book, Dental Ethics at Chairside, present three steps to making ethical decisions relating to dental situations. Those steps include:
  a. identifying the alternatives, determining what ought to be done, and determining what else is ethically at stake
  b. Asking if the issue is an ethical one, Contemplating which ethical theory should be used, and Putting the theories to the test.
  c. Asking the patient what s/he wants you to do, talking to your colleagues about their opinions on treatment options, and deciding what is the most ethical route to take in treatment.
  d. Consulting a Shaman to get the most ethical guide to follow, holding a tribunal, extracting teeth.

4. The dentist is responsible for all services provided to the "patient of record," which means a patient:
  a. Who has been billed for services.
  b. For whom a chart has been created.
  c. Who has been referred for a second opinion.
  d. For whom a medical history, clinical examination, and treatment plan have been conducted.

5. Deontological ethics is based on:
  a. The principle that all people are not of equal value.
  b. The principle that people should always be treated as a means to an end.
  c. The idea that a little white lie is okay if it is seen to be in the patients best interest.
  d. Follows the Golden Rule “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.”.

6. Confidentiality is optional, especially when the patient is a minor or is mentally impaired.
  a. True
  b. False
7. The ethics principle of Justice refers primarily to ethics in our legal system.

  a. True
  b. False
8. Using Motivist Theory when making ethical decisions will always lead to a result that is both ethical and beneficial to the dental patient.
  a. True
  b. False
9. Which of the following ethical principles are considered the most significant principles in dental decision making?:
  a. Denial, anger, resistance, bargaining, and acceptance
  b. Negotiating, harboring, enlisting issuing, and acceptance
  c. Autonomy, veracity, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice
  d. Autonomy, benevolent, non-benevolent, right-to-know, and judicious

10. Once a dentist begins care for a patient he or she is not required to:

  a. follow-up with a patient who has been referred to a specialist.
  b. take into consideration the wishes of the patient on any and all dental procedures.
  c. see the treatment through to the end.
  d. Make decisions for the patient based on the knowledge the dentist learned in school.

11. Natural Law Theory is also known as the virtue system of ethics.
  a. True

  b. False
12. Dentists should not enter interpersonal relationships with patients because:

  a. It is considered to be unethical.

  b. Such relationships can impair a dentist’s ability to properly utilize professional judgment regarding treatment.

  c. the relationship may exploit the confidence placed on the dentist by the patient.
  d. all of the above.

13. “Fee-splitting” breaks both the Codes of Ethics in dentistry and the written law.
  a. True
  b. False
14. Teleological theory is also known as:

  a. The Golden Rule
  b. consequential ethics

  c. virtue system ethics
  d. existentialism
  e. both b and d

15. It is important to discuss the terms of payment and insurance with the patient and or guardian prior to any dental procedures.

  a. True
  b. False
16. Autonomy, as a guiding principle, focuses on the patient’s
  a. Ability to self-pay for services.
  b. Truthfulness and promise keeping.
  c. Disclosure of relevant information.
  d. Personal rights and self-determination.

  e. None of the above.

17. The ACD Test for making ethical decisions stands for:
  a. Access, Care, Treatment
  b. American Certification of Dentists
  c. Assess, Communicate, Decide
  d. none of the above

18. The ethical Code of Conduct created by the American Dental Association addresses every possible ethical dilemma that could potentially present itself to a dental professional, and provides definitive answers or solutions to each dilemma.
  a. True
  b. False
19. Dentistry is a mostly self governing profession.
  a. True
  b. False
20. Nonmaleficene means dental professionals must try to:

  a. avoid doing harm
  b. continue to practice even when impaired because their patients need them
  c. Delegate patient care to unqualified auxiliary personnel so they can learn new procedures.
  d. Find ways to justify relationships with patients that they have treated in the past and those they are currently treating.
  e. a and b