Professional Ethics and Law Flashcards

Under which circumstance is a dental hygienist LEGALLY required to breach patient confidentiality?

Answer: When reporting confirmed or suspected child abuse or neglect as required by mandatory reporting laws

All 50 states have mandatory reporting laws requiring dental hygienists to report suspected or confirmed child abuse and neglect — this legal duty overrides normal confidentiality obligations.

The ADHA's Code of Ethics principle of 'societal trust' primarily relates to:

Answer: The dental hygiene profession's obligation to uphold public trust through ethical practice, self-regulation, and advocacy for oral health

Societal trust (also called professional trust) reflects the profession's collective obligation to maintain public confidence through ethical conduct, competency, self-governance, and advocacy for the public's oral health.

A dental hygienist discovers that a colleague is repeatedly documenting procedures that were never performed in order to increase insurance reimbursement. This is an example of:

Answer: Healthcare fraud — a federal crime with criminal penalties including fines and imprisonment

Documenting false procedures to obtain payment from insurance companies constitutes healthcare fraud under federal law, carrying criminal penalties including fines, imprisonment, and loss of professional licensure.

Which document outlines the dental hygienist's rights and responsibilities regarding workplace safety, including exposure to bloodborne pathogens?

Answer: OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030)

OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) mandates employer requirements for protecting workers from exposure to HIV, HBV, and other bloodborne pathogens, including training, PPE, vaccination, and exposure protocols.

A patient who has been injured by a dental hygienist's negligent scaling procedure has how long to bring a civil lawsuit, under most state laws?

Answer: Within the statute of limitations, typically 2–3 years from the date of injury or discovery

Most states set the statute of limitations for dental malpractice at 2–3 years from the date the injury occurred or was discovered (the 'discovery rule'), though variation exists across jurisdictions.

The ethical principle of justice in dental hygiene practice requires:

Answer: Treating all patients fairly and equitably, distributing care based on need rather than ability to pay, and avoiding discrimination

Justice requires equitable treatment of all patients regardless of race, ethnicity, income, disability, or other factors, and extends to supporting policies that improve access to oral health care for all populations.