Professional Ethics Flashcards
7 cards from real ADAP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Professional Ethics flashcards as text
A dental assistant suspects that a colleague is impaired by substances during a work shift. What is the ethically correct course of action?
Answer: Report the concern to a supervisor immediately to protect patient safety
An impaired coworker poses a direct risk to patients, and reporting to a supervisor is the ethical and legally required response.
What is the purpose of an 'informed refusal' document in dental practice?
Answer: To document that a patient was informed of risks and chose to decline treatment
Informed refusal documentation records that the patient was educated about the risks of declining care and made a voluntary, informed decision.
Which of the following is an example of a boundary violation in the dental professional-patient relationship?
Answer: Asking a patient on a personal date after their appointment
Initiating a personal romantic relationship with a patient crosses professional boundaries and compromises the therapeutic relationship.
A dental office posts before-and-after patient photos on social media. What ethical and legal issue does this raise?
Answer: It violates patient privacy unless explicit written authorization was obtained
Posting identifiable patient photos on social media requires explicit written authorization under HIPAA and ethical privacy standards.
Which action represents proper handling of an ethical dilemma in dental practice?
Answer: Identify the conflict, consult relevant ethics guidelines or a supervisor, and document the resolution
Ethical dilemmas require a structured approach: identifying the conflict, applying ethics principles, seeking guidance, and documenting the outcome.
What does the ADA Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct primarily govern?
Answer: The ethical standards expected of all dental professionals, including dental assistants
The ADA's ethics code applies broadly to dental professionals and outlines standards of conduct for the entire dental team.
A dental assistant is asked to witness a patient's signature on an informed consent form but did not observe the dentist's explanation to the patient. What should the assistant do?
Answer: Refuse to sign and notify the dentist that the explanation needs to be given first
A witness signature attests that the consent process was properly conducted; signing without witnessing the explanation is dishonest and ethically improper.