Law & Ethics TESTLET 1-10
Virginia is a dental hygienist in a busy practice with three dentists, one other hygienist, and six
dental assistants. The office also supports an administrative staff of four. Oak Grove Dentistry is
a high-volume practice, with 250 to 300 patient visits per week among the clinical practitioners.
New patients to the practice are seen first by the dental hygienists, who take the medical history
and perform the initial examination, including the current periodontal status and restorative
needs.
Although Virginia is impressed by the quality of services that the patients receive, she is
distressed by what she believes is a wide disparity between her clinical assessment of
restorative need and that of one of the dentists who finds many more carious lesions than she
notes. Her observations were confirmed when she discussed the issue with the other hygienist
and one of the dentists, both of whom expressed similar concerns. - ANSAnswer questions 1-4
(Testlet 1)
1. This case presents issues that may be
a. unethical.
b. illegal.
c. grounds for malpractice.
d. all the above.
e. none of the above. - ANSd. all the above.
2. The main principle involved in this case is
a. autonomy.
b. beneficence.
c. nonmaleficence.
d. justice.
e. veracity. - ANSc. nonmaleficence.
3. Does Virginia have any responsibility to the patients in this practice?
a. No; she is an employee, not the owner, of the practice.
b. Yes; she must adhere to the ADHA Code of Ethics. - ANSb. Yes; she must adhere to the
ADHA Code of Ethics.
4. What section of the ADHA Code of Ethics "Standards" applies to this situation?
a. "To ourselves as professionals"
b. "To clients"
c. "To employees and employers"
d. "To the dental hygiene profession"
e. "To the community and society" - ANSb. "To clients"
, A patient assigned to Sarah Smith in the periodontal practice at which she works has a severe
case of what she thinks is type IV periodontal disease. The dentist employer initially examined
the patient, and because of the amount of calculus present, sent her for scaling and
debridement. The patient is elderly, somewhat shy, and keeps saying that she wants Sarah to
do "whatever is necessary" so she can keep her teeth. Sarah is concerned that the patient does
not fully understand her disease, the scope of treatment, and treatment options. - ANSAnswer
questions 1-4 (TESTLET 2)
1. What health care obligation is most important in this case?
a. Confidentiality
b. Informed consent
c. Paternalism
d. Veracity - ANSa. Confidentiality
2. Making sure the patient understands the course of treatment is honoring the ethical principle
of
a. autonomy.
b. beneficence.
c. justice.
d. nonmaleficence. - ANSa. autonomy.
3. Sarah should be concerned about this situation because the patient is
a. elderly and shy.
b. too trusting.
c. yet to be diagnosed by the dentist.
d. not well informed about her oral health. - ANSd. not well informed about her oral health.
4. What section of the ADHA Code of Ethics "Standards" applies to this situation?
a. "To ourselves as professionals"
b. "To clients"
c. "To employees and employers"
d. "To the dental hygiene profession"
e. "To the community and society" - ANSb. "To clients"
A new patient, Susan, is a 15-year-old single young woman who is seeing a dental hygienist for
dental care for the first time. In this practice, radiographs are taken of every new patient as part
of the diagnostic data gathering. As a safety precaution before taking radiographs, women of
childbearing age are asked whether they could be pregnant. Susan, aware that her mother is in
the waiting room, very quietly tells the hygienist that she is pregnant. She also says that her
parents are unaware of her condition and begs the hygienist not to tell her mother or the dentist.
- ANSAnswer questions 1-4 (TESTLET 3)
1. Which main ethical principles are involved for the dental hygienist in this case?
a. Autonomy and nonmaleficence
Virginia is a dental hygienist in a busy practice with three dentists, one other hygienist, and six
dental assistants. The office also supports an administrative staff of four. Oak Grove Dentistry is
a high-volume practice, with 250 to 300 patient visits per week among the clinical practitioners.
New patients to the practice are seen first by the dental hygienists, who take the medical history
and perform the initial examination, including the current periodontal status and restorative
needs.
Although Virginia is impressed by the quality of services that the patients receive, she is
distressed by what she believes is a wide disparity between her clinical assessment of
restorative need and that of one of the dentists who finds many more carious lesions than she
notes. Her observations were confirmed when she discussed the issue with the other hygienist
and one of the dentists, both of whom expressed similar concerns. - ANSAnswer questions 1-4
(Testlet 1)
1. This case presents issues that may be
a. unethical.
b. illegal.
c. grounds for malpractice.
d. all the above.
e. none of the above. - ANSd. all the above.
2. The main principle involved in this case is
a. autonomy.
b. beneficence.
c. nonmaleficence.
d. justice.
e. veracity. - ANSc. nonmaleficence.
3. Does Virginia have any responsibility to the patients in this practice?
a. No; she is an employee, not the owner, of the practice.
b. Yes; she must adhere to the ADHA Code of Ethics. - ANSb. Yes; she must adhere to the
ADHA Code of Ethics.
4. What section of the ADHA Code of Ethics "Standards" applies to this situation?
a. "To ourselves as professionals"
b. "To clients"
c. "To employees and employers"
d. "To the dental hygiene profession"
e. "To the community and society" - ANSb. "To clients"
, A patient assigned to Sarah Smith in the periodontal practice at which she works has a severe
case of what she thinks is type IV periodontal disease. The dentist employer initially examined
the patient, and because of the amount of calculus present, sent her for scaling and
debridement. The patient is elderly, somewhat shy, and keeps saying that she wants Sarah to
do "whatever is necessary" so she can keep her teeth. Sarah is concerned that the patient does
not fully understand her disease, the scope of treatment, and treatment options. - ANSAnswer
questions 1-4 (TESTLET 2)
1. What health care obligation is most important in this case?
a. Confidentiality
b. Informed consent
c. Paternalism
d. Veracity - ANSa. Confidentiality
2. Making sure the patient understands the course of treatment is honoring the ethical principle
of
a. autonomy.
b. beneficence.
c. justice.
d. nonmaleficence. - ANSa. autonomy.
3. Sarah should be concerned about this situation because the patient is
a. elderly and shy.
b. too trusting.
c. yet to be diagnosed by the dentist.
d. not well informed about her oral health. - ANSd. not well informed about her oral health.
4. What section of the ADHA Code of Ethics "Standards" applies to this situation?
a. "To ourselves as professionals"
b. "To clients"
c. "To employees and employers"
d. "To the dental hygiene profession"
e. "To the community and society" - ANSb. "To clients"
A new patient, Susan, is a 15-year-old single young woman who is seeing a dental hygienist for
dental care for the first time. In this practice, radiographs are taken of every new patient as part
of the diagnostic data gathering. As a safety precaution before taking radiographs, women of
childbearing age are asked whether they could be pregnant. Susan, aware that her mother is in
the waiting room, very quietly tells the hygienist that she is pregnant. She also says that her
parents are unaware of her condition and begs the hygienist not to tell her mother or the dentist.
- ANSAnswer questions 1-4 (TESTLET 3)
1. Which main ethical principles are involved for the dental hygienist in this case?
a. Autonomy and nonmaleficence
