AGD Professionalism & Ethics in Dental Practice 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which ethical model is most consistent with the ADA's view of the dentist-patient relationship?
- Paternalistic model
- Contractual model
- Mutual participation model (Correct answer)
- Passive compliance model
Correct answer: Mutual participation model
The ADA endorses a mutual participation model in which the dentist and patient collaborate as partners, balancing professional expertise with patient autonomy.
Question 2: A social media post by a dental employee identifies a patient by name and shares clinical details. This most directly violates:
- The ADA advertising guidelines only
- HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules (Correct answer)
- The state dental practice act only
- The ADA's principle of beneficence
Correct answer: HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules
Disclosing individually identifiable health information on social media without patient authorization is a direct HIPAA Privacy Rule violation.
Question 3: A dentist who sells cosmetic products in their office must ensure that:
- Products are only available to established patients
- Any claims made are truthful and the financial relationship is disclosed to patients (Correct answer)
- Products are priced below retail value
- Sales are conducted only by non-clinical staff
Correct answer: Any claims made are truthful and the financial relationship is disclosed to patients
Veracity requires truthful product claims and disclosure of any financial interest; failure to disclose constitutes a conflict of interest and deceptive practice.
Question 4: A patient who is a minor requests orthodontic records without parental involvement. The dentist should:
- Always release records to the minor without restriction
- Consult state law to determine if the minor qualifies as mature or emancipated before releasing records (Correct answer)
- Refuse to discuss records with the minor under any circumstances
- Release records to both the minor and parents simultaneously
Correct answer: Consult state law to determine if the minor qualifies as mature or emancipated before releasing records
State law governs minors' rights to their own records; emancipated or mature minors may have independent access rights, so legal requirements must be verified.
Question 5: Which factor most strongly elevates a dentist's ethical obligation to refer a patient to a specialist?
- The patient's request for a second opinion
- The procedure being outside the dentist's current competence (Correct answer)
- The availability of a specialist in the same building
- The patient's insurance covering specialist visits
Correct answer: The procedure being outside the dentist's current competence
Competence is a core professional obligation; when a procedure exceeds a dentist's skill level, the duty to refer is directly tied to nonmaleficence and the patient's welfare.
Question 6: A dentist discovers that a laboratory they use is producing restorations in a facility with poor infection control standards. The ethical obligation is to:
- Continue using the lab until a formal complaint is filed
- Investigate, address the issue with the lab, and switch labs if standards are not corrected (Correct answer)
- Report only to the patient and let the patient decide
- Take no action because the lab is not the dentist's employee
Correct answer: Investigate, address the issue with the lab, and switch labs if standards are not corrected
Dentists are responsible for the quality and safety of services provided under their care, including outsourced lab work; patient safety requires action.
Question 7: Which of the following best exemplifies the ethical principle of veracity in a dental practice setting?
- Recommending treatment options based solely on fee generation
- Accurately informing a patient when a procedure did not go as planned, including disclosure of any adverse outcome (Correct answer)
- Withholding a poor prognosis to protect the patient from anxiety
- Adjusting documentation after the fact to avoid liability
Correct answer: Accurately informing a patient when a procedure did not go as planned, including disclosure of any adverse outcome
Veracity requires honest, complete communication with patients, including timely disclosure of complications or unexpected outcomes.
AGD Professionalism & Ethics in Dental Practice 5
Which ethical model is most consistent with the ADA's view of the dentist-patient relationship?