AGD Professionalism & Ethics in Dental Practice 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A dentist buys a dental supply company and then recommends its products to all patients. This arrangement must be disclosed because of which ethical principle?
- Nonmaleficence
- Veracity (Correct answer)
- Justice
- Beneficence
Correct answer: Veracity
Veracity requires disclosure of financial conflicts of interest so patients can make fully informed decisions about recommended products and services.
Question 2: Under the AGD's commitment to lifelong learning, a Fellow is expected to complete how many hours of continuing education over a five-year period?
- 100 hours
- 150 hours
- 200 hours (Correct answer)
- 250 hours
Correct answer: 200 hours
AGD Fellowship (FAGD) requires 500 hours total, with 200 hours required within any given five-year period to demonstrate ongoing professional development.
Question 3: When a patient requests a copy of their dental records, a dentist may legally charge:
- Any fee they choose regardless of state law
- A reasonable, cost-based fee for reproduction as permitted by state law (Correct answer)
- A fee equivalent to one year of treatment costs
- No fee under any circumstances
Correct answer: A reasonable, cost-based fee for reproduction as permitted by state law
HIPAA and most state laws permit providers to charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for producing copies of medical/dental records.
Question 4: A dentist is asked to testify as an expert witness against a former patient in a malpractice case. Which obligation is most relevant?
- Loyalty to the dental profession above all else
- Providing honest, objective testimony regardless of the outcome for either party (Correct answer)
- Refusing to testify to protect patient confidentiality
- Testifying only in favor of the defendant dentist
Correct answer: Providing honest, objective testimony regardless of the outcome for either party
Expert witnesses have an overriding duty to the court and to truthfulness; advocacy for either party compromises the integrity of the legal process.
Question 5: A dentist who terminates care for a patient who has missed multiple appointments must do which of the following to avoid patient abandonment?
- Simply stop scheduling appointments without notice
- Provide written notice, allow adequate time for the patient to find another provider, and offer emergency care during the transition (Correct answer)
- Immediately transfer all records to a new dentist without patient consent
- Report the patient to the state board for non-compliance
Correct answer: Provide written notice, allow adequate time for the patient to find another provider, and offer emergency care during the transition
Proper patient dismissal requires written notice, a reasonable transition period (typically 30 days), and emergency care availability to avoid charges of patient abandonment.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes 'dual agency' as an ethical concern in dentistry?
- A dentist practicing in two states simultaneously
- A dentist serving conflicting obligations to both the patient and a third-party payer (Correct answer)
- A dentist who is also a dental school faculty member
- A dentist who treats both adults and children
Correct answer: A dentist serving conflicting obligations to both the patient and a third-party payer
Dual agency occurs when a dentist's obligation to a third-party payer (insurer or HMO) conflicts with their primary duty to act in the patient's best interest.
Question 7: A patient brings in a printed article claiming a new, unproven treatment is superior to standard care. The most ethical response is to:
- Dismiss the information without discussion
- Provide balanced information about evidence levels and respect the patient's right to ask questions (Correct answer)
- Immediately incorporate the unproven treatment into your practice
- Tell the patient to find a dentist who uses that treatment
Correct answer: Provide balanced information about evidence levels and respect the patient's right to ask questions
Respecting patient autonomy and veracity requires engaging openly with patient-supplied information while providing an honest, evidence-based assessment.
AGD Professionalism & Ethics in Dental Practice 4
A dentist buys a dental supply company and then recommends its products to all patients.
This arrangement must be disclosed because of which ethical principle?