NDAEB Ethical and Legal Practice Questions and Answers

Question 1

A 17-year-old patient arrives for a wisdom tooth extraction and their parents are in the waiting room. The dentist has explained the procedure and risks. According to Canadian legal principles, from whom must consent for the treatment be primarily obtained?

Accepted Answer

From the patient directly, if they are deemed capable of understanding the information.

Answer

In Canada, there is no specific age of consent for medical or dental treatment. Consent is based on capacity. If a minor is capable of understanding the nature of the treatment, its benefits, risks, and the consequences of refusing, they can provide their own valid informed consent.

Question 2

A dental assistant is asked by the dentist to perform a task that is outside their legal scope of practice for that province. Which of the following is the most appropriate ethical and legal action for the dental assistant to take?

Accepted Answer

Refuse to perform the task and inform the dentist that it is outside their scope of practice.

Answer

Dental assistants are professionally and legally responsible for their own actions. Performing a task outside of one's provincially regulated scope of practice is illegal and unethical, regardless of who delegates it. The correct action is to refuse and communicate the reason to the dentist.

Question 3

A patient's friend calls the dental office asking for details about the patient's upcoming appointment. Which Canadian federal law primarily governs how the dental assistant must handle this request?

Accepted Answer

The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)

Answer

PIPEDA is the federal privacy law that governs how private-sector organizations, including dental offices, collect, use, and disclose personal information in the course of commercial activities. Sharing appointment details without the patient's explicit consent would be a breach of this act. While provinces may have their own health-specific privacy laws (like Alberta's HIA), PIPEDA is the key federal legislation.

Question 4

The ethical principle of 'Beneficence' in a dental setting is best demonstrated by which of the following actions by a dental assistant?

Accepted Answer

Providing post-operative instructions clearly to promote proper healing.

Answer

Beneficence is the ethical principle of acting for the benefit of others. Providing clear post-operative instructions is a proactive step to promote the patient's well-being and ensure a positive treatment outcome. The other options relate to confidentiality (non-maleficence/veracity), veracity, and autonomy, respectively.

Question 5

A dental assistant makes an error when exposing a radiograph, resulting in a non-diagnostic image. The dentist is unaware of the error. What is the dental assistant's primary ethical obligation in this situation?

Accepted Answer

Inform the dentist of the error and the need for a retake.

Answer

The primary ethical obligation is honesty and full disclosure to the proper authorities within the practice, which in this case is the dentist. The dentist is ultimately responsible for the patient's diagnosis and care and must be made aware of any issues that could compromise it. This allows the dentist to decide on the appropriate next steps, which includes informing the patient.

(NDAEB) National Dental Assisting Examination Board Practice Test

(NDAEB) National Dental Assisting Examination Board Practice Test

NDAEB Ethical and Legal Practice Questions and Answers